w anda , ▁the ▁national ▁bank ing ▁reg ulator . ▁ ▁History ▁F ounded ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁by ▁World ▁Rel ief ▁as ▁Ur w ego ▁Community ▁Bank ing , ▁the ▁bank ▁joined ▁the ▁HO PE ▁International ▁network ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁the ▁bank ▁merged ▁with ▁O pport unity ▁International ▁Bank ▁of ▁R w anda ▁to ▁become ▁Ur w ego ▁O pport unity ▁Bank . ▁ ▁With ▁the ▁appro val ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Bank ▁of ▁R w anda , ▁O pport unity ▁International ▁sold ▁its ▁ 5 0 % ▁ownership ▁of ▁Ur w ego ▁to ▁HO PE ▁International ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁making ▁HO PE ▁a ▁ 9 9 % ▁share holder ▁in ▁the ▁bank , ▁with ▁World ▁Rel ief ▁continu ing ▁to ▁own ▁ 1 %. ▁ ▁Over view ▁Ur w ego ▁Bank ▁is ▁a ▁lic ensed , ▁Christian ▁faith - based ▁micro fin ance ▁bank . ▁Draw ing ▁upon ▁its ▁name ▁( U rw ego ▁is ▁the ▁K iny ar w anda ▁word ▁that ▁transl ates ▁as ▁“ lad der ” ▁in ▁English ), ▁Ur w ego ' s ▁mission ▁statement ▁is , ▁“ To ▁provide ▁a ▁lad der ▁of ▁opportunity ▁to ▁unders erved ▁communities ▁in ▁R w anda ▁as ▁we ▁proc laim ▁and ▁live ▁the ▁G ospel ▁of ▁Jesus ▁Christ .” ▁ ▁Ur w ego ▁see ks ▁to ▁reach ▁R wand ans ▁who ▁are ▁econom ically ▁active ▁but ▁unders erved ▁by ▁lic ensed ▁bank ing