DUSHANBE, April 7, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- Ms. Sanovbar Sahripova, director general of the microfinance fund, IMON, will receive the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) award, according to the IMON press service.

The 2010 EBRD Business Forum will take place on the occasion of the EBRD’s Annual General Meeting in Zagreb, Croatia on May 14-15.  The Business Forum will provide the chance to assess the latest political, economic and social changes, and business opportunities, in the country and across the EBRD region of operations.

The IMON CEO Sanovbar Sharipova is among recipients for the Women in Business Award 2010, the press service said.

According to EBRD’s website, leading businesswomen meet each year at the EBRD''s Annual General Meeting to share their experiences.  The Women in Business panel is composed of high profile women from EBRD’s countries of operations and donor countries.  At the Annual General Meeting, the EBRD recognizes women in business through the annual Women in Business Awards that have been held since 2005.  The candidates are clients from the EBRD’s countries of operations. The nominations are gathered from the EBRD''s resident offices and banking teams.

Founded in 2005, IMON, with headquarters in Khujand, operates in three regions of Tajikistan with 33 lending outlets covering 36 districts.  Many of these are rural areas where commercial banks do not operate.  IMON offers loans for trade, services and small manufacturing. Recently, it has added agricultural loans to its range of products.