International Development Grant
Canadian Executive Service Organization (CESO) - Volunteer Cooperation 2009-2015
Project Number: CA-3-S064520PRG
Status: Closed
Country/Region:
Maximum Contribution: $15,251,682.00
Start Date: July 01, 2009
End Date: July 31, 2015
Duration: 6.1 years
Project Description
This program supports 1 402 volunteer advisor assignments in Benin Bolivia Burkina Faso Cameroon the Caribbean Colombia Guyana Honduras Peru Philippines Senegal Tanzania and Vietnam. The program aims to: (1) provide support to build the capacities of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to generate revenue and provide employment opportunities for men and women; (2) strengthen local partnership between partner associations civil society organizations (CSOs) and their respective beneficiaries that support SME development; (3) strengthen government entities in support of a competitive local and national environment for SMEs; and (4) foster increased public participation in the governance process. The key activities supported by this program include: (1) the development of partnerships with relevant organizations; (2) the placement of volunteer advisors (primarily North-South with some South-North and South-South) with selected partners; and (3) knowledge management supported through strong monitoring and evaluation. The program also supports a public engagement program which builds a constituency of educated informed and active Canadian citizens. An amount of $80 622 has been added to the total amount for each of the Volunteer Cooperation Agency programs for CIDA-led program evaluations.
Progress & Results Achieved
Results achieved at the end of the project (March 31 2015) include: (1) completion of 1 476 volunteer advisor assignments with local clients and partners; (2) stronger and more effective public and private sector institutions; (3) sustainable economic development and governance promotion among 842 clients and partners in 16 program countries across Africa Asia and the Americas.; (4) professional knowledge and expertise contribution by CESO’s Volunteer Advisors (VAs) to build capacity across a broad range of sectors including: (i) small and medium-sized enterprise development (ii) strengthening civil society (iii) informal/semi-informal financial intermediaries (iv) urban and rural municipalities (v) urban development and management (vi) water supply and sanitation (vii) support to local and regional NGOs (viii) agricultural research and agro-industries. These results contributed to the successful transfer of skills and knowledge to clients and partners and to the broader impact on development capacity for example: In Burkina Faso: (1) implementation of electronic data management by VAs in cooperation with the microfinance institution Caisse Nabonswende the national association of decentralized financial systems (APSFD); (2) training of over 150 staff (including 85 women); (3) opening of the fourth agency of this institution hiring an additional 39 staff; (4) reduction of delinquent credit by half and increase of membership by 14% over two years. In the Philippines through CESO’s partner the National Apiculture Research Development and Training Institute (NARTDI): (1) increase of the number of bee colonies to 270 by the Southern Luzon State University; (2) creation of an outreach training program in beekeeping for farmers; (3) development of 220 hives in other 14 satellite centres one of whom will begin exporting to Korea. In Bolivia through CESO’s partnership with the Municipality of La Paz (GAMLP) an area with 1.8 million residents: (1)
Key Information
Executing Agency:
CESO - Canadian Executive Service Organization
Reporting Organization:
Global Affairs Canada
Program:
YFMInternaAssistPartnershp&Programing Br
Last Modified:
September 19, 2025
Development Classifications
DAC Sector:
Aid Type: Donor country personnel
Collaboration: Bilateral
Finance Type: Aid grant excluding debt reorganisation
Selection Mechanism:
Pre-APP