Internal Savings and Lending (ISAL) Regional Lessons Learnt Dissemination Workshop
5-7 July 2006 Elephant Hills Resort and Conference Center Victoria Falls

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Project Background

CARE International in Zimbabwe has been implementing the Kupfuma Ishungu (RMFP) programme in Zimbabwe since April 1998 initially in Zvishavane and Mberengwa Districts of Midlands Province. Various donors who include Austrian Government, Department for International Development (DFID), Swedish International Development Agency, Africa Fund and McKnight Foundation have supported the evolution of the RMFP programme over the years. This support enabled the programme replication in four provinces of Zimbabwe (ie Masvingo, Midlands, Manicaland and Mashonaland West). The programme established over 8000 savings and lending groups consisting of over 60000 clients.

This project uses one of the most promising approaches in terms of providing appropriate financial services to the rural poor: the Internal Savings and Lending (VS&L) model. The ISAL concept is an extension of the historic popularity of indigenous mechanisms such as informal savings clubs already present in Zimbabwe. The ISAL model is a group based system characterized by savings driven financial services with no external borrowing; self-management; simplicity and transparency of operations; flexibility in loan sizes and terms; low group management costs met through group earnings; and earnings retention in the group and community. Participants form self-selected groups, agree on internal by-laws, save regularly and use the fund so developed for lending to group members only. The loans are repaid with interest and savings contributions continue regularly resulting in the fund growing until sharing out time where the group dissolves the fund either partially or wholly to start the next cycle of savings.

Impact evaluations:
In 2002, 2004 and 2005 CARE Zimbabwe engaged the service of private consultants to measure the impact of the methodology and make programmatic recommendations. The impact assessment results confirmed that the project has been successful in enhancing livelihood through satisfaction of basic households needs such as food, health, education and clothing. Clients are able to accumulate both productive and non-productive assets and their savings are protected against the effects of inflation from returns on savings and assets that are acquired in the process of the groups’ operations. The feedback verified that Kupfuma Ishungu is the best of all MMD-style programmes in Africa as measured in terms of outreach and efficiency. The private consultants will share details of the results and reflections from the impact studies during this workshop.

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Presenters

Hugh Allen - Consultant
Hugh Allen has worked in development since 1970, focusing for most of the last 15 years on microfinance and technology-based market development activities, especially related to the role of microfinance. He has been instrumental in the design of numerous microfinance institutions for CARE in
Africa, providing design, ongoing technical support and evaluation services.
In the last several years he has become convinced of the practicability and extraordinary potential of community-based microfinance to reach the poorest at very low cost, and to do so sustainably. He has established VSL Associates with Chuck Waterfield to promote this new approach more widely.

Kadry Furany - CARE	Mr. Furany has over 14 years of experience in the microfinance field. His experience includes establishing and strengthening the performance of Microfinance institutions by improving the human resources capacity, establishing appropriate systems, (accounting and internal control, MIS, credit policies and procedure, HR and Admin) and designing appropriate financial and non-financial products. He is currently the Program Director for Small Economic Activities Development of CARE Canada.
Petronella Chigara	Ms. Chigara has more than 13 years of experience in microfinance, SME development, and organisational development in Southern Africa. She has held operational, managerial, and senior advisory posts in microfinance institutions at both wholesale and retail levels, such as Vulindlela, International Labour Organisation (ILO), CARE Zimbabwe, and Zambuko Trust. While in CARE Zimbabwe, she was been instrumental in spearheading the set up of a microfinance division in Commercial Bank of Zimbabwe. She has worked in numerous African countries conducting consulting assignments in countries including South Africa, Lesotho, Zambia, Malawi, Kenya, Swaziland, Uganda and Tanzania. She has been conducting training for Financial Analysis at the Boulder MFT program for four years and will be facilitating the fifth session this summer. Currently she is working with AKIBA Commercial Bank (Tanzania) as a Resident Advisor for ACCION International.
Tafirenyika Kakono - CARE	Tafirenyika Kakono has 13 years experience in the micro finance field, organizational and SME development. His experience include management of successful linkages between the larger private sector partners (Agricultural input suppliers and MFIs) and marginalized rural traders for the provision of micro finance and BD Services, management of the CARE Rural Microfinace program that promotes access to loans through Internal Savings mobilization. He is currently the Program Manager for the CARE Zimbabwe Small Economic Activity Development (SEAD) sector.

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Workshop Agenda

 

Time	Item	Presenter	Facilitator
Wednesday, 5 July 2006
9.00 – 10.00	Welcome Remarks and Introductions	A.C.D. Programs - Tessa
10.00 – 10.30	Tea Break
10.30 – 12.00	Project Background Presentation	Tafirenyika Kakono.
12.00 – 13.00	Program Video Show		Kadry Furany - Program Director for SEAD- CARE Canada.
13.00 – 14.00	Lunch
14.00 – 15.30	MIS And Accounting System Evaluation	Hugh Allen
15.30 – 16.00	Tea Break
16.00 – 17.00	MIS And Accounting System Evaluation( cont'd)		Kadry
Thursday, 6 July 2006
9.00 – 11.00	K.I Evaluation	Hugh Allen	Kadry Furany
11.00 – 11.30	Tea Break
11.30 – 13.00	K.I Evaluation ( cont'd)	Hugh Allen
13.00 – 14.00	Lunch
1400 – 1700	Extra Activity Visiting the Falls, Game viewing Boat Cruising		Tafadzwa Tirivafi Chris
19.00	Bush Dinner
Friday, 7 July 2006
9.00 – 10.00	HIV/AIDS and Microfinance	Petronella Chigara	Kadry
10.00 – 10.30	Tea Break
10.30 – 11.00	HIV/AIDS and Microfinance ( cont'd)	Alfred Hamadziripi
11.00 – 13.00	Discussion		Kadry
13.00– 14.00	Lunch
14.00 – 15.00	Resolutions/Way forward	Kadry Furany
15.00 – 15.30	Closing Remarks	Barbara CARE C.D
15.30 – 16.00	Tea break
16 – 18.30	Shopping and extra activities
19.00	Cocktail

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Venue

International Airport and 25km from Livingstone Airport Zambia. It is only 3km from the shopping center and 4km from the Victoria Falls. All rooms have balcony, shower, bath, shaver socket outlet, air-conditioning, overhead fan, hairdrye mini bar, Television: colour, satellite, CNN etc. Radio: local, Video: in-house, Taped music. Plug: 13amp square, Voltage: 110/220. Complimentary tea/coffee making facilities, 24-hour room service, evening turndown service, welcome refreshment upon arrival. There are electrical mosquito repellents in every room.

Modern conferencing facilities and equipment are available for a maximum of 350 delegates. There is a Business Center with Internet and fax facilities. They will be an office adjacent to the conference room for use by participants. They have got standard equipment - Overhead projectors and stands, 35mm slide projectors and carousels, LCD projector, mounted screens and portable television monitors, VHS, VCR, Laserlite Infra Red Pointers, White Boards & Flip Charts. Sound System - Tape Deck, PA, Multi-system, MIC Box, Microphones/Lapel Microphones, PA System Mixer, PA Monitor, Speakers.
Tables - Round, Trestle and Conference.Stage - Fixed/Lectern Same-day laundry service, safety deposit box, foreign exchange facilities, shops, open secure parking, car hire and touring desk, clinic, hairdressing & beauty salons, gymnasium, indoor games, packed lunches, porters lodge.

Organised by Kupfuma Ishungu Rural Micro Finance Programme (KI – RMFP)

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Registration

To register, download the following Rich Text Format Document. Complete the form and email it to Tafadzwa Choto Tafadzwach@carezimbabwe.org.

Click here to download registration form

Contact Details

Tafadzwa Choto
Care International In Zimbabwe
8 Ross Avenue
Belgravia
Harare
Tel: (04) 708115, 727986-8
Fax: (04) 727989
Cell: +263 11 637 484
Email: tafadzwach@carezimbabwe.org

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