2023-09 eeNewsletter

Page Content 2023-09 E+E Newsletter Newsletter Profile Page Share your insights with all of us Do you want to inform the Economy network about your activities? Take the opportunity and feature them in our newsletter published twice a year. We are keen to learn about your projects, events & trainings, publications, websites or any other activity relevant for the network in the fields of Vocational Skills Development (VSD), Private Sector Development (PSD), Financial Sector Development (FSD) and Private Sector Engagement (PSE). You can send us your proposals for inputs at any moment and we will publish them in the following Newsletter. >> contact us Would you rather like to get a regular reminder to submit a contribution? >> add me to the list Who is Who E+E No new items available Thierry Buchs Senior Advisor, Private Sector Engagement, SDC Bern What do you love about your work, what is special about it? The beauty of an internal advisory function is the ability to get exposed to very different types of projects and settings and to try to provide tailor-made recommendations that can be both relevant and useful. This requires a high level of pragmatism and “out-of-the-box” thinking since each case tends to be different, which means that a “one-size-fits-all” approach will not work. This makes the job both challenging and interesting. At the end of the day, the most important thing is to focus on the big picture (“what are we trying to achieve, and what is our role?”) and not to get bogued down in the details only. What are the most interesting aspects of the context you work in? One of the most interesting aspects of the work is the need to act as “translator” for very different types of clients, who come from very different perspectives and priorities. Bringing together the operational realities of field offices, the legal compliance aspects, and the risk management elements associated with private partners may sometimes look like “mission impossible”. I find this challenge very stimulating. Tell us something that no one would guess about you It is not really a secret (anymore) that I enjoy rock climbing and mountaineering. It has not always been the case, and I am a “later comer” when it comes to climbing. I have always hiked in the mountains but somehow felt that climbing would be too dangerous and not really made for me. Well, now I am wondering why I didn’t start earlier! Thierry joined SDC in October 2022 as Senior Advisor for Private Sector Engagement at the Economy and Education Section, focusing on the structuring of PSE arrangements. Prior to joining SDC, he has spent most of his career working on international development issues, working for SECO (State Secretariat for Economic Affairs) in various roles and for the International Finance Corporation (IFC), among others. He also spent 4 years as Head of Economic Cooperation at the Swiss Embassy in Bogotá, Colombia. In the last 6 years, he was Head of Policy, ESG and Impact at Obviam AG, a private asset manager based in Bern that managed SIFEM (Swiss Investment Fund for Emerging Markets), the Swiss Development Finance Institution. He holds a PhD degree in international economics from the Geneva Graduate Institute and a Master’s degree in international relations from Tufts University in Medford MA (Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy). Arthur Pokrikyan Senior National Program Officer for Inclusive Economic Development, Swiss Cooperation Office in Yerevan, Armenia What do you love about your work, what is special about it? I have always believed in bringing a positive impact to society, and currently, with my daily work, I can continue practicing this belief and contribute to the increased incomes and employment in rural communities of Armenia, which alleviates poverty and improves welfare. What is your favourite place in the region you work in and why? I originate from Gavar, a small town in the Gegharkunik region of Armenia, adjacent to the picturesque Sevan Lake. During the Soviet era, Gavar was a bustling industrial city with many factories. However, the current scenario is vastly different - the pace of life has decelerated, employment prospects have dwindled, and the lifestyle has become monotonous, lacking a clear vision for the future. Nevertheless, I remain optimistic that my hometown will prosper again thanks to my efforts as well. How do you calm down in stressful situations? I love sports, traveling, and an active lifestyle. This also helps to deal with stress, and especially helpful is archery, which I have practiced for six years. What is your favourite quote and why? Try not to become a man of success but a man of value. - Albert Einstein What is the most important lesson you have learned from your work? At some point in your life, set yourself free and let your spirit roam. Arthur Pokrikyan is an experienced professional who has successfully led multi-stakeholder projects in various areas, including Economic Development, Education, Finance, Science, Technology, and Innovation. He joined SDC on June 1, 2022, as the Senior National Program Officer for the Inclusive Economic Development portfolio at the Swiss Cooperation Office in Armenia. Arthur holds a PhD in Business Administration from the International Black Sea University, and his research interests include behavioral finance, financial inclusion, financial capability, financial literacy, financial education, and fintech. He also teaches at the Yerevan State University and the American University of Armenia, where he mentors youth and delivers specialized training courses with various local and international organizations. As a young professional, Arthur is actively involved with AIESEC, Global Shapers Community (World Economic Forum initiative), Nairi Archery Club NGO, SASTIC (organisation aiming at the growth and development of the Armenian startup ecosystem), and other initiatives. News from Programmes & Projects PRIVATE SECTOR DEV FINANCIAL SECTOR DEV VOCATIONAL SKILLS DEV PSE No new items available 15 September 2023 COVID-19 fund supports Nepalese economy In 2020, the SDC launched a fund to support micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in Nepal that had been hit hard by the pandemic. The fund has helped avert layoffs, created over 400 new jobs and strengthened the local economy. The aim of the programme was to retain jobs and support companies in overcoming the crisis. The appoach of blended finance and the support for business development have leveraged private sector investment in sustainable development. Read the full story here. In 2020, the SDC launched a fund to support micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in Nepal that had been hit hard by the pandemic. The fund has helped avert layoffs, created over 400 new jobs and strengthened the local economy. The aim of the programme was to retain jobs and support companies in overcoming the crisis. The appoach of blended finance and the support for business development have leveraged private sector investment in sustainable development. Read the full story here. No new items available 18 September 2023 SCBF - New projects: Building resilience through climate, life and health insurance; digital finance and financial education Since our last update, we have co-funded 12 new and exciting projects focusing on a varied area, e.g., loans and savings linked to agriculture and business, digital platforms, and providing access to water and sanitation, micro-life and health insurance, index-based agriculture insurance for smallholder famers and pastoralists, digital savings for women and youth and financial literacy: In Cote d’Ivoire, Reseau Mucrefab Côte d’Ivoire (REMU-CI) will work on scaling-up a ‘Digital savings’ product for low income consumers along with providing consumer education In another project in Cote d’Ivoire, OKO will work with Allianz on a weather index-based crop insurance for smallholder farmers In Ethiopia, Democrance will work with local insurance company for building resilience with digital micro health solution for low-income consumers In Ethiopia, Jamii.one will work on leveraging its digital platform to scale affordable life insurance and to launch health insurance for community-based groups In Indonesia, Blue Marble will support from Zurich General Takaful Insurance will work on developing and launching a parametric insurance scheme for coffee smallholder farmers In Lebanon, Vision Fund international and World Vision Lebanon are working together on providing health insurance to vulnerable children in the country and personal accident cover to their families In Pakistan, Mobilink Microfinance Bank with support from Business & Finance Consulting (BFC) will work on customising a credit scoring solution that will increase the outreach of the Since our last update, we have co-funded 12 new and exciting projects focusing on a varied area, e.g., loans and savings linked to agriculture and business, digital platforms, and providing access to water and sanitation, micro-life and health insurance, index-based agriculture insurance for smallholder famers and pastoralists, digital savings for women and youth and financial literacy: In Cote d’Ivoire, Reseau Mucrefab Côte d’Ivoire (REMU-CI) will work on scaling-up a ‘Digital savings’ product for low income consumers along with providing consumer education In another project in Cote d’Ivoire, OKO will work with Allianz on a weather index-based crop insurance for smallholder farmers In Ethiopia, Democrance will work with local insurance company for building resilience with digital micro health solution for low-income consumers In Ethiopia, Jamii.one will work on leveraging its digital platform to scale affordable life insurance and to launch health insurance for community-based groups In Indonesia, Blue Marble will support from Zurich General Takaful Insurance will work on developing and launching a parametric insurance scheme for coffee smallholder farmers In Lebanon, Vision Fund international and World Vision Lebanon are working together on providing health insurance to vulnerable children in the country and personal accident cover to their families In Pakistan, Mobilink Microfinance Bank with support from Business & Finance Consulting (BFC) will work on customising a credit scoring solution that will increase the outreach of the 18 September 2023 SCBF - Knowledge & insights What is the future of Green Inclusive Finance? Green inclusive finance is critical to addressing climate change and making low-income and vulnerable households more resilient. Here is an insightful piece by our team on - what role it plays, how it is evolving to meet development challenges, and how SCBF is supporting this endeavour. Read the blog here. Unlocking the benefits of embedded insurance for micro and small businesses – Insights from Mozambique In Mozambique, micro-entrepreneurship is fraught with high-impact, disruptive economic events, with few mitigation or management tools available to those affected. With support from SCBF, Accion used human-centered design to help Socremo improve its savings product with the inclusion of a funeral cover to increase it’s outreach. You can read the full report on the project to understand the outcomes, challenges, learnings and the key-takeaways. Read the report here. Five lessons for designing fit-for-purpose health micro-insurance In Kenya, SCBF is supporting a health micro-insurance project being implemented by Cenfri, Britam and M-Tiba. Cenfri did a study on the market’s perception of insurance, sentiments about the hospital industry and current resilience practices based on which they are working with the other partners to adapt the product to be able to reach the low-income market segment. In a blog published by them they share the “Five lessons for designing fit-for-purpose health micro-insurance”. Read the blog here. What is the future of Green Inclusive Finance? Green inclusive finance is critical to addressing climate change and making low-income and vulnerable households more resilient. Here is an insightful piece by our team on - what role it plays, how it is evolving to meet development challenges, and how SCBF is supporting this endeavour. Read the blog here. Unlocking the benefits of embedded insurance for micro and small businesses – Insights from Mozambique In Mozambique, micro-entrepreneurship is fraught with high-impact, disruptive economic events, with few mitigation or management tools available to those affected. With support from SCBF, Accion used human-centered design to help Socremo improve its savings product with the inclusion of a funeral cover to increase it’s outreach. You can read the full report on the project to understand the outcomes, challenges, learnings and the key-takeaways. Read the report here. Five lessons for designing fit-for-purpose health micro-insurance In Kenya, SCBF is supporting a health micro-insurance project being implemented by Cenfri, Britam and M-Tiba. Cenfri did a study on the market’s perception of insurance, sentiments about the hospital industry and current resilience practices based on which they are working with the other partners to adapt the product to be able to reach the low-income market segment. In a blog published by them they share the “Five lessons for designing fit-for-purpose health micro-insurance”. Read the blog here. 18 September 2023 SCBF- some interesting highlights Welcoming Blue Marble as SCBF’s newest member Blue Marble an insure-tech focusing on climate protection and insurance for underserved communities has joined SCBF as its 30^th member. With aligned areas of synergies, they will be working together to create a lasting impact on vulnerable communities. Read about it here. SCBF in Media: Driving resilience in the African continent In a published article, JeuneAfrique, highlights the work done by SCBF in the African continent since 2011, that has helped improve the lives of more than half a million people (half of it are women) in the continent. Read the article here. Partnering on a project for increasing access to WASH On 24th March 2023, SCBF signed a contract with Aqua for All and La Banque Agricole (LBA) of Senegal, alongside of the UN Water Conference 2023 for a unique project The signing ceremony was attended by (sequence in the pic): Mr. Malik Ndiaye, CEO, La Banque Agricole; Honorable minister of Water and Sanitation, Senegal Mr. Serigne Mbaye Thiam; Ms. Josien Slujis, MD, Aqua for All and Ms. Sitara Merchant, CEO, SCBF that aims to develop client-centric financial products to meet the needs of low-income households in Senegal so that they can access water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). The main objective of this partnership is to increase access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation primarily for women and girls. By the end of the project, 3,000 households are expected to have improved access to water and sanitation and LBA aims to reach 80,000 households in the next 5 years. Welcoming Blue Marble as SCBF’s newest member Blue Marble an insure-tech focusing on climate protection and insurance for underserved communities has joined SCBF as its 30^th member. With aligned areas of synergies, they will be working together to create a lasting impact on vulnerable communities. Read about it here. SCBF in Media: Driving resilience in the African continent In a published article, JeuneAfrique, highlights the work done by SCBF in the African continent since 2011, that has helped improve the lives of more than half a million people (half of it are women) in the continent. Read the article here. Partnering on a project for increasing access to WASH On 24th March 2023, SCBF signed a contract with Aqua for All and La Banque Agricole (LBA) of Senegal, alongside of the UN Water Conference 2023 for a unique project The signing ceremony was attended by (sequence in the pic): Mr. Malik Ndiaye, CEO, La Banque Agricole; Honorable minister of Water and Sanitation, Senegal Mr. Serigne Mbaye Thiam; Ms. Josien Slujis, MD, Aqua for All and Ms. Sitara Merchant, CEO, SCBF that aims to develop client-centric financial products to meet the needs of low-income households in Senegal so that they can access water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). The main objective of this partnership is to increase access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation primarily for women and girls. By the end of the project, 3,000 households are expected to have improved access to water and sanitation and LBA aims to reach 80,000 households in the next 5 years. No new items available No new items available 14 September 2023 PSE Evaluation SDC commissioned an independent evaluation of SDC’s Private Sector Engagement (2015-2021). The evaluation assessed the performance of SDC’s programmes and projects along the OECD DAC criteria of relevance, coherence, effectiveness, impact, efficiency, and sustainability. The evaluation aims to support SDC in achieving the objectives of Switzerland’s International Cooperation Strategy 2021-2024, and in contributing to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The full evaluation report, including SDC’s Senior Management Response can be found here. SDC commissioned an independent evaluation of SDC’s Private Sector Engagement (2015-2021). The evaluation assessed the performance of SDC’s programmes and projects along the OECD DAC criteria of relevance, coherence, effectiveness, impact, efficiency, and sustainability. The evaluation aims to support SDC in achieving the objectives of Switzerland’s International Cooperation Strategy 2021-2024, and in contributing to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The full evaluation report, including SDC’s Senior Management Response can be found here. Trainings and Events PRIVATE SECTOR DEV FINANCIAL SECTOR DEV VOCATIONAL SKILLS DEV PSE No new items available 05 November to 02 December 2023 online 05 November online 05 November 2023 online DevLearn - Market systems development training This DevLearn online training course will introduce the core concepts of market systems development and provide simple, practical tips to enable you to implement them in your context. The course is offered entirely online in November 2023. It will take approximately four days to complete but can be spread across multiple weeks and completed at any time that suits you. The course can easily be combined alongside a normal working week. For more information, please see here. 05 November to 04 December 2023 05 November 05 November 2023 05 November to 04 December 2023 DevLearn - Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning for inclusive economic growth training Development programmes working in complex environments need to understand the context they work in, monitor changes, and adapt their work accordingly. This sounds simple but is challenging in practice. What should we be monitoring, measuring and evaluating? What is ‘good enough’ measurement, and how do we attribute change to our programme? And – hardest of all – how do you get decision-makers to change their minds? DevLearn’s online training course on monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) for inclusive economic growth answers these questions and more, using the DCED Standard for Results Measurement, a practical framework used by over a hundred programmes worldwide. Click here for more information and registration. 14 November to 16 November 2023 in Cape Town, South Africa 14 November in Cape Town, South Africa 14 November 2023 in Cape Town, South Africa Market Systems Symposium (MSS) 2023 Get ready to be inspired, equipped, and connected like never before at Market Systems Symposium 2023! Engage with industry-leading experts in Market Systems Development from around the world as we explore cutting-edge research, innovative strategies, and real-world application in this dynamic and engaging forum. Given the significant impact of climate change, conflict and food insecurity on our world today, the core themes which we will be discussing, debating, collaborating, and innovating around at MSS2023 are: Climate Change & Adaptation; Conflict-Affected Contexts; and Food Security and Food Systems. Considerations which will be focused on across each of these core themes are: Household and Market Systems Resilience; Financial Market Systems; Migration & Urbanization; Water & Energy Systems; Trade Cross-cutting topics which will be brought in across sessions are: Social Inclusion; Adaptive Management; Engagement with the Public & Private Sector; Employment & Livelihoods; Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL); Emerging Technologies Disruptors. More information see here. 20 November to 05 December 2023 in Bangkok, Thailand 20 November in Bangkok, Thailand 20 November 2023 in Bangkok, Thailand Making Market Systems Work Training - Springfield Centre This 10-day residential Training Programme focuses on how to make development more effective, achieving greater impact, inclusiveness, scale and sustainability. It explores the strategic and practical implications for organisations as they adopt the market systems development approach. The programme is internationally-recognised and builds on nearly two decades of the Springfield Centre’s experience in offering training on the market systems development (MSD) approach, training over 2,500 people from more than 100 countries. For more information and registration see here. No new items available 16 October to 19 October 2023 in online 16 October in online 16 October 2023 online Financial Inclusion Week 2023 Financial Inclusion Week (FIW) is an annual gathering of the global community working to advance inclusive finance. The four-day virtual event is a forum for exchanging ideas, research, and perspectives from around the world. The Center for Financial Inclusion (CFI) convenes FIW each year and invites partner organizations to showcase work, share ideas on what’s ahead, network with others, and more. The community-driven agenda covers the most pressing topics in our space, helping to inform and advise global efforts to advance inclusive finance. have a look if there are topics that you would like to learn about: here 16 October to 20 October 2023 in Lomé (Togo) 16 October in Lomé (Togo) 16 October 2023 in Lomé (Togo) Semaine africaine de la microfinance (SAM) The Semaine africaine de la microfinance (African Microfinance Week) is a biennial 5-day event dedicated to the development of financial inclusion in Africa. It is an unmissable event for inclusive finance professionals! If you want to take part, please go here. 30 October to 01 November 2023 in Cape Town 30 October in Cape Town 30 October 2023 in Cape Town Africa Financial Inclusion Summit 2023 Advancing financial inclusion in Africa through innovation, collaboration and disruptive technological solutions. Africa Insights and its global partners are inviting experts, academics, researchers, subject matter specialists, industry stakeholders and leaders to submit papers, proposals, case studies and abstracts for consideration for the Annual Africa Financial Inclusion Summit 2023. For more, go here. 15 November to 17 November 2023 in Luxembourg 15 November in Luxembourg 15 November 2023 in Luxembourg European Microfinance Week European Microfinance Week (EMW), hosted by e-MFP, is one of the top events in the financial inclusion calendar and a unique meeting point for microfinance and financial inclusion professionals working worldwide. EMW brings together all sectors of the inclusive finance industry including consultants & support service providers, investors, multilateral & national development agencies, NGOs and researchers. With an unparalleled program and prestigious speakers, the event is widely recognised for its high quality sessions and excellent networking opportunities. For more, go here. No new items available 03 October 2023 in online 03 October to 03 October 2023 in online 03 October in online 03 October 2023 online Learning journey: Imbriquer l'EB et le DCP - Interlinking BE and VSD: Toward more inclusive and labour market-orientated education systems. In many countries, academic education and vocational training pathways evolve in silos, with several negative consequences. For instance, academic and general education pathways are the only option to “climb the ladder” within the system; vocational and technical education and training are limited and devalued; non formal and informal learning are not recognised; finally, the education system lacks inclusivity and faces difficulties to respond to the needs of the labour market. How can we increase the “permeability” of education and training systems by building more bridges and ladder at the different levels? What models exist? What can SDC and its partners do in that sense? Join us for an insightful discussion with leading researchers of ETH Zurich and field practitioners around country case studies from Benin and Nepal! The webinar will be held in English with simultaneous interpretation into French. Agenda: Welcome and introduction bythe Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) Presentation of the study A ticket up and a ticket out: Promoting and ensuring permeability in education system reform by ETHZurich Presentations of two case studies (Nepal and Benin) and discussion in groups Conclusions Register here This webinar is part of the Learning journey Interlinking Basic Education and Vocational Skills Developmentand it will be based on the Study A ticket up and a ticket out: Promoting and ensuring permeability in education system reformof the Chair of Education Systems of the ETH Zurich (Authors: K. Caves; P. McDonald, D.Naço, U.Renold). For the main messages of this study, also see: Video introduction 03 October 2023 in online 03 October to 03 October 2023 in online 03 October in online 03 October 2023 online FoBBIZ Talk: The potential of XR and VR for Skills Development in ASEAN countries Two and a half years after the outbreak of the Covid-19 crisis, societies all-over the world are still suffering from the impact of the pandemic. The TVET and the Education systems in general have not been spared and the lack of system-level digital strategies, poor technological infrastructure, and weak teachers’ e-readiness, has exposed important inequalities in the global skills development picture. Emerging technologies such as virtual, augmented, and mixed reality (all together known as XR - Extended Reality) can support TVET and Education systems in easing the impact of future disruptions, ensuring not only continuity of training delivery but also an impact in terms of scalability, personalization, safety, and cost-effectiveness, to drive the sustainable improvement of Skills Development opportunities, far beyond the pandemic response. During this talk, we will converse about the ongoing advancement of collaboratively developed action-oriented solutions in the field of Extended Reality applications for skills development to respond to the challenges brought forth by the stakeholders involved in the digital innovation process of some of the ASEAN countries we had the opportunity to work with, at the ITCILO. The FoBBIZ Talk will be held in English. For more information about the event and registration (until 02.10.) click here. 05 November to 02 December 2023 in online 05 November in online 05 November 2023 online DevLearn - Market systems development training This DevLearn online training course will introduce the core concepts of market systems development and provide simple, practical tips to enable you to implement them in your context. The course is offered entirely online in November 2023. It will take approximately four days to complete but can be spread across multiple weeks and completed at any time that suits you. The course can easily be combined alongside a normal working week. For more information, please see here. 06 November to 10 November 2023 in online 06 November in online 06 November 2023 online Training - NADEL 2023 - VET between Poverty Alleviation and Economic Development In recent years, international interest in vocational education and training (VET) has grown. The discussion about the success factors of VET and the extent dual VET can offer advantages to developing countries is still ongoing. Switzerland, with its own unique and strong VET system, has a long tradition of implementing VET in developing countries. Experts from the field will bring their experience to bear in the course, which provides an overview of the systems and process dimensions of VET, opportunities for VET implementation as well as implications and constraints. In the end, participants will have strengthened their competence in portfolio management for VET, skills development and labor market policies. Link to NADEL ETH Zürich - Online Training 14 November to 16 November 2023 in Cape Town, South Africa 14 November in Cape Town, South Africa 14 November 2023 in Cape Town, South Africa Market Systems Symposium (MSS) 2023 Get ready to be inspired, equipped, and connected like never before at Market Systems Symposium 2023! Engage with industry-leading experts in Market Systems Development from around the world as we explore cutting-edge research, innovative strategies, and real-world application in this dynamic and engaging forum. Given the significant impact of climate change, conflict and food insecurity on our world today, the core themes which we will be discussing, debating, collaborating, and innovating around at MSS2023 are: Climate Change & Adaptation; Conflict-Affected Contexts; and Food Security and Food Systems. Considerations which will be focused on across each of these core themes are: Household and Market Systems Resilience; Financial Market Systems; Migration & Urbanization; Water & Energy Systems; Trade Cross-cutting topics which will be brought in across sessions are: Social Inclusion; Adaptive Management; Engagement with the Public & Private Sector; Employment & Livelihoods; Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL); Emerging Technologies Disruptors. More information see here. 20 November to 05 December 2023 in Bangkok, Thailand 20 November in Bangkok, Thailand 20 November 2023 in Bangkok, Thailand Making Market Systems Work Training - Springfield Centre This 10-day residential Training Programme focuses on how to make development more effective, achieving greater impact, inclusiveness, scale and sustainability. It explores the strategic and practical implications for organisations as they adopt the market systems development approach. The programme is internationally-recognised and builds on nearly two decades of the Springfield Centre’s experience in offering training on the market systems development (MSD) approach, training over 2,500 people from more than 100 countries. For more information and registration see here. No new items available 02 October 2023 in online 02 October to 02 October 2023 in online 02 October 2023 in online PSE Basic Course Looking to collaborate effectively with the private sector? The Online PSE Basic Course is back! Familiarize yourself with key PSE terminologies, explore the diverse range of private sector actors, and uncover the primary engagement formats. Equip yourself with PSE's guiding principles, resources, and tools. Plus, meet the CEP team and grab the chance to clarify any PSE-related queries. More information and registration here. Spotlights PRIVATE SECTOR DEV FINANCIAL SECTOR DEV VOCATIONAL SKILLS DEV PSE 14 September 2023 Building Bridges: Aligning Finance with Sustainability Building Bridges is a joint initiative, launched in 2019 by Swiss public authorities (incl. SDC), the finance community, the United Nations and other International partners to accelerate the transition to a global economic model aligned with the SDGs. At the core of the initiative is the recognition that the scale and complexity of the transition require “building bridges” between multiple stakeholders in the finance, government, and international development communities. This year's edition will take place between October 2-6 in Geneva and host keynote speakers such as Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Mahmoud Mohieldin (Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) or Sergio Ermotti (Group Chief Executive Officer of UBS). Amongst 70 events organized by over 130 organizations, on October 4, SDC will be co-hosting a panel dedicated to Innovative Financing for Entrepreneurial Solutions in Emerging Markets. 21 September 2023 Guidance Sheet: Productivity indicators are no proxy for target group’s well-being Low productivity is often a key constraint in many sectors. Yet, sector productivity is rarely a good indicator for improved livelihoods of target groups. It says nothing about the root causes of low productivity and it says nothing about the resulting benefits of increased sector productivity. A systemic approach is needed, defining relevant sector and target group performance indicators to assess why root causes change and how that affects the target groups’ well-being. >> here 21 September 2023 Unemployment, more work to be done. A slide deck on how to do that. Are you also concerned with unemployment rates? Are you also often disappointed with programs’ impacting under- and unemployment? Do you wish to make a difference for your target group? Then take 30 minutes to scan this slide deck that will help you to design and steer employment programs better. It helps you to understand and address the real challenges in labour markets. It helps you to put labour markets central to your analyses and program design. It raises seven crucial issues and answering them will inform you how your programs should influence labour markets, with realistic expectations about the programs’ potential impact. This slide deck leans on existing and emerging concepts, approaches and tools and serves as a gateway to further readings. Developing this slide deck raised discussions and we hope that this final version will also trigger further discussions in the field. That is what is needed if we are serious about unemployment. Give us (Peter Beez and/or Hans Posthumus) feedback, tell us what you wish to do, and tell us what you need to make the difference! 17 September 2023 Savings and Credit Forum "Empowering People through Digital Financial Services" This year's Savings and Credit Forum took place on September 14th. Sophie Sirtaine (CGAP) introduced us to "Financial Inclusion 2.0". We then went deeper into the topic with two lively and insightful panel discussions that Vatsala Shreeti (BIS) reflected upon. Watch the Forum (2.5h), or some of its highlights (find the exact timecodes) on the E+E shareweb (here) 18 September 2023 Capitalisation of systemic VSD in Latin America and the Caribbean The SDC has launched a knowledge-sharing initiative to learn from its vocational training projects in Latin America. The goals are to support knowledge management in cooperation offices, especially in terms of vocational training's impact and sustainability on the systemic level, and to share best practices from Latin America's VSD projects with SDC globally. This process involved four Latin American countries (Bolivia, Cuba, Honduras, Nicaragua) and included online workshops to identify and evaluate systemic project impacts.To learn more about the results of the capitalisation exercise, join the webinar open to all E+E Network members in early 2024. The respective dates will be shared soonest. 21 September 2023 Guidance Sheet: Productivity indicators are no proxy for target group’s well-being Low productivity is often a key constraint in many sectors. Yet, sector productivity is rarely a good indicator for improved livelihoods of target groups. It says nothing about the root causes of low productivity and it says nothing about the resulting benefits of increased sector productivity. A systemic approach is needed, defining relevant sector and target group performance indicators to assess why root causes change and how that affects the target groups’ well-being. >> here No new items available 14 September 2023 Building Bridges: Aligning Finance with Sustainability Building Bridges is a joint initiative, launched in 2019 by Swiss public authorities (incl. SDC), the finance community, the United Nations and other International partners to accelerate the transition to a global economic model aligned with the SDGs. At the core of the initiative is the recognition that the scale and complexity of the transition require “building bridges” between multiple stakeholders in the finance, government, and international development communities. This year's edition will take place between October 2-6 in Geneva and host keynote speakers such as Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Mahmoud Mohieldin (Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) or Sergio Ermotti (Group Chief Executive Officer of UBS). Amongst 70 events organized by over 130 organizations, on October 4, SDC will be co-hosting a panel dedicated to Innovative Financing for Entrepreneurial Solutions in Emerging Markets. Publications and Websites PRIVATE SECTOR DEV FINANCIAL SECTOR DEV VOCATIONAL SKILLS DEV PSE ILO - All analysis and no action? (2023) Lessons from 64 ILO market systems analysis which can improve their use Although the number of analyses is growing and this can be indicative of a broader shift to more systemic thinking in the ILO, a question persists – are MSAs worth the effort? This study aims to answer this question by unpacking key lessons from 64 MSAs that the ILO conducted from the start of 2020 through June 2022 and concluding with recommendations to help projects within the ILO and beyond ensure more effective resource use during this phase and, hopefully, more targeted MSD projects. SDC Guidance Sheet - Digital Financial Services (2023) SDC E+E Network This guidance sheet is part of a series of tools developed to support SDC staff and partners in designing and implementing projects aiming at financial inclusion. This specific guidance sheet introduces the concept and key aspects of digital financial services. It provides guidance on how to design, prepare, implement, and monitor SDC projects effectively. SCBF 2022 Annual Report Resilience on the African continent (2023) SCBF SCBF team had the privilege of meeting and interacting with many of its members and partners during its Annual General Meeting on 30th June 2023 in Zurich. SCBF Annual Report 2022 was approved and published thereafter. The overarching theme of the report is ‘Resilience on the African continent’. Till 2022, SCBF projects have been able to bring a positive impact in the lives of 3.4 million people across geographies with relevant financial products and services, of which 64% are women and 53% reside in rural areas. Working Aid on Economic and Financial Analysis in VSD projects (updated) (2023) Working Aid on Economic and Financial Analysis in VSD projects (updated) (2023) SDC E+E Network Economic and Financial Analysis (EFA) is a widely used approach for assessing whether the benefits of a particular action are greater than its costs over a given period of time. This also applies to VSD: In the application and assessment of a new project idea as well as in monitoring and project evaluations we would like to know if the expected benefits (for example: higher incomes for graduates) are greater than the costs of the project. Therefore, this working aid and a rather simple Excel workbook have been developed and updated. Their aim is to support SDC program officers, project implementers, consultants and other stakeholders in assessing costs and benefits of VSD interventions, be it in the planning stage of a project (ex ante), for monitoring purposes (ex inter) or as part of a mid-term or end of phase evaluation (ex post). SFUVET Trend Report - Vocational Education and Training in Switzerland and other Countries– Development, Challenges and Potentials (2023) SFUVET Trend Report - Vocational Education and Training in Switzerland and other Countries– Development, Challenges and Potentials (2023) SFUVET The fifth trend report by the Swiss Observatory for Vocational Education and Training OBS SFUVET considers the latest developments in vocational education and training (VET) from an international perspective. It shows that developments in Switzerland differ significantly from those in other European countries. Switzerland is currently the country with the highest share of dual-track VET students on the upper secondary level. What are the advantages and challenges associated with this special pathway? Gender - Social Inclusion (GESI) in Dual VET- Getting Beyond Indicators (2023) DC dVET The DC dVET has added a thematic website on Gender & Social Inclusion (GESI) in Dual VET: Getting Beyond Indicators with sub-sites on different topics including rich amount of practical insights, videos, links to further publication and much more. Visit the website here. Dual VET in Development Cooperation (Policy brief) (2023) Dual VET in Development Cooperation (Policy brief) (2023) DC dVET After the first DC dVET Policy Brief on VET Systems & Terminology: A Classification and Clarification (see here), DC dVET has recently published a new one on Dual VET in Development Cooperation: Key Elements, Success Factors, Opportunities and Limitations. This policy brief highlights the elements of dual VET to be considered in development cooperation in order to generate advantages for partner countries. It illustrates opportunities and limitations as well as key success factors. Harnessing Biodiversity Credits for People and Planet The recent increased visibility of biodiversity in national and international policy is also reflected in market trends, such as an increased expansion of the carbon credits market. This paper by Nature Finance and carbone 4 looks at recent trends in carbon credits, identifies critical design challenges and sets out an initial Roadmap to address such challenges and provides insights and experiences to collectively chart this rapidly evolving market. Future of Finance The magazine report provides insights what the future of wealth management holds, with inputs from 14 global industry leaders and opinion setters. The reader lerans about the key structural drivers facing the wealth industry and the opportunities and challenges that emerge because of these. Social Impact Incentives for Clínicas del Azúcar Roots of Impact believes in aligning capital with incentives to drive change for people and the planet. Social Impact Incentives (SIINC) is a catalytic funding instrument that rewards high-impact enterprises for achieving social impact and enables them to attract investment to scale. This case study is about how SIINC supported Clínicas del Azúcar (CDA), a leading private provider of specialised diabetes care in Mexico serving lower middle-income groups, in its ambitious scaling plans while allowing it to move to even lower income segments and ensuring high quality treatments to all of its patients. Read the evaluation report of one of the first SIINC transactions that were structured. 2023 GIINsights As the impact investing industry continues to evolve and mature, investors are increasingly allocating assets to impact and exploring approaches to manage their portfolios toward greater impact. The 2023 GIINsight series offers a comprehensive overview of the impact investing industry, with actionable insights on impact investing activity and impact measurement & management practice.

2023-09 E+E Newsletter

Newsletter Profile Page

Share your insights with all of us

Do you want to inform the Economy network about your activities? Take the opportunity and feature them in our newsletter published twice a year. We are keen to learn about your projects, events & trainings, publications, websites or any other activity relevant for the network in the fields of Vocational Skills Development (VSD), Private Sector Development (PSD), Financial Sector Development (FSD) and Private Sector Engagement (PSE).

You can send us your proposals for inputs at any moment and we will publish them in the following Newsletter. >> contact us

Would you rather like to get a regular reminder to submit a contribution? >> add me to the list

Who is Who

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Thierry Buchs

Senior Advisor, Private Sector Engagement, SDC Bern

What do you love about your work, what is special about it?

The beauty of an internal advisory function is the ability to get exposed to very different types of projects and settings and to try to provide tailor-made recommendations that can be both relevant and useful. This requires a high level of pragmatism and “out-of-the-box” thinking since each case tends to be different, which means that a “one-size-fits-all” approach will not work. This makes the job both challenging and interesting. At the end of the day, the most important thing is to focus on the big picture (“what are we trying to achieve, and what is our role?”) and not to get bogued down in the details only.

What are the most interesting aspects of the context you work in?

One of the most interesting aspects of the work is the need to act as “translator” for very different types of clients, who come from very different perspectives and priorities. Bringing together the operational realities of field offices, the legal compliance aspects, and the risk management elements associated with private partners may sometimes look like “mission impossible”. I find this challenge very stimulating.

Tell us something that no one would guess about you

It is not really a secret (anymore) that I enjoy rock climbing and mountaineering. It has not always been the case, and I am a “later comer” when it comes to climbing. I have always hiked in the mountains but somehow felt that climbing would be too dangerous and not really made for me. Well, now I am wondering why I didn’t start earlier!

Thierry joined SDC in October 2022 as Senior Advisor for Private Sector Engagement at the Economy and Education Section, focusing on the structuring of PSE arrangements. Prior to joining SDC, he has spent most of his career working on international development issues, working for SECO (State Secretariat for Economic Affairs) in various roles and for the International Finance Corporation (IFC), among others. He also spent 4 years as Head of Economic Cooperation at the Swiss Embassy in Bogotá, Colombia. In the last 6 years, he was Head of Policy, ESG and Impact at Obviam AG, a private asset manager based in Bern that managed SIFEM (Swiss Investment Fund for Emerging Markets), the Swiss Development Finance Institution. He holds a PhD degree in international economics from the Geneva Graduate Institute and a Master’s degree in international relations from Tufts University in Medford MA (Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy).

Arthur Pokrikyan

Senior National Program Officer for Inclusive Economic Development, Swiss Cooperation Office in Yerevan, Armenia

What do you love about your work, what is special about it?

I have always believed in bringing a positive impact to society, and currently, with my daily work, I can continue practicing this belief and contribute to the increased incomes and employment in rural communities of Armenia, which alleviates poverty and improves welfare.

What is your favourite place in the region you work in and why?

I originate from Gavar, a small town in the Gegharkunik region of Armenia, adjacent to the picturesque Sevan Lake. During the Soviet era, Gavar was a bustling industrial city with many factories. However, the current scenario is vastly different - the pace of life has decelerated, employment prospects have dwindled, and the lifestyle has become monotonous, lacking a clear vision for the future. Nevertheless, I remain optimistic that my hometown will prosper again thanks to my efforts as well.

How do you calm down in stressful situations?

I love sports, traveling, and an active lifestyle. This also helps to deal with stress, and especially helpful is archery, which I have practiced for six years.

What is your favourite quote and why?

Try not to become a man of success but a man of value. - Albert Einstein

What is the most important lesson you have learned from your work?

At some point in your life, set yourself free and let your spirit roam.

Arthur Pokrikyan is an experienced professional who has successfully led multi-stakeholder projects in various areas, including Economic Development, Education, Finance, Science, Technology, and Innovation. He joined SDC on June 1, 2022, as the Senior National Program Officer for the Inclusive Economic Development portfolio at the Swiss Cooperation Office in Armenia.

Arthur holds a PhD in Business Administration from the International Black Sea University, and his research interests include behavioral finance, financial inclusion, financial capability, financial literacy, financial education, and fintech. He also teaches at the Yerevan State University and the American University of Armenia, where he mentors youth and delivers specialized training courses with various local and international organizations. As a young professional, Arthur is actively involved with AIESEC, Global Shapers Community (World Economic Forum initiative), Nairi Archery Club NGO, SASTIC (organisation aiming at the growth and development of the Armenian startup ecosystem), and other initiatives.

News from Programmes & Projects

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15 September 2023

COVID-19 fund supports Nepalese economy

In 2020, the SDC launched a fund to support micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in Nepal that had been hit hard by the pandemic. The fund has helped avert layoffs, created over 400 new jobs and strengthened the local economy. The aim of the programme was to retain jobs and support companies in overcoming the crisis. The appoach of blended finance and the support for business development have leveraged private sector investment in sustainable development.

Read the full story here.

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18 September 2023

SCBF - New projects: Building resilience through climate, life and health insurance; digital finance and financial education

Since our last update, we have co-funded 12 new and exciting projects focusing on a varied area, e.g., loans and savings linked to agriculture and business, digital platforms, and providing access to water and sanitation, micro-life and health insurance, index-based agriculture insurance for smallholder famers and pastoralists, digital savings for women and youth and financial literacy:

In Cote d’Ivoire, Reseau Mucrefab Côte d’Ivoire (REMU-CI) will work on scaling-up a ‘Digital savings’ product for low income consumers along with providing consumer education

In another project in Cote d’Ivoire, OKO will work with Allianz on a weather index-based crop insurance for smallholder farmers

In Ethiopia, Democrance will work with local insurance company for building resilience with digital micro health solution for low-income consumers

In Ethiopia, Jamii.one will work on leveraging its digital platform to scale affordable life insurance and to launch health insurance for community-based groups

In Indonesia, Blue Marble will support from Zurich General Takaful Insurance will work on developing and launching a parametric insurance scheme for coffee smallholder farmers

In Lebanon, Vision Fund international and World Vision Lebanon are working together on providing health insurance to vulnerable children in the country and personal accident cover to their families

In Pakistan, Mobilink Microfinance Bank with support from Business & Finance Consulting (BFC) will work on customising a credit scoring solution that will increase the outreach of the

In Cote d’Ivoire, Reseau Mucrefab Côte d’Ivoire (REMU-CI) will work on scaling-up a ‘Digital savings’ product for low income consumers along with providing consumer education

In another project in Cote d’Ivoire, OKO will work with Allianz on a weather index-based crop insurance for smallholder farmers

In Ethiopia, Democrance will work with local insurance company for building resilience with digital micro health solution for low-income consumers

In Ethiopia, Jamii.one will work on leveraging its digital platform to scale affordable life insurance and to launch health insurance for community-based groups

In Indonesia, Blue Marble will support from Zurich General Takaful Insurance will work on developing and launching a parametric insurance scheme for coffee smallholder farmers

In Pakistan, Mobilink Microfinance Bank with support from Business & Finance Consulting (BFC) will work on customising a credit scoring solution that will increase the outreach of the

18 September 2023

SCBF - Knowledge & insights

What is the future of Green Inclusive Finance?

Green inclusive finance is critical to addressing climate change and making low-income and vulnerable households more resilient. Here is an insightful piece by our team on - what role it plays, how it is evolving to meet development challenges, and how SCBF is supporting this endeavour. Read the blog here.

Unlocking the benefits of embedded insurance for micro and small businesses – Insights from Mozambique

In Mozambique, micro-entrepreneurship is fraught with high-impact, disruptive economic events, with few mitigation or management tools available to those affected. With support from SCBF, Accion used human-centered design to help Socremo improve its savings product with the inclusion of a funeral cover to increase it’s outreach. You can read the full report on the project to understand the outcomes, challenges, learnings and the key-takeaways. Read the report here.

Five lessons for designing fit-for-purpose health micro-insurance

In Kenya, SCBF is supporting a health micro-insurance project being implemented by Cenfri, Britam and M-Tiba. Cenfri did a study on the market’s perception of insurance, sentiments about the hospital industry and current resilience practices based on which they are working with the other partners to adapt the product to be able to reach the low-income market segment. In a blog published by them they share the “Five lessons for designing fit-for-purpose health micro-insurance”. Read the blog here.

What is the future of Green Inclusive Finance?

Unlocking the benefits of embedded insurance for micro and small businesses – Insights from Mozambique

Five lessons for designing fit-for-purpose health micro-insurance

18 September 2023

SCBF- some interesting highlights

Welcoming Blue Marble as SCBF’s newest member

Blue Marble an insure-tech focusing on climate protection and insurance for underserved communities has joined SCBF as its 30^th member. With aligned areas of synergies, they will be working together to create a lasting impact on vulnerable communities. Read about it here.

SCBF in Media: Driving resilience in the African continent

In a published article, JeuneAfrique, highlights the work done by SCBF in the African continent since 2011, that has helped improve the lives of more than half a million people (half of it are women) in the continent. Read the article here.

Partnering on a project for increasing access to WASH

On 24th March 2023, SCBF signed a contract with Aqua for All and La Banque Agricole (LBA) of Senegal, alongside of the UN Water Conference 2023 for a unique project

The signing ceremony was attended by (sequence in the pic): Mr. Malik Ndiaye, CEO, La Banque Agricole; Honorable minister of Water and Sanitation, Senegal Mr. Serigne Mbaye Thiam; Ms. Josien Slujis, MD, Aqua for All and Ms. Sitara Merchant, CEO, SCBF

that aims to develop client-centric financial products to meet the needs of low-income households in Senegal so that they can access water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). The main objective of this partnership is to increase access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation primarily for women and girls. By the end of the project, 3,000 households are expected to have improved access to water and sanitation and LBA aims to reach 80,000 households in the next 5 years.

Welcoming Blue Marble as SCBF’s newest member

SCBF in Media: Driving resilience in the African continent

Partnering on a project for increasing access to WASH

On 24th March 2023, SCBF signed a contract with Aqua for All and La Banque Agricole (LBA) of Senegal, alongside of the UN Water Conference 2023 for a unique project

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14 September 2023

PSE Evaluation

SDC commissioned an independent evaluation of SDC’s Private Sector Engagement (2015-2021). The evaluation assessed the performance of SDC’s programmes and projects along the OECD DAC criteria of relevance, coherence, effectiveness, impact, efficiency, and sustainability. The evaluation aims to support SDC in achieving the objectives of Switzerland’s International Cooperation Strategy 2021-2024, and in contributing to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The full evaluation report, including SDC’s Senior Management Response can be found here.

Trainings and Events

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05 November to 02 December 2023 online 05 November online 05 November 2023 online

DevLearn - Market systems development training

This DevLearn online training course will introduce the core concepts of market systems development and provide simple, practical tips to enable you to implement them in your context. The course is offered entirely online in November 2023. It will take approximately four days to complete but can be spread across multiple weeks and completed at any time that suits you. The course can easily be combined alongside a normal working week.

For more information, please see here.

05 November to 04 December 2023 05 November 05 November 2023 05 November to 04 December 2023

DevLearn - Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning for inclusive economic growth training

Development programmes working in complex environments need to understand the context they work in, monitor changes, and adapt their work accordingly. This sounds simple but is challenging in practice. What should we be monitoring, measuring and evaluating? What is ‘good enough’ measurement, and how do we attribute change to our programme? And – hardest of all – how do you get decision-makers to change their minds?

DevLearn’s online training course on monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) for inclusive economic growth answers these questions and more, using the DCED Standard for Results Measurement, a practical framework used by over a hundred programmes worldwide.

Click here for more information and registration.

14 November to 16 November 2023 in Cape Town, South Africa 14 November in Cape Town, South Africa 14 November 2023 in Cape Town, South Africa

Market Systems Symposium (MSS) 2023

Get ready to be inspired, equipped, and connected like never before at Market Systems Symposium 2023! Engage with industry-leading experts in Market Systems Development from around the world as we explore cutting-edge research, innovative strategies, and real-world application in this dynamic and engaging forum.

Given the significant impact of climate change, conflict and food insecurity on our world today, the core themes which we will be discussing, debating, collaborating, and innovating around at MSS2023 are: Climate Change & Adaptation; Conflict-Affected Contexts; and Food Security and Food Systems.

Considerations which will be focused on across each of these core themes are: Household and Market Systems Resilience; Financial Market Systems; Migration & Urbanization; Water & Energy Systems; Trade

Cross-cutting topics which will be brought in across sessions are: Social Inclusion; Adaptive Management; Engagement with the Public & Private Sector; Employment & Livelihoods; Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL); Emerging Technologies Disruptors.

More information see here.

20 November to 05 December 2023 in Bangkok, Thailand 20 November in Bangkok, Thailand 20 November 2023 in Bangkok, Thailand

Making Market Systems Work Training - Springfield Centre

This 10-day residential Training Programme focuses on how to make development more effective, achieving greater impact, inclusiveness, scale and sustainability. It explores the strategic and practical implications for organisations as they adopt the market systems development approach. The programme is internationally-recognised and builds on nearly two decades of the Springfield Centre’s experience in offering training on the market systems development (MSD) approach, training over 2,500 people from more than 100 countries.

For more information and registration see here.

No new items available

16 October to 19 October 2023 in online 16 October in online 16 October 2023 online

Financial Inclusion Week 2023

Financial Inclusion Week (FIW) is an annual gathering of the global community working to advance inclusive finance. The four-day virtual event is a forum for exchanging ideas, research, and perspectives from around the world.

The Center for Financial Inclusion (CFI) convenes FIW each year and invites partner organizations to showcase work, share ideas on what’s ahead, network with others, and more. The community-driven agenda covers the most pressing topics in our space, helping to inform and advise global efforts to advance inclusive finance.

have a look if there are topics that you would like to learn about: here

16 October to 20 October 2023 in Lomé (Togo) 16 October in Lomé (Togo) 16 October 2023 in Lomé (Togo)

Semaine africaine de la microfinance (SAM)

The Semaine africaine de la microfinance (African Microfinance Week) is a biennial 5-day event dedicated to the development of financial inclusion in Africa. It is an unmissable event for inclusive finance professionals! If you want to take part, please go here.

30 October to 01 November 2023 in Cape Town 30 October in Cape Town 30 October 2023 in Cape Town

Africa Financial Inclusion Summit 2023

Advancing financial inclusion in Africa through innovation, collaboration and disruptive technological solutions.

Africa Insights and its global partners are inviting experts, academics, researchers, subject matter specialists, industry stakeholders and leaders to submit papers, proposals, case studies and abstracts for consideration for the Annual Africa Financial Inclusion Summit 2023. For more, go here.

15 November to 17 November 2023 in Luxembourg 15 November in Luxembourg 15 November 2023 in Luxembourg

European Microfinance Week

European Microfinance Week (EMW), hosted by e-MFP, is one of the top events in the financial inclusion calendar and a unique meeting point for microfinance and financial inclusion professionals working worldwide. EMW brings together all sectors of the inclusive finance industry including consultants & support service providers, investors, multilateral & national development agencies, NGOs and researchers. With an unparalleled program and prestigious speakers, the event is widely recognised for its high quality sessions and excellent networking opportunities. For more, go here.

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03 October 2023 in online 03 October to 03 October 2023 in online 03 October in online 03 October 2023 online

Learning journey: Imbriquer l'EB et le DCP - Interlinking BE and VSD: Toward more inclusive and labour market-orientated education systems.

In many countries, academic education and vocational training pathways evolve in silos, with several negative consequences. For instance, academic and general education pathways are the only option to “climb the ladder” within the system; vocational and technical education and training are limited and devalued; non formal and informal learning are not recognised; finally, the education system lacks inclusivity and faces difficulties to respond to the needs of the labour market.

How can we increase the “permeability” of education and training systems by building more bridges and ladder at the different levels? What models exist? What can SDC and its partners do in that sense?

Join us for an insightful discussion with leading researchers of ETH Zurich and field practitioners around country case studies from Benin and Nepal! The webinar will be held in English with simultaneous interpretation into French.

Agenda:

Welcome and introduction bythe Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)
Presentation of the study A ticket up and a ticket out: Promoting and ensuring permeability in education system reform by ETHZurich
Presentations of two case studies (Nepal and Benin) and discussion in groups
Conclusions

This webinar is part of the Learning journey Interlinking Basic Education and Vocational Skills Developmentand it will be based on the Study A ticket up and a ticket out: Promoting and ensuring permeability in education system reformof the Chair of Education Systems of the ETH Zurich (Authors: K. Caves; P. McDonald, D.Naço, U.Renold). For the main messages of this study, also see: Video introduction

03 October 2023 in online 03 October to 03 October 2023 in online 03 October in online 03 October 2023 online

FoBBIZ Talk: The potential of XR and VR for Skills Development in ASEAN countries

Two and a half years after the outbreak of the Covid-19 crisis, societies all-over the world are still suffering from the impact of the pandemic. The TVET and the Education systems in general have not been spared and the lack of system-level digital strategies, poor technological infrastructure, and weak teachers’ e-readiness, has exposed important inequalities in the global skills development picture. Emerging technologies such as virtual, augmented, and mixed reality (all together known as XR - Extended Reality) can support TVET and Education systems in easing the impact of future disruptions, ensuring not only continuity of training delivery but also an impact in terms of scalability, personalization, safety, and cost-effectiveness, to drive the sustainable improvement of Skills Development opportunities, far beyond the pandemic response.

During this talk, we will converse about the ongoing advancement of collaboratively developed action-oriented solutions in the field of Extended Reality applications for skills development to respond to the challenges brought forth by the stakeholders involved in the digital innovation process of some of the ASEAN countries we had the opportunity to work with, at the ITCILO.

The FoBBIZ Talk will be held in English.

For more information about the event and registration (until 02.10.) click here.

05 November to 02 December 2023 in online 05 November in online 05 November 2023 online

DevLearn - Market systems development training

For more information, please see here.

06 November to 10 November 2023 in online 06 November in online 06 November 2023 online

Training - NADEL 2023 - VET between Poverty Alleviation and Economic Development

In recent years, international interest in vocational education and training (VET) has grown. The discussion about the success factors of VET and the extent dual VET can offer advantages to developing countries is still ongoing. Switzerland, with its own unique and strong VET system, has a long tradition of implementing VET in developing countries. Experts from the field will bring their experience to bear in the course, which provides an overview of the systems and process dimensions of VET, opportunities for VET implementation as well as implications and constraints. In the end, participants will have strengthened their competence in portfolio management for VET, skills development and labor market policies.

Link to NADEL ETH Zürich - Online Training

14 November to 16 November 2023 in Cape Town, South Africa 14 November in Cape Town, South Africa 14 November 2023 in Cape Town, South Africa

Market Systems Symposium (MSS) 2023

More information see here.

20 November to 05 December 2023 in Bangkok, Thailand 20 November in Bangkok, Thailand 20 November 2023 in Bangkok, Thailand

Making Market Systems Work Training - Springfield Centre

For more information and registration see here.

No new items available

02 October 2023 in online 02 October to 02 October 2023 in online 02 October 2023 in online

PSE Basic Course

Looking to collaborate effectively with the private sector? The Online PSE Basic Course is back! Familiarize yourself with key PSE terminologies, explore the diverse range of private sector actors, and uncover the primary engagement formats. Equip yourself with PSE's guiding principles, resources, and tools. Plus, meet the CEP team and grab the chance to clarify any PSE-related queries. More information and registration here.

Spotlights

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14 September 2023

Building Bridges: Aligning Finance with Sustainability

Building Bridges is a joint initiative, launched in 2019 by Swiss public authorities (incl. SDC), the finance community, the United Nations and other International partners to accelerate the transition to a global economic model aligned with the SDGs. At the core of the initiative is the recognition that the scale and complexity of the transition require “building bridges” between multiple stakeholders in the finance, government, and international development communities.

This year's edition will take place between October 2-6 in Geneva and host keynote speakers such as Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Mahmoud Mohieldin (Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) or Sergio Ermotti (Group Chief Executive Officer of UBS). Amongst 70 events organized by over 130 organizations, on October 4, SDC will be co-hosting a panel dedicated to Innovative Financing for Entrepreneurial Solutions in Emerging Markets.

21 September 2023

Guidance Sheet: Productivity indicators are no proxy for target group’s well-being

Low productivity is often a key constraint in many sectors. Yet, sector productivity is rarely a good indicator for improved livelihoods of target groups. It says nothing about the root causes of low productivity and it says nothing about the resulting benefits of increased sector productivity. A systemic approach is needed, defining relevant sector and target group performance indicators to assess why root causes change and how that affects the target groups’ well-being. >> here

21 September 2023

Unemployment, more work to be done. A slide deck on how to do that.

Are you also concerned with unemployment rates? Are you also often disappointed with programs’ impacting under- and unemployment? Do you wish to make a difference for your target group? Then take 30 minutes to scan this slide deck that will help you to design and steer employment programs better.

It helps you to understand and address the real challenges in labour markets. It helps you to put labour markets central to your analyses and program design. It raises seven crucial issues and answering them will inform you how your programs should influence labour markets, with realistic expectations about the programs’ potential impact. This slide deck leans on existing and emerging concepts, approaches and tools and serves as a gateway to further readings.

Developing this slide deck raised discussions and we hope that this final version will also trigger further discussions in the field. That is what is needed if we are serious about unemployment.

Give us (Peter Beez and/or Hans Posthumus) feedback, tell us what you wish to do, and tell us what you need to make the difference!

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17 September 2023

Savings and Credit Forum "Empowering People through Digital Financial Services"

This year's Savings and Credit Forum took place on September 14th. Sophie Sirtaine (CGAP) introduced us to "Financial Inclusion 2.0". We then went deeper into the topic with two lively and insightful panel discussions that Vatsala Shreeti (BIS) reflected upon.

Watch the Forum (2.5h), or some of its highlights (find the exact timecodes) on the E+E shareweb (here)

No new items available

18 September 2023

Capitalisation of systemic VSD in Latin America and the Caribbean

The SDC has launched a knowledge-sharing initiative to learn from its vocational training projects in Latin America. The goals are to support knowledge management in cooperation offices, especially in terms of vocational training's impact and sustainability on the systemic level, and to share best practices from Latin America's VSD projects with SDC globally. This process involved four Latin American countries (Bolivia, Cuba, Honduras, Nicaragua) and included online workshops to identify and evaluate systemic project impacts.To learn more about the results of the capitalisation exercise, join the webinar open to all E+E Network members in early 2024. The respective dates will be shared soonest.

21 September 2023

Guidance Sheet: Productivity indicators are no proxy for target group’s well-being

No new items available

14 September 2023

Building Bridges: Aligning Finance with Sustainability

Publications and Websites

No new items available

ILO - All analysis and no action? (2023)

Lessons from 64 ILO market systems analysis which can improve their use

Although the number of analyses is growing and this can be indicative of a broader shift to more systemic thinking in the ILO, a question persists – are MSAs worth the effort? This study aims to answer this question by unpacking key lessons from 64 MSAs that the ILO conducted from the start of 2020 through June 2022 and concluding with recommendations to help projects within the ILO and beyond ensure more effective resource use during this phase and, hopefully, more targeted MSD projects.

No new items available

SDC Guidance Sheet - Digital Financial Services (2023)

SDC E+E Network

This guidance sheet is part of a series of tools developed to support SDC staff and partners in designing and implementing projects aiming at financial inclusion.

This specific guidance sheet introduces the concept and key aspects of digital financial services. It provides guidance on how to design, prepare, implement, and monitor SDC projects effectively.

SCBF 2022 Annual Report Resilience on the African continent (2023)

SCBF

SCBF team had the privilege of meeting and interacting with many of its members and partners during its Annual General Meeting on 30th June 2023 in Zurich. SCBF Annual Report 2022 was approved and published thereafter. The overarching theme of the report is ‘Resilience on the African continent’. Till 2022, SCBF projects have been able to bring a positive impact in the lives of 3.4 million people across geographies with relevant financial products and services, of which 64% are women and 53% reside in rural areas.

No new items available

Working Aid on Economic and Financial Analysis in VSD projects (updated) (2023) Working Aid on Economic and Financial Analysis in VSD projects (updated) (2023)

SDC E+E Network

Economic and Financial Analysis (EFA) is a widely used approach for assessing whether the benefits of a particular action are greater than its costs over a given period of time. This also applies to VSD: In the application and assessment of a new project idea as well as in monitoring and project evaluations we would like to know if the expected benefits (for example: higher incomes for graduates) are greater than the costs of the project.

Therefore, this working aid and a rather simple Excel workbook have been developed and updated. Their aim is to support SDC program officers, project implementers, consultants and other stakeholders in assessing costs and benefits of VSD interventions, be it in the planning stage of a project (ex ante), for monitoring purposes (ex inter) or as part of a mid-term or end of phase evaluation (ex post).

SFUVET Trend Report - Vocational Education and Training in Switzerland and other Countries– Development, Challenges and Potentials (2023) SFUVET Trend Report - Vocational Education and Training in Switzerland and other Countries– Development, Challenges and Potentials (2023)

SFUVET

The fifth trend report by the Swiss Observatory for Vocational Education and Training OBS SFUVET considers the latest developments in vocational education and training (VET) from an international perspective. It shows that developments in Switzerland differ significantly from those in other European countries. Switzerland is currently the country with the highest share of dual-track VET students on the upper secondary level. What are the advantages and challenges associated with this special pathway?

Gender - Social Inclusion (GESI) in Dual VET- Getting Beyond Indicators (2023)

DC dVET

The DC dVET has added a thematic website on Gender & Social Inclusion (GESI) in Dual VET: Getting Beyond Indicators with sub-sites on different topics including rich amount of practical insights, videos, links to further publication and much more. Visit the website here.

Dual VET in Development Cooperation (Policy brief) (2023) Dual VET in Development Cooperation (Policy brief) (2023)

DC dVET

After the first DC dVET Policy Brief on VET Systems & Terminology: A Classification and Clarification (see here), DC dVET has recently published a new one on Dual VET in Development Cooperation: Key Elements, Success Factors, Opportunities and Limitations. This policy brief highlights the elements of dual VET to be considered in development cooperation in order to generate advantages for partner countries. It illustrates opportunities and limitations as well as key success factors.

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Harnessing Biodiversity Credits for People and Planet

The recent increased visibility of biodiversity in national and international policy is also reflected in market trends, such as an increased expansion of the carbon credits market. This paper by Nature Finance and carbone 4 looks at recent trends in carbon credits, identifies critical design challenges and sets out an initial Roadmap to address such challenges and provides insights and experiences to collectively chart this rapidly evolving market.

Future of Finance

The magazine report provides insights what the future of wealth management holds, with inputs from 14 global industry leaders and opinion setters. The reader lerans about the key structural drivers facing the wealth industry and the opportunities and challenges that emerge because of these.

Social Impact Incentives for Clínicas del Azúcar

Roots of Impact believes in aligning capital with incentives to drive change for people and the planet. Social Impact Incentives (SIINC) is a catalytic funding instrument that rewards high-impact enterprises for achieving social impact and enables them to attract investment to scale. This case study is about how SIINC supported Clínicas del Azúcar (CDA), a leading private provider of specialised diabetes care in Mexico serving lower middle-income groups, in its ambitious scaling plans while allowing it to move to even lower income segments and ensuring high quality treatments to all of its patients. Read the evaluation report of one of the first SIINC transactions that were structured.

2023 GIINsights

As the impact investing industry continues to evolve and mature, investors are increasingly allocating assets to impact and exploring approaches to manage their portfolios toward greater impact. The 2023 GIINsight series offers a comprehensive overview of the impact investing industry, with actionable insights on impact investing activity and impact measurement & management practice.

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