International Development Grant
Financial Inclusion for Micro- Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises
Project Number: CA-3-D002438001
Status: Closed
Country/Region:
Maximum Contribution: $12,000,347.00
Start Date: August 15, 2017
End Date: September 30, 2023
Duration: 6.1 years
Project Description
The Financial Inclusion Project aims to promote the economic prosperity of low-income women and men in Haiti and the Democratic Republic of Congo by creating a means to increase their income and savings improve their livelihoods raise their quality of life and increase their revenues. Project activities include: (1) increasing the number of people specifically women who benefit from financial services through an extension of branches and banking agents and the provision of training; (2) increasing the use of financial services by micro small and medium-sized enterprises particularly those controlled by women; (3) increasing the use of agricultural financial services by agricultural entrepreneurs in Haiti; and (4) improving access to mobile savings services and medical insurance for low-income individuals particularly women in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Expected Results
The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) improved provision of client-centred gender-equal and human rights-based financial services to low-income individuals and entrepreneurs particularly women by FINCA Haiti and FINCA Democratic Republic of Congo; (2) increased use of financial services by micro small and medium-sized enterprises particularly those controlled by women in Haiti and the Democratic Republic of Congo; and (3) increased use of financial services and technical assistance on business development natural resource management (such as water fertilizer pesticide and waste management) and climate change adaptation by agricultural entrepreneurs particularly those controlled by women in Haiti.
Progress & Results Achieved
Results achieved as of September 2021 include: (1) reached 438 000 low-income people in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Haiti with financial services (36% women); (2) launched the Just for Her loan product in the Democratic Republic of Congo targeting micro-small and medium-sized enterprises controlled by women. Also distributed USD 6.6 million to 1 001 women since its release in March 2021; (3) in Haiti the agricultural loan product continues its success with beneficiaries doubling in year four and reaching a cumulative total of 2 080 beneficiaries of whom 83% women who work in the agricultural value chain; (4) cumulatively trained over 216 000 clients in financial literacy (65% women); (5) in Haiti the number of MonCash users almost doubled from year three to year four reaching a cumulative total of 18 361 users as Foundation for International Community Assistance Haiti continued to absorb transaction costs; (6) in the Democratic Republic of Congo the number of mobile savings clients continued to increase reaching 158 568 active clients in year four an increase of 32 000 more active mobile savers than last year; and (7) two new branches opened in the Democratic Republic of Congo increasing accessibility to financial services for low-income populations living in the regions of Tanganyika (Kalemi) and Haut Uélé (Durba). Digital channels and mobile banking continued to benefit clients in both countries. Also effective subsidiaries have enabled women's financial inclusion in their countries. Together these results contribute to increased economic prosperity for low-income people especially women in Haiti and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Key Information
Executing Agency:
FINCA Canada
Reporting Organization:
Global Affairs Canada
Program:
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Last Modified:
September 19, 2025
Development Classifications
DAC Sector:
Aid Type: Project-type interventions
Collaboration: Bilateral
Finance Type: Aid grant excluding debt reorganisation
Selection Mechanism:
Unsolicited Proposal