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INCLUSIVE RURAL FINANCE AND SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS PROJECT

Grassroots Finance Action

January 6, 2022

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APPROACH

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  • Ultra-Poor Graduation
  • CBFOs
  • Microfinance

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IRFSL PROJECT

  • 3-year project: July 2020 – June 2023
  • Likoma, Nkhatabay, Rumphi, & Machinga
  • Aim: To alleviate poverty and increase the economic well-being of at least 24,000 beneficiaries (60% women & 20% youths) through1,200 CBFOs by strengthening their capacity for improved access to and utilization of value-adding financial services, and increasing their agency to utilize economic opportunities.
  • Outputs: 400 new CBFOs formed

800 existing CBFOs strengthened

24,000 IGAs supported

60% CBFOs linked to FFIs

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AREAS

Strengthening CBFOs

Financial & Business Training

Linkages to FFIs & Service Providers

Women & Youth in Business Peer-to-Peer Mentoring

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PEER-TO-PEER BUSINESS MENTORING PROGRAM

  • Women & youths are an especially vulnerable group in Malawi. Financial dependence on their husbands and guardians, respectively, puts them in a weak position and makes them susceptible to domestic violence. Thus, it is critical to help these women & youths to attain financial independence.
  • Opportunity Malawi's peer-to-peer business mentoring program pairs experienced businesswomen/youths with small-scale businesswomen/youths in their own communities.
  • The program uses local resources to help skills and knowledge spread through the community.
  • It aims to help many women & youths reach social and financial empowerment.

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PEER-TO-PEER BUSINESS MENTORING PROGRAM

  • This community-based project aims to empower women & youths by providing them with the necessary tools to make their businesses thrive.
  • Opportunity International Malawi provides trainings to develop their business knowledge and skills.
  • In this way, women & youths can develop themselves and share their experiences and knowledge with each other.

Replicable

Sustainable

Cost-effective

it is gratifying that she can be a solution to the needs of her own community; satisfaction means seeing her fellow community members prospering because she could journey with them on the road to prosperity.

… my mentees are my sisters.

… through the program I am empowering my fellow women.

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1,266 Groups

40 FSAs

760 Women

240 Youths

Mentored

80 Women

40 Youths

Mentors

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IDENTIFICATION

DEC, ADC, VDC, Interviews, Read & Write, basic phone usage knowledge

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NUMBERS

40 FSAs

1,200 SGs

30 SGs per FSAs = 3 years

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CONTACT INFORMATION

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THANK YOU