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The UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) is launching a Request for Expressions of Interest for its MicroLead Expansion programme in Myanmar. The programme in Myanmar will award grants to leading Financial Service Providers (FSPs) with savings-led methodologies to expand their retail operations/services into new markets in Myanmar which are underserved. See http://uncdf.org/en/project-documents-microlead for a description of the Myanmar programme, in addition to the programme documents for MicroLead and MicroLead Expansion. The programme in Myanmar will be implemented over a 4.5 year period. After reviewing responses to this EOI, UNCDF will invite selected FSPs to respond to a Request for Application which will result in grants to FSPs to initiate microfinance operations in Myanmar.
The MicroLead Expansion programme aims to contribute to the development of strong inclusive financial sectors and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by supporting the expansion of microfinance market leaders through an emphasis on savings mobilization in underserved areas/countries. In support of UNCDF's commitment to financial inclusion, the outcome of the MicroLead Expansion programme in Myanmar by the end of the programme (December 2016) will be increased sustainable access to appropriate demand-driven responsible financial and knowledge products and services, with a focus on savings mobilization, to more than 100,000 low income clients, at least half of whom are women and at least half of whom reside in rural areas.
The MicroLead Expansion programme in Myanmar is funded by the Livelihoods and Food Security Trust Fund (LIFT). It builds upon the LDC Fund to Develop Savings-led Market Leaders for Inclusive Finance ("MicroLead") which has been co-financed by UNCDF and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation since 2008, in addition to the MicroLead Expansion programme focused on sub-Saharan Africa financed by The MasterCard Foundation since 2011. Under these two current MicroLead programmes, 15 projects are underway in 13 LDCs and 12 projects in 10 sub-Saharan Africa countries are under negotiation and will begin in Q4 2012.
Please apply here: http://uncdf.org/sites/lift-fund-mspiral.local.mspiral.net/files/download/MicroLead%20Expansion%20Myanmar%20EOI.docx
