Expanding Access to Finance for Refugees and Host Communities

Assignment Name
Provide TA services to UNCDF and its partners in the framework of its Expanding Access to Finance for Refugees and Host Communities in Rwanda programme.

Project Description

In Rwanda, the UNCDF ‘Expanding Financial Access & Digital and Financial Literacy for Refugees’ (REFAD) programme supports refugees and host communities by improving their access to finance and strengthening their digital and financial literacy.

The REFAD programme addresses the demand side of financial inclusion for the forcibly displaced persons (FDPs) and their host communities by developing, testing, and rolling out innovative financial products and educational tools to build refugees’ and host communities’ financial and digital capabilities.

The programme further provides technical assistance to the supply side of Rwandan institutions, by building local capacity through strategic partnerships with financial service providers (FSPs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and community-based organizations.

Between 2019 to 2021, the REFAD programme seeks to reach 12,000 beneficiaries through savings groups and 37,000 beneficiaries through digital and financial literacy trainings to enhance access to and the use of beneficial financial services in Rwanda, with a focus on women, youth, and refugees.

The activities carried out involve

UNCDF contracted Azimut IF to provide technical expertise and inputs to its Financial Service Provider partners in the Expanding Access to Finance for Refugees and Host Communities in Rwanda programme.

The overall objective of the assignment is to provide technical expertise and support to Equity Bank on the following activities:

  • Financial products for refugees and host communities, with a focus on savings first;
  • Integration of new technologies for financial and digital literacy that allow for improved data collection on target beneficiaries.
  • Training of agents and staff of Equity Bank to effectively implement the activities above (delivering financial services tailored to refugee/host community populations and integrating financial and digital literacy into product and service offerings).

Technical assistance will also consist of:

  • Technical support to UNCDF’s partners and Savings Groups implementation partners on the linkage of savings groups to formal financial institutions, including the partner FSPs.
  • Assist UNCDF Rwanda team on additional topics as needed.

Country

  • Rwanda

Name of Client

  • UNCDF

Expertise

  • Inclusive Finance:
  • > Technical Assistance

Assignment Duration

  • 1 year

Start Date

  • Jan 2020

Completion Date

  • Feb 2021
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