Organization: THE SMALL ENTERPRISE EDUCATION AND
Mission: SEE PART III, LINE 1.
Activities: THE RESPONSIBLE FINANCE THROUGH LOCAL LEADERSHIP PROGRAM IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA:TO FURTHER THE GOAL OF STRENGTHENING MICROFINANCE INSTITUTIONS IN AFRICA, THE SEEP NETWORK COMMENCED A FOUR-YEAR PROGRAM IN 2012 TO IMPROVE MANAGEMENT CAPACITY OF MICROFINANCE ASSOCIATIONS, ADVANCE FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY, AND PROMOTE CONSUMER PROTECTION. RESULTING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE WILL ALSO BE SHARED WITH ASSOCIATIONS ACROSS SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA TO SCALE AND SUSTAIN INDUSTRY GROWTH.THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, EIGHT MICROFINANCE ASSOCIATIONS WITH A MEMBERSHIP OF NEARLY 500 MICROFINANCE INSTITUTIONS (SERVING, IN TOTAL 6 MILLION CLIENTS) WILL IMPROVE THEIR CORE MANAGEMENT CAPACITY. PROGRAM PARTNERS INCLUDE THE NATIONAL MICROFINANCE ASSOCIATIONS OF SENEGAL, BENIN, BURKINA FASO, COTE D'IVOIRE, GHANA, UGANDA, RWANDA AND BURUNDI.
SAVINGS GROUPS EVIDENCE AND LEARNING INITIATIVES: THE SAVINGS GROUPS EVIDENCE AND LEARNING INITIATIVE - A FOUR-YEAR PROJECT (2016-2019) IMPLEMENTED BY SEEP, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FSD AFRICA - AIMS TO FACILITATE THE CREATION, SHARING AND USE OF EVIDENCE FOR AND AMONG ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORTING SAVINGS GROUPS, TO INCREASE ACCESS TO AND USE OF APPROPRIATE FINANCIAL SERVICES BY VULNERABLE POPULATIONS IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA. THROUGH THE INITIATIVE, KNOWLEDGE AND EVIDENCE IS GENERATED, COLLECTED, CURATED AND USED TO CATALYZE THE GENERATION OF NEW IDEAS AND THE ADOPTION OF IMPROVED SERVICES, TECHNOLOGIES AND BUSINESS MODELS THAT HAVE THE GREATEST LIKELIHOOD OF SYSTEMIC IMPACT. BASED ON THE FINDINGS OF AN EXTENSIVE NEEDS ASSESSMENT CONDUCTED IN 2016, THE INITIATIVE FOCUSES ON EIGHT THEMATIC PRIORITIES: 1) APPLYING A MARKET SYSTEMS APPROACH; 2) LONG-TERM OUTCOMES; 3) CONSUMER PROTECTION; 4) ACCESS TO FORMAL FINANCE; 5) TECHNOLOGY; 6) INCLUSION; 7) FRAGILE AND CONFLICT-AFFECTED STATES; AND 8) GENDER. WITHIN THE INITIATIVE, THE SEEP NETWORK WILL DEVELOP 30 ORIGINAL KNOWLEDGE PRODUCTS AND FACILITATE AT LEAST 26 VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON LEARNING EVENTS.SUPPORTED BY FSD AFRICA, THE INITIATIVE AIMS TO FACILITATE THE CREATION, SHARING AND USE OF EVIDENCE FOR AND AMONG ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORTING SAVINGS GROUPS, TO INCREASE ACCESS TO AND USE OF APPROPRIATE FINANCIAL SERVICES BY VULNERABLE POPULATIONS IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA. THE PROJECT'S STRATEGY IS BASED ON KEY MARKET SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES, SPECIFICALLY, THE ROLE THAT INFORMATION, KNOWLEDGE SHARING, AND COORDINATION CAN PLAY IN INFLUENCING THE BEHAVIORS OF MARKET ACTORS. THROUGH THE INITIATIVE, THE SEEP NETWORK GENERATES, SYNTHESIZES, AND TRANSFERS KNOWLEDGE TO CATALYZE THE GENERATION OF NEW IDEAS AND THE ADOPTION OF IMPROVED SERVICES, TECHNOLOGIES, AND BUSINESS MODELS THAT HAVE THE GREATEST LIKELIHOOD OF SYSTEMIC IMPACT.
MERS2: THIS PROGRAM WAS FUNDED BY USAID'S OFFICE OF FOREIGN DISASTER ASSISTANCE AND WAS DESIGNED TO USE A HIGHLY CONSULTATIVE PROCESS TO REVISE AND UPDATE THE MINIMUM ECONOMIC RECOVERY STANDARDS (THE MERS). THE MERS OFFER TOOLS FOR HUMANITARIAN AGENCIES, INTER-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS, LOCAL POPULATIONS AND GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS TO ENHANCE THE EFFECTIVENESS AND QUALITY OF THE ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE OFFERED TO COMMUNITIES AFFECTED BY DISASTERS. THROUGH THIS PROGRAM SEEP PUBLISHED THE THIRD EDITION OF MERS, AND DISSEMINATED THEM TO THE HUMANITARIAN AND DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITIES THROUGH IN-PERSON AND ONLINE EVENTS. THE MERS ARE NOW AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD AND PURCHASE AT MERSHANDBOOK.ORG.
NTEE category: International, Foreign Affairs & National Security
Secondary category: Community Improvement & Capacity Building