Financial Sector Deepening Kenya

The Financial Sector Deepening (FSD) Trust was established in early 2005 to support the development of financial markets in Kenya as a means to stimulate wealth creation and reduce poverty. It operates as an independent Trust under the supervision of professional trustees, with policy guidance from a programme investment committee. Finance is provided by a number of development partners working with the Government of Kenya. Current donors include the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) the Ministry of Trade & Industry/World Bank and Swedish SIDA.

Working in partnership with the financial services industry the goal of the Trust is to significantly expand access to services among lower income households and smaller scale enterprises. FSD’s primary focus is developing the capacity of the financial services industry, working directly with a diverse range of financial institutions (at the micro level), business service providers and support institutions (at the meso level). In doing so it compliments other initiatives – such as the Government’s reforms of the enabling environment (at the macro level) and wholesale lending programmes supporting emergent micro-finance institutions (MFIs).Projects and activities of FSD are grouped in themes, namely Core Financial System, Rural Finance, Finance for growth - GrowthFin.

VACANCY AVAILABLE
Project Manager - Weather Indexed Agricultural Insurance Project

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Micro-Finance Africa Summit, 13 - 15th August 2008 at the Hilton Hotel, Johannesburg, South Africa

FSD Newsletter -Issue 04 May 2008

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Ecomic Empowerment of People Living with or Affected with HIV/AIDS:
A Review of Financial Sector Options (presentation)

Kenya's Payment Methods:- Identifying an enabling environment for Government to Person transfers through the banking sectors

FinAccess final report

FinAccess survey results

To view interesting publications, visit www.microsave.org or www.cgap.org

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			CORE FINANCIAL SYSTEM The future development of the formal financial system remains key to the achievement of FSD Kenya's objectives. In FSD Kenya's earlier work in this area under two theme areas (building core capacity and development of the payments system) there had been a strong emphasis on the micro level. This new theme area addressing the development of the formal financial system will consolidate these earlier two theme areas and gradually evolve towards an emphasis on market infrastructure away from working directly with market players. read more...


			RURAL FINANCE Currently Kenyans in rural areas are less than half as likely to use banking services than those in the urban. It is clear that constraints to rural finance remain from the micro, through meso to macro level. FSD’s earlier work in this area had been covered in two theme areas: strengthening semi-formal rural delivery channels and agricultural finance. Both continue to be relevant and looking for greater integration between developing new delivery channels and new products will increase impact. Interventions will continue to be needed at both micro and meso levels. Innovation will demand continued work with retail players while scaling up – especially service provision based on systems of large numbers of small community based organisations – will require a more meso level approach. read more...


			FINANCE FOR GROWTH - GrowthFin inclusive or shared growth continues to be a major priority for government and is strongly linked with the development of the SME sector. Although comprehensive data on access to finance by SMEs has yet to be produced the evidence indicates that constrained access to appropriate finance is a significant constraint to growth and development of SMEs in Kenya. There are also strong indications that women entrepreneurs face greater constraints in accessing finance than men. FSD Kenya's work in the finance for growth theme area has shown considerable promise and remins highly relevant. read more...