Niger: Strengthening Resilience of Local Agribusiness
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FSVC training, undertaken with local partner DEMI-E, on the impact of climate change in agribusiness for young people and women in the agricultural sector, Dakoro, Niger. August 2024.
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| With support from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), FSVC is implementing a small grants program in Niger to empower local agribusinesses and agri-food processing organizations to take action to strengthen community resilience against climate stress.
In Maradi and Tillabery, the nine members of FSVC’s incubators have developed several projects to promote climate resilience, including initiatives to enhance marketing for women peanut processors and more. Last month, DEMI-E, one of these organizations, trained young people and women in the agricultural sector on the impacts of climate change on production, agribusiness, and climate-smart agriculture. This work is empowering communities to adapt to environmental challenges, make informed decisions in their agricultural practices, and promote long-term sustainability.
FSVC looks forward to further initiatives to promote agribusiness development and strengthen community resilience to future climatic challenges in Niger. |
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Tunisia: Boosting SMEs’ Access to Finance
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FSVC’s regional crowdfunding forum, Sfax, Tunisia. September 2024
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| In September, FSVC concluded its successful U.S. Department of State-funded program to enhance access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Tunisia. Since 2018, FSVC has built the capacity of non-traditional lenders to develop and deliver innovative financial products; enhanced the capabilities of business support organizations to create investor-ready SMEs; and supported regulators’ efforts to establish SME financing regulations in line with international best practices.
To mark the conclusion of the program, FSVC hosted a regional crowdfunding forum in Sfax, Tunisia, in collaboration with Tunisia’s Agency for the Promotion of Industry and Innovation (APII). The event drew over 180 participants from the public and private sectors. It featured panels on Tunisia’s crowdfunding regulations, the FSVC-supported crowdfunding platform named “Kick-off,” and crowdfunding’s role in green finance, concluding with keynote addresses by U.S. Ambassador Joey Hood and Chief of Staff at the Ministry of Industry Ahlem Beji Sayeb. The forum established a strong foundation for crowdfunding in Tunisia, promoted collaboration among key players, and demonstrated the potential of crowdfunding to support entrepreneurship and sustainable projects.
FSVC is grateful for its partnership with the U.S. Department of State, the Government of Tunisia, and all local counterparts, and looks forward to further efforts to strengthen the Tunisian financial sector in the future.
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Tajikistan: Enhancing Financial Stability and Integrity
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Various FSVC trainings throughout Phase III of FSVC’s technical assistance program with the National Bank of Tajikistan, Dushanbe, Tajikistan. 2022 – 2024
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| With funding from the U.S. Department of State, FSVC successfully completed the third phase of its program to enhance financial stability, integrity, and inclusion in Tajikistan. Over the past five years, FSVC has provided technical assistance to the National Bank of Tajikistan (NBT) and other financial institutions to enhance compliance with international standards in anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT), as well as improve risk management practices.
As part of Phase III, FSVC bolstered the NBT’s capabilities in inflation targeting, liquidity and risk management, and internal auditing, and helped the NBT develop important credit risk models, stress testing frameworks, and macroprudential strategies. Additionally, FSVC trained over 100 bank and microfinance representatives in AML/CFT, suspicious transaction reporting, diversifying correspondent banking relationships, and enhancing sanctions implementation, contributing to the resilience and integrity of Tajikistan’s financial sector.
FSVC extends its gratitude to the U.S. Department of State, the NBT, all program counterparts, and FSVC volunteer experts for their collaboration and dedication. FSVC looks forward to continuing its work in Tajikistan to further strengthen the financial sector.
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2024 Association of Supervisors of Banks of the Americas Training Coordinators Meeting
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FSVC Managing Director Chad Kilbourne presenting on FSVC’s work at the Association of Supervisors of Banks of the Americas (ASBA) Training Coordinators Meeting, Lima, Peru. September 2024
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| In September, FSVC participated in the Association of Supervisors of Banks of the Americas (ASBA) 2024 Training Coordinators Meeting, in Lima, Peru. The three-day conference brought together banking supervisors from Latin America and the Caribbean to review ASBA’s strategic training plan, address challenges, share successful experiences, and explore collaboration opportunities. FSVC Managing Director Chad Kilbourne and Director Nancy Unklesbay attended to discuss ways to enhance potential FSVC collaboration with ASBA, and to ensure training programs meet member needs.
FSVC valued the opportunity to be part of these discussions and looks forward to supporting ASBA’s goals of strengthening banking supervision and enhancing financial stability in the Americas. A special thanks to Secretary General Pascual O’Dogherty, Chairman Belline Santana, and the ASBA team for including FSVC in the conversation.
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About Us
The Financial Services Volunteer Corps (FSVC) is a not-for-profit organization that helps strengthen financial sectors in developing and emerging market countries. It does so with the ultimate aim of promoting job creation, economic growth and a better quality of life. FSVC structures practical, results-oriented technical assistance and training missions staffed by senior financial sector professionals who serve as unpaid volunteer experts. Over the past 34 years, more than 10,000 volunteer experts from the international financial, legal and regulatory communities have taken part in 3,800 missions, impacting millions of people in 70 countries.
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Help support FSVC’s mission! As our work expands, private contributions are critical, as they help build the working capital foundation required to support the establishment of new programs and the exploration of new opportunities.
Your contribution to FSVC, a 501(c)(3) organization, is tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.
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