Countries
Bhutan, Laos, Vietnam

Local Project Partners 
MFIs, Community Based Financial Organizations (CFO), Associations (i.e. LASCU and NEFSCUN), Central Banks, universities and a fintech

German Project Partners 
Sparkasse Essen
Sparkasse Lörrach-Rheinfelden

Donor
Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ)

Duration
01.11.2022 - 30.04.2027

Access to financial services in Bhutan, Laos and Vietnam (especially in rural areas) is one of the biggest challenges in overcoming poverty and unequal living conditions. Agriculture plays an important role in all project countries - the majority of the population and especially women are employed there. At the same time, agriculture contributes too little to food security and is threatened by climate change. Locally active financial institutions need the necessary institutional and personnel capacities to provide basic financial services in rural regions on a cost-covering basis.

The overall objective of the project is the balanced ecological rural development in the project countries and sustainable economic development by strengthening the financial capacities of the population. This contributes to the promotion of (women-led) small businesses, farms and young people.

The aim of the project is to strengthen the institutional capacity of formal and informal financial organisations in rural areas. The aim is also to enable associations or other institutions to carry out effective control of financial organisations and to provide support to the individual institutions.

In Vietnam the project supports universities in adjusting their curricula to practical demands from the financial industry. We plan to expand the project to Nepal from May 2024 on; support in Bhutan will come to an end in April 2024. A fact finding mission is taking place to identify suitable partners.

Project Tasks

• Identification and implementation planning for strategic development needs
• Development of sustainable strategies / business models for local partner institutes
• Conception of strengthening measures of internal capacities and for regulation
• Development and implementation of measures regarding green finance / adaption towards climate change
• Development of adapted materials for financial and entrepreneurial education
• Conception and implementation of training measures and trainings (among others at Vietnamese universities)
• Supporting efficient cooperation between rural development stakeholders