The New Yonna Microfinance office in Wassu
By Fatou Sillah
Yonna Islamic Microfinance, a leading Islamic microfinance institution in The Gambia, celebrated a significant milestone on Wednesday with the grand opening of its 12th branch in Wassu. The new branch, valued at over D5.4 million, aims to bring financial accessibility and services closer to the Wassu community and surrounding areas.
Yonna Micro Finance, an Islamic Microfinance institution with a vision of sustainability and inclusivity, celebrated the launch with a ceremony led by the Managing Director, Yankuba Mamburay. Reflecting on the institution’s growth, he highlighted that Yonna Islamic Microfinance, established just two and a half years ago, is now opening its 12th branch, responding to the increasing demand for its services across various regions.
“Yonna Islamic Microfinance just started some two and a half years ago, and today we are marking the launching of the 12th branch of the institution, the 11th one was inaugurated in Farafenni. This shows how much interest we have seen in serving our customers. The need is there for us to grow from region to region, and we have heard the calls from our customers across the country and as a result, we are going around opening branches in support of the needs of the various communities across the country,” He said.
Expressing gratitude, Momodou Barrow, the Managing Director of Yonna Foreign Exchange Bureau, acknowledged the support from the people of Wassu and The Gambia over the past nine years. He announced the extension of services, including the Yonna Forex Bureau, Yonna Insurance, a local store, and the new product, the Yonna wallet, designed to provide accessible and convenient financial integration, even on public holidays.
“We are here today to inaugurate the extension of our services for saving your money in our Islamic Microfinance but also to equally thank and congratulate all of you for partnering with Yonna over the past nine years, because we have been here, and you were very supportive of us, and that’s why we are here today, to offer the extension of our services why people can now come and open account with us.
“We have other business of Yonna which is the Yonna Forex Bureau that has been here for a long and Microfinance is joining us and also the insurance, but we also have our store here where you can go and buy your daily food Items from the store at Wassu here. We also have our new product called the Yonna wallet which is also here to make financial integration very friendly, convenient and even on public holidays you can have access to your money,” He said.
Mahammadou Manjang, the Board Chairman of Yonna, emphasized that the Wassu Branch represents not only the opening of a new location but a symbol of hope, opportunity, and progress for Yonna. He highlighted Yonna’s journey from a dream to a flourishing organization with four business units.
“Today marks a milestone in the journey of Yonna group as we celebrate the opening of the Islamic Yonna Microfinance in Wassu. This opening is really not just an opening of a new building or a new location, it is a hope. The branch is a symbol of hope, and opportunities, and is a symbol of progress. Yonna started with a dream and that dream has flourished into four business units,” He said.
Ebrima Bittaye, Managing Director of Yonna Insurance, discussed the comfort provided by Yonna Islamic Insurance in a Sharia-compliant manner, offering various insurance products such as motor insurance, fire insurance, burglary insurance, liability insurance, and marine insurance.
“Yonna Islamic Insurance aims to provide this comfort in a Sharia Compliant way. Yonna Islamic Insurance offers all insurance products ranging from motor insurance, fire insurance, burglary insurance, liability insurance, marine insurance, etc,” He said.
The Governor of CRR, along with other speakers, expressed appreciation to the management of Yonna for initiating such a valuable venture.