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Connections

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Number 95, May 2012
Microlinks Connections header
A VSLA group meeting in Ivory Coast. Credit: IRC
notes from the field icon  

Note From Ivory Coast: VSLAs Emerge From Crisis

Despite having their homes destroyed and fields decimated in the violence following the 2011 elections in Ivory Coast, several women's groups working with IRC have resumed their Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) meetings. A few weeks ago, IRC’s Sarah Ward had the chance to talk with the teams who supported VSLA groups before and after the conflict. She shares a few preliminary lessons that have emerged about how these groups prepared for, reacted to, and recovered from the violence.
READ THE NOTE, POST YOUR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS »

Current Stories
Daily savings is used to mobile urban poor across India. Credit: Shack Dwellers International (Flickr)
After Hours Icon Innovations in commitment savings

A voluntary commitment to save helps people resist unnecessary spending. Join experts from Innovations for Poverty Action, UC Santa Cruz and the University of Maryland on May 16 to learn more.
Learn More »
An iterative improvement approach to project management involves the following steps: Act, Investigate, Reflect, Learn, Adapt. Credit: GROOVE
Submission Icon Briefs on M&E for Value Chain Projects

USAID’s Growing Organizational Value Chain Excellence (GROOVE) Learning Network is seeking practitioner input on a series of draft briefs on Monitoring and Evaluation for Value Chain Projects.
Learn More »
Cracking the Nut 2012 Conference logo. Credit: AZMJ
Lightbulb Icon Cracking the Nut detailed agenda

Cracking the Nut 2012 is excited to offer 34 sessions and more than 70 speakers to discuss the latest innovations in market-based development. Check out the detailed agenda.
Learn More »
Ansolom Pierre used to be a day-laborer, but with a new loan he has been able to start a business delivering plantains to local restaurants in St. Marc. Credit: WOCCU
Project Icon Access to agricultural credit

USAID's HIFIVE program has partnered with Haitian financial institutions, providing support to help them develop credit products and services adapted to the needs of Haiti's agricultural producers.
Learn More »
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2012 State of the Field in Youth Economic Opportunities publication. Credit: Making Cents International   “State of the Field” in youth economic opportunities

Making Cents International has just released its latest “State of the Field” publication, a practical resource which emerged from the 2011 Global Youth Economic Opportunities Conference.
Learn More »
Chart of the percentage of adults, by global region, with an account at a formal financial institution. Credit: Dmirguc-Kunt and Klapper 2012   Measuring financial exclusion: How many are unbanked?

The new World Bank Global Findex shows that 2.5 billion adults around the world, most in developing countries, lack bank accounts. The CGAP blog notes important differences across economies.
Learn More »
ASF worked with young apprentices, such as the two pictured here working in metal workshops in Kabul, and their employers to improve working conditions and provide literacy training. Credit: MEDA   Youth apprentices in Afghanistan: A way out

An activity under STRIVE, the Afghanistan Secure Futures (ASF) initiative enhanced economic opportunities for youth in Afghanistan by targeting youth apprentices working in the construction sector.
Learn More »
Salwa Noori Elyas, a dress shop owner, has put her business loan to good use. Credit: USAID-Tijara   Highlights from the USAID/Iraq Tijara program

USAID-Tijara promotes growth and employment in Iraq by increasing access to finance for micro, small, and medium enterprises. New videos highlight local entrepreneurs who have benefited from the program.
Learn More »
Women harvesting grasses in Senegal. Credit: Philippe Lissac   Disclosure and responsible financial inclusion

CGAP’s latest Focus Note, “Designing Disclosure Regimes for Responsible Financial Inclusion,” addresses the need for better consumer protection in developing countries through greater transparency.
Learn More »
 
Additional Highlights
Sketch of Olenenka, Ukraine. Credit: Ekaterina Didkovskaya (Flickr)
Public-private partnerships
P3DP recently conducted a study tour for Ukrainian representatives from pilot cities to learn from the experience of Polish municipalities in developing and implementing PPPs.		   Diego Ramírez Xicay and Astrid Yesenia Ben Ramirez, Trickle Up program participants in Guatemala. Credit: Trickle Up.
Trickle Up participant profiles
Meet two participants of Trickle Up’s USAID-funded Microenterprise Program for People with Disabilities in Guatemala: Astrid Yesenia Ben Ramirez and Diego Ramírez Xicay.
 		   ACCION Venture Lab with image of mobile phone and money in Kenya. Photo credit: Erik Hersman (Flickr)
ACCION’s new Venture Lab
Launched in April, the ACCION Venture Lab is a new seed-stage or “super angel” impact investment initiative to identify and jumpstart innovative financial inclusion start-ups.
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