Business Development Services Working Group
(BDSWG) is hosting an online conference and discussion group on the topic of BDS on the Margins. This research activity aims to identify promising strategies for incorporating HIV/AIDS-affected individuals, women, and displaced persons, and micro/small enterprises into productive value chains. In addition, the BDS Working Group continually updates the BDS Online Guide.
Client Assessment Working Group
(CAWG) is planning a global workshop, Putting Client Assessment to Work, for May in Warsaw, Poland. The workshop will bring together practitioners who have participated in a three-year client assessment action-research project. The workshop will outline a book on client assessment. In addition, CAWG is finalizing its year three Imp-Act work with 17 microfinance institutions (MFIs). It will conduct its final questionnaire focusing on 14 client assessment issues.
Consumer Protection Working Group
(CPWG) is working with SEEP and its members to increase consumer protection practices in the microfinance industry. CPWG is currently conducting case studies in Bosnia, Guatemala, and Indonesia. The case studies will be part of a facilitator’s guide for developing a Code of Practice.
Financial Services Working Group
(FSWG) is updating the SEEP financial guide to include not only ratios, but also financial terms, statements, and adjustments for microfinance institutions.
HIV/AIDS and MED Working Group
(HAMED) is working to complete HIV/AIDS workplace guidelines for MFIs. It also is developing a matrix and guide for economic strengthening options for HIV/AIDS-affected households and persons living with HIV/AIDS.
Poverty Assessment Working Group
(PAWG) is working closely with practitioners and the IRIS Center to develop and certify poverty assessment tools for USAID. PAWG also is developing a Poverty Assessment Tools paper that will examine the tools created by PAWG members and the utility of poverty assessment tools for microenterprise organizations beyond reporting to donors and external stakeholders.
Recently Added Documents
This is a working annotated bibliography of the 40 publications produced by the SEEP Practitioner Learning Program in BDS Market Assessment, Client Assessment, Poverty Assessment, Improving the Efficiency of MFIs, and Strategic Alliances for Financial Services and Market Linkages in Rural Areas.
This SEEP Network Practitioner Learning Program technical note provides a roadmap for client assessment that can guide an MFI as it thinks through the opportunities offered by client assessment and prepares to undertake the process. Case studies from MFIs around the world are used to illustrate how the process works in practice. Also, this paper provides a client assessment checklist for MFIs to follow.
