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icon: Notes from the Field Note from Afghanistan: Expanding Access to Formal Financial Services
After receiving a loan from ARIES-FINCA, a local Afghani woman created a glass painting business in her home. Source: ARIES ProgramWhen Hamid Karzai became president in 2004, there were seven banks in Afghanistan, including one import-export bank and one development bank. Many Afghan businesses customarily maintained accounts in banks outside Afghanistan in Pakistan, Dubai, and elsewhere. Despite considerable cultural restrictions, poor infrastructure, limited human resource capacity, and increasingly volatile security conditions, the Agriculture, Rural Investment and Enterprise Strengthening (ARIES) program was able to disburse a total of 217,879 loans over three years, with particular success in reaching female borrowers and poor rural Afghans in a culturally sensitive and acceptable way.
Visit the Notes from the Field page [TEXT ONLY] to contribute a Note or see previous Notes. Visit the Google Map to view all Notes from the Field by region.
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HIGHLIGHTS
USAID Poverty Assessment Tools Training April 6-9 in Washington, DC. USAID and the IRIS Center at the University of Maryland have scheduled a 4-day Poverty Assessment Tool (PAT) Training of Trainers workshop for April 6-9, 2010 in Washington, DC. While primarily intended for USAID implementing partners required to use the PAT for USAID reporting, others may attend, space permitting.
Cover image of Emergency Market Mapping and Analysis Toolkit by Mike Albu of Practical Action
EMMA Toolkit Goes Live. The Emergency Market Mapping and Analysis (EMMA), published this month, has very recently been used to look at four critical market systems in Haiti. The toolkit assists front-line humanitarian staff in sudden-onset emergencies to better understand and make use of market-systems.
AIRAC, a credit union association in the neighboring Dominican Republic, delivers emergency supplies to its counterparts in Haiti. The tents are being used as office space for damaged institutions and for WOCCU's HIFIVE staff who were left homeless after the earthquake. Photo Credit: WOCCU
MFIs and Credit Unions Play Critical Role in Rebuilding Haiti. While banks remained closed in the days following Haiti's devastating earthquake, MFIs and credit unions were on the front lines of recovery efforts providing funds and desperately needed remittances to clients nationwide. Haiti Integrated Finance for Value Chains and Enterprises (HIFIVE) project implementer World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) launched the "HIFIVE Catalyst Fund" to provide rebuilding grants to institutions, and is currently doing a formal assessment of the sector's damages and needs.
USAID KDMD Project Seeks Knowledge & Learning Coordinators. The USAID Microenterprise Development (MD) office’s Knowledge-Driven Microenterprise Development (KDMD) project is seeking Knowledge & Learning Coordinators in the areas of Financial Services and Enterprise Development. The KDMD project aims to create tools and opportunities for development professionals to connect, share knowledge, and learn from one another to improve practice. Interested candidates should send a cover letter and CV with "K&L Coordinator FS” or "K&L Coordinator ED" in the subject line.
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LATEST RESEARCH
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Breakfast Seminar Series: Facilitating Behavior Change for Improved Competitiveness and Poverty Reduction. Date: Thursday, March 11, 2010. Presenters are Marian Boquiren and Ivan Idrovo, with SDCAsia. Please send an email to breakfast@qedgroupllc.com to reserve a seat or for more information.
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