National Microfinance Study of Sri Lanka: Survey of Practices and ...
National Microfinance Study of Sri Lanka: Survey of Practices and ...
National Microfinance Study of Sri Lanka: Survey of Practices and ...
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HIVOS<br />
The HIVOS Desk concentrates on partners who consider micr<strong>of</strong>inance as one <strong>of</strong><br />
their core businesses, however the funding in the form <strong>of</strong> grants is focused on<br />
both entrepreneur capacity building <strong>and</strong> the strengthening <strong>of</strong> the partner<br />
organisation as in the cases <strong>of</strong> Agromart <strong>and</strong> SANASA.<br />
This is probably due to HIVOS knowing <strong>of</strong> the considerable amounts <strong>of</strong> funding<br />
that is already directed at the loan portfolios <strong>of</strong> micro finance agencies in <strong>Sri</strong><br />
<strong>Lanka</strong>. However HIVOS contributions to micr<strong>of</strong>inance agencies still accounts for<br />
a large proportion <strong>of</strong> the total assistance to <strong>Sri</strong> <strong>Lanka</strong>.<br />
Table 8 HIVOS expenditure in <strong>Sri</strong> <strong>Lanka</strong><br />
Total<br />
expenditure<br />
(Guilders)<br />
1998 1999 2000 2001<br />
3,736,309 4,817,833 4,580,538 4,887,283<br />
Agromart 900,000 950,000 1,000,000 1.052,500<br />
SANASA<br />
(FTCCS)<br />
Sub-total<br />
MFOs.<br />
As a % <strong>of</strong><br />
total.<br />
500,925 544,937 549,513 967,988<br />
1,400,925 1,494,937 1,549,513 2,020,488<br />
37% 31% 34% 41%<br />
Source: Hospes et al. 2001<br />
______________________________<br />
Dutch agencies have mainly provided grants, not loans, to partner organisations<br />
with a micr<strong>of</strong>inance programme in <strong>Sri</strong> <strong>Lanka</strong> with the exception recently <strong>of</strong><br />
NOVIB <strong>and</strong> its decision to support the banking programme <strong>and</strong> loan portfolio <strong>of</strong><br />
SEEDS. Also the bulk <strong>of</strong> the funding assistance appears to be directed at the<br />
capacity building <strong>of</strong> the partner organisations <strong>and</strong> their clients.<br />
The <strong>Sri</strong> <strong>Lanka</strong> desk <strong>of</strong> NOVIB, ICCO <strong>and</strong> HIVOS give different priorities to the<br />
support <strong>of</strong> micr<strong>of</strong>inance agencies. NOVIB gives the support <strong>of</strong> micr<strong>of</strong>inance<br />
agencies a high priority as it is focused at ‘direct poverty alleviation’. HIVOS<br />
although not having a distinct country policy for <strong>Sri</strong> <strong>Lanka</strong> tends to focus on<br />
creating greater equality <strong>of</strong> opportunities for people to access credit on a cost<br />
covering basis to assist to them to make small investments to create income.<br />
ICCO is the least interested in supporting partners with a micr<strong>of</strong>inance<br />
component in <strong>Sri</strong> <strong>Lanka</strong> <strong>and</strong> is much more focused on the conflict as the core<br />
problem that is creating poverty in <strong>Sri</strong> <strong>Lanka</strong>.<br />
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