The grants are part of a larger program launched by Inkomoko, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, to enable businesses in Rwanda to overcome the economic impacts of COVID-19

In support of World Refugee Day, celebrated globally on 20 June, 2020, Inkomoko Entrepreneur Development will distribute 1,000 grants to businesses in refugee camps and the surrounding host communities in Rwanda.

This one-time support will be distributed as direct relief grants via the Inkomoko Relief Fund to 3,500 MSMEs, including 1,000 entrepreneurs today within refugee communities, to re-emerge from COVID-19's economic implications.

"By adapting and increasing our support to entrepreneurs - who are more than ever in need of business advisory and financial support - as well as young people, refugees, and micro enterprises, we are ensuring that the economic growth of Rwanda is not set back from COVID-19, and that we can be unified in recovering together," says Nathalie Niyonzima, Managing Director, Inkomoko.

Inkomoko's grant initiative is aligned with the Government of Rwanda's socio-economic inclusion of refugee and host communities, which envisions better standards of living for refugees and their surrounding host community by improving their livelihoods and supporting families in their self-reliance journey.

In line with UNHCR's 2020 World Refugee Day theme, Every Action Counts, the Inkomoko Relief Fund grants are supporting refugees and host community entrepreneurs to take action in growing their businesses.