Page Content 2018-06 eiNewsletter  Joint Newsletter of the Networks e+i and A&FS 
Dear members of the e+i and the A&FS network,
We are very happy to present you with this year's spring edition of our joint newsletter and wish you good reading.
Peter Beez Ueli Mauderli
Focal Point e+i Focal Point A+FS
e+i Reminder: Support by external experts
SDC e+i network members can use various experts up to one day of work (no bureaucracy, just inform the FP e+i) for thematic support such as commenting on documents like TORs, webinar on approaches and methodologies, brief literature overview on a certain topic, etc. If you need more time, ask ahead, maybe it is of general interest for the network: Support PSD / FSD Support VSD
Thierry PleinesAgridea, Scientific Collaborator / Backstopper for the e+i Network What do you love about your work, what is special about it? As I am just starting as a Backstopper for the e+i Network, I look very much forward to getting to know new people and new geographical contexts. I find it exciting to analyse, together with other network member, which tools and competencies can best support them.
More generally, I like the entrepreneurial attitude linked with the private sector development: one food processor launching a new product on a local market, a mobile phone company collecting savings, etc. Often the actors challenge us “experts” with their innovation capacity and with the speed of their actions: Let us learn from them!
Which is/are your favourite instrument(s)? One favourite tool is decompartmentalization - even if I am not always able to pronounce it correctly in the first attempt. I learnt it from an experienced SDC expert, who repeatedly called for “décloisonnement”. It means to consider the local situation in a holistic manner, not in sectoral silos. For instance, facilitating the development of healthy local food value chains can positively influence youth employment, incomes for women, nutrition, health, food security, etc. This opens opportunities for alliances: the Ministries for health, employment and agriculture could together decide to create a sound environment for street vendors offering local healthy food.
Your message for your colleagues? Sometimes our jobs seem limited by more and more administrative constraints, but there’s still space for thematic and qualitative discussions, based on your realities! So please don’t hesitate to contact our Backstopping Team for any e+i expert support for any questions, any discussions. I am looking forward to lively exchanges; sometimes with precise suggestions, sometimes rather as a sparring partner.
 11 Jun 2018  Insurance penetration in Zimbabwe is extremely low and insurance products are inaccessible to most of the population. People with low-incomes especially suffer from the lack of access to insurance (or to financial services in general). This situation is common to developing and emerging countries, hence the goal of broadening access to insurance to low-income and vulnerable people has become a global phenomenon over the last decade. Microinsurance is the umbrella term for the insurance innovations that have increased access to insurance and the private sector participation in insuring low-income people.
 Zingsure Limited (an insurance franchise platform in Zimbabwe) and the Apostolic Council of Churches of Zimbabwe (ACCZ) formed the partnership InsureCo, whose goal is to set up an insurance company to increase insurance penetration and stimulate wealth creation in Zimbabwe. It is estimated that InsureCo will reach 58% of the country's population, initially providing life insurance, but eventually providing many other types of coverage, notably agricultural, travel and health insurance. Zingsure is set to become Zimbabwe’s largest insurer in the next few years and is scaling rapidly across the region, with other pilot programs operating in Malawi and Zambia. The SCBF has supported Zingsure in Zimbabwe since 2017 in building up financial education capacities and maintains its support as Zingsure expands in other countries.
In the following interview, Marc Tison offers unique insights he gathered through pioneering microinsurance in one of the most difficult markets in the world.
Marc Tison, the interviewee, also gave a presentation at our last Savings and Credit Forum in March 2018 on "Digitalized delivery of financial and non-financial services by SCBF partners". If you are interested in the case study he presented: "Fully digitalised life insurance claims management and settlement process by ZingSure in Zimbabwe" you can find it >> here
12 Jun 2018 Helvetas, one of our main implementing partners, has shared three videos of completed SDC projects with important VSD components: The first two videos are from achievements of the Support Programme for Vocational Agricultural and Artisan Training (PAFPAA) about the Interdepartmental Chambers for Craft and Agriculture (French only). The third video is a documentation about the Barka Centers from the Programme d'Appui à l'Education et à la Formation des Enfants exclus du système éducatif (PAEFE). The main focus of the project was on basic education. The VSD component is discussed between minutes 15 to 21. Watch it here (French only). Further information about the projects: The PAFPAA project has an entry in our Portfolio Database here (members only). Helvetas provides more information about the project here.
25 May 2018 The future looks bright for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) students in vocational education in Albania. Eleven industry leading companies have teamed up with two vocational schools to offer apprenticeships for 98 students.
This cooperation is promoted and supported by ‘Skills for Jobs’ (S4J), an SDC funded project ...[more] In addition, the project has recently received an Award of Recognition from ICT Albania and signed a new collaboration with Swiss VET schools. Further information about the project: Documentation and products of the program are available on http://skillsforjobs.al/al/ (Albanian website). English speakers can watch a video. See the project's entry in our Portfolio Database here. The Technology Enhanced Learning component of the project was presentend in our TEL seminar.
save the date! for more information >> hereMaking Cents International's Global Youth Economic Opportunities Summit is a global convening that brings together 500+ leading stakeholders from 55 countries to connect, exchange, and collaborate. Changemakers, innovators, and leading technical experts join the Summit to increase the impact, scale, and sustainability of youth economic opportunities programming, policies, and partnerships around the globe. Participants strengthen partnerships, improve technical capacity, and expand awareness of current and emerging approaches in youth development. >> moreOur next Savings and Credit Forum will be organized together with the Gender Network:
SDC's Focal Points on Employment and Income (e+i) and Gender have come together to organize this Forum on Women's Financial Inclusion. This event is part of the capitalization process the two Focal Points started in early 2018 to gather experiences of SDC on this topic. >> more information will be posted here in due time
This course gives you a unique opportunity to gain experience and expertise in complexity, through a guided journey covering the fundamentals of complexity theory and practice. Projects taken from participants’ real-world situations (not hypothetical case studies) will be used to apply these principles, teams being mentored all the while by two expert practitioners. >> moreThis event is targeted at experienced professionals involved in designing, implementing and facilitating economic development processes and building team capacity. The specific emphasis will be on emergence and adaptation of meso organisations and their central role in the TED process. It will further explore the importance of the social and cultural environment on the effectiveness and competitiveness of a territorial economy. It will discuss the role of development programmes and their role in territorial development processes. >> more
Making Cents International's Global Youth Economic Opportunities Summit is a global convening that brings together 500+ leading stakeholders from 55 countries to connect, exchange, and collaborate. Changemakers, innovators, and leading technical experts join the Summit to increase the impact, scale, and sustainability of youth economic opportunities programming, policies, and partnerships around the globe. Participants strengthen partnerships, improve technical capacity, and expand awareness of current and emerging approaches in youth development. >> moreOur next Savings and Credit Forum will be organized together with the Gender Network:
SDC's Focal Points on Employment and Income (e+i) and Gender have come together to organize this Forum on Women's Financial Inclusion. This event is part of the capitalization process the two Focal Points started in early 2018 to gather experiences of SDC on this topic. >> more information will be posted here in due time
This course gives you a unique opportunity to gain experience and expertise in complexity, through a guided journey covering the fundamentals of complexity theory and practice. Projects taken from participants’ real-world situations (not hypothetical case studies) will be used to apply these principles, teams being mentored all the while by two expert practitioners. >> moreWe are happy to inform you that after Rotterdam (2015) and Aarhus (2017), the 3rd Biennale on the Validation of Prior Learning (VPL) will take place in Berlin, Germany, on May 7 and 8, 2019. Early registration starts in September. 3rd Biennale Validation of Prior Learning (VPL)
dbb form, Berlin, Germany
7 - 8 May 2019 The VPL Biennale aims at strengthening the platform for policy makers, practitioners, users, researchers and other stakeholders who are involved in further developing/implementing Validation of Prior Learning.
The 3rd VPL Biennale with the motto „Making policy work – Validation of Prior Learning for education and the labour market“ is about sharing knowledge, ideas and visions on VPL and about the creative process of learning from each other’s successes, problems and solutions in ‘the VPL-world’.
Join us in drafting and adopting the Berlin Declaration on VPL, which paves the road for a stronger and more sustainable implementation of VPL!
You want to stay tuned for VPL-Biennale updates?
Because of the General Data Protection Regulation we kindly ask you to (re)register your e-mail address. You can do that easily by clicking on the button below:
Africa’s largest conference and exhibition on technology supported learning, training and skills development. eLearning Africa is a network of experts, professionals and investors, committed to the future of education in Africa.
The conference is being organised by ICWE GmbH and the Rwanda Convention Bureau under the patronage of the Rwandan Government... [more] The event aims to discuss how the academic fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math
(STEM) can contribute to the empowerment of youth - with a special focus on young women and girls - by
eliminating the gender gap in education and skill-development, and by providing equal employment
opportunities, as a strategy to reduce overall inequalities, eradicate poverty and promote peace and
prosperity for all... [ more]. 11 Jun 2018 The FPs Gender and e+i are currently doing a joint capitalization of experiences (Capex) on Women’s Financial Inclusion (WFI). So far our colleagues have shared 50 projects with different components on WFI. Out of those 50, 10 projects have WFI as their main topic. Bilateral conversations with the responsible project coordinators are currently being conducted to enhance the initial analysis and build the basis for an e-discussion among a wider audience in autumn. The final step for this Capex will be the Savings and Credit Forum on November 2nd. So please keep your eyes open for our emails. 11 Jun 2018 On June 6th, SDC held its side-event to the 3rd VPET Congress in Winterthur. The more than 100 guests from 25 countries had the chance to learn more about the SDC's VSD strategy and its projects. In addition to the key note from Ambassador Ruth Huber and presentations from Brigitte Colarte (Senior Policy Advisor e+i – VSD) and Cornelia Oertle (Director SFIVET), two projects were discussed during a Q&A session. In the afternoon, there were 4 different study visits. Click here to find out more about this event and see the photos, summary and presentations! 11 Jun 2018 The FPs Gender and e+i are currently doing a joint capitalization of experiences (Capex) on Women’s Financial Inclusion (WFI). So far our colleagues have shared 50 projects with different components on WFI. Out of those 50, 10 projects have WFI as their main topic. Bilateral conversations with the responsible project coordinators are currently being conducted to enhance the initial analysis and build the basis for an e-discussion among a wider audience in autumn. The final step for this Capex will be the Savings and Credit Forum on November 2nd. So please keep your eyes open for our emails. 12 Jun 2018 We've updated our VSD Project Portfolio Overview. In 2017, the SDC supported about 90 projects in 45
countries. Check the map to see the number of projects in a country or the expenditures per world region.
To learn more about the VSD Project Portfolio, visit our dedicated page with links to the databases and reports.
11 Jun 2018 On June 6th, SDC held its side-event to the 3rd VPET Congress in Winterthur. The more than 100 guests from 25 countries had the chance to learn more about the SDC's VSD strategy and its projects. In addition to the key note from Ambassador Ruth Huber and presentations from Brigitte Colarte (Senior Policy Advisor e+i – VSD) and Cornelia Oertle (Director SFIVET), two projects were discussed during a Q&A session. In the afternoon, there were 4 different study visits. Click here to find out more about this event and see the photos, summary and presentations! Joanna Ledgerwood and Diane Johnson-The SEEP Network This learning brief proposes the application of the market systems approach to support the development of a well-functioning system where Savings Groups effectively reach all those who seek participation. Equally important, this paper proposes an agenda for sector stakeholders moving forward, envisaging a new role for development agencies through active coordination and proactive experimentation in the formation and operations of Savings Groups. Elizabeth Mhangami; Zenebe Uraguchi-HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation In late April Elizabeth Mhangami and Zenebe Uraguchi attended the conference “Market systems symposium 2018” in Cape Town. Once they were back, they have written this blog post: a conversation between two development practitioners interested in systemic thinking. It highlights how jumbled and abstract ideas block our ability to explain and communicate well what we do in applying principles of systemic thinking. We struggle, daily, to make our communication understandable, beyond the objective of public relations, on how our work in development cooperation is relevant and how it contributes to addressing poverty and unemployment in the long-term and at large scale. “I am sorry, but what is M4P?”
Participants of the symposium in Cape Town were largely development practitioners, ...
>> read more Joanna Ledgerwood and Diane Johnson-The SEEP Network This learning brief proposes the application of the market systems approach to support the development of a well-functioning system where Savings Groups effectively reach all those who seek participation. Equally important, this paper proposes an agenda for sector stakeholders moving forward, envisaging a new role for development agencies through active coordination and proactive experimentation in the formation and operations of Savings Groups. Edited by Essam Yassin Mohammed, Zenebe Bashaw Uraguchi Our colleague Zenebe Uraguchi (HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation) has edited this book together with his colleague Essam Mohammed (IIED, London). The key objective of the book is to provide practical case studies of financial inclusion, rather than focus on academic debates such as the ideological basis of promoting microfinance. Using the recently adopted Sustainable Development Goals as an overall framing of the issues, it shows how poor and disadvantaged women and men can be bankable if the right facilitation for maximizing opportunities and addressing constraints are in place.
>> read more and have a look at the table of contents
>> or read the blog post: "We wrote a book and this is what we learnt about financial inclusion" by Zenebe himself, giving the major findings of their book.
Prof. Dr. D. Euler-DC dVET [136 kB] This working tool aims to analyse the widespread postulate stating that the engagement of the business sector in vocational education and training (VET) can enhance the relevance, quality and attractiveness of VET. In concrete terms, the working tool examines the forms which such an engagement can take and how these can be integrated into a country’s frame conditions and objectives... [ more] Swisscontact [194 kB] Coaching for employment - C4E aims at skills development and labour market facilitation of young unemployed job seekers in Albania. The project aims at increasing the local integration and employability chances of youth including those from marginalised groups through personal and professional innovative capacity building methodologies and action... [ more] Stefan C. Wolter and Eva Joho [1.7 MB] The authors have used evidence from Germany, Switzerland and Austria to simulate the costs and benefits of an apprenticeship policy applied in an English context. In summary, this study analyses the question of whether an average English firm could expect a net benefit when training apprentices in a similar manner to Swiss firms but does not evaluate either current English apprenticeships or current policy measures... [ more] CEMETS The team from CEMETS conducted an extensive literature review on implementing VET reforms. The main conclusions are summarized in two blog posts. This is the first part... [ more] |
