USAID Funded LIM Program Provides Technical Assistance to Leading Lebanese Microfinance Institutes
December 3, 2009, Lebanon
The Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance (VEGA) Lebanon Investment in Microfinance (LIM) Program, implemented by the International Executive Service Corps (IESC), provided technical assistance to three Lebanese microfinance institutes through the services of Mr. Hal Handley, an IESC international agribusiness expert. With over 45 years of experience, Mr. Handley provided tailored assistance to program partners and leading micro-finance institutes (MFI) ADR, AlMajmoua, and Ameen. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded the LIM program to increase access to finance in rural communities in order to sustain and expand existing businesses, increase sales revenues, encourage entrepreneurship, launch new businesses, and create new jobs. The LIM program partnered with three leading MFIs to provide loans to micro and small businesses operating in rural and peri-urban communities across Lebanon. In its first quarter, the LIM program loaned over $275,598 to 145 agribusinesses and helped sustain and create over 264 full time and 90 seasonal jobs.
Tailored Training and Assistance
The aim of the technical assistance and training was to equip loan officers, through a training the trainers' methodology, with the essential agricultural considerations to better deal with agribusiness borrowers representing all facets of the agribusiness value chain. Mr. Handley provided tailored consultation and training to each organization covering key topics including Agricultural Considerations for Loan Officers when dealing with Agribusinesses and Farmers, Value Chain of Dairy Products and Live Stock, Dairy Products Risk Factors, Key Agriculture Definitions and Terms, Best Practices for Launching and Sustaining Cooperatives, and Analysis of an Agribusiness Feasibility Study and Business Plan. Mr. Handley's activities included meeting with each organization, visiting ADR's agricultural center in Tyre and ADR's partner the Frem Foundation in Northern Metn, conducting focus group meetings with six cooperatives and potential borrowers for AlMajmoua from South Lebanon in Nabatiha, meeting with the Agricultural Engineer and Business Development Manager at AlMajmoua, and meeting with the Training Specialist and Area Supervisors from Ameen in Hazmeih. The assistance was tailored, interactive, and focused on providing information on key issues related to working with farmers and micro/small businesses operating in the Agribusiness sector.
Training Materials
The training materials were developed in both English and Arabic and were provided to the micro finance institutes for future loan officer training. The training materials and assistance directly impacted 31 participants who will use the materials to provide customized training to an additional 200 loan officers and micro finance representatives across the three organizations, thus indirectly impacting hundreds of agribusinesses across all regions of Lebanon.
- Learn more about USAID (United States Agency for International Development) Lebanon mission: www.usaid.gov/lb
- Learn more about VEGA (Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance): www.vegaalliance.org
- Learn more about IESC (International Executive Service Corps) and LIM program: www.iesc.org
