Programmes and Activities
UNDP's involvement in the area of Micro-entreprise development has been built mainly in an interest to seek innovative solutions to poverty at the country and community level. UNDP has also facilitated increased access to microfinance resources for micro and small enterprise development. In recognition of the importance of this area, UNDP in collaboration with other partners is hosting an International Year of Micro-finance in 2005.
1. OECS-CIDA-UNDP Microstart Project
This assistance will provide support to improve the capacity of microfinance institutions in selected OECS Member States. The project will also strengthen the delivery of financial services on a sustainable basis to low income entrepreneurs by enhancing the institutional and technical capacity of the subregional and national level organizations. The project was implemented in three countries: St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada and St. Kitts and Nevis.
The MicroEnterprise Development Programme, supported by CIDA - by the UN Foundation will improve access to finance and related non-financial microenterprise and entrepreneurial development support for vulnerable population groups in the Eastern Caribbean . It is designed to complement multi-donor inputs from the Eastern Caribbean Donor Group to the microfinance sector as well as the UN System Poverty Eradication Programme of support.
2. Microentreprise Development for Vulnerable Groups
In 2004, UNDP Barbados assisted the Government of Barbados with the initiation of a pilot project to enhance opportunities for business development for Persons With Disabilities (PWDs). This support, based on a request on a request by the Ministry of Social Transformation, which recognized that a potential opportunity was being missed in improving opportunities to this vulnerable group. UNDP provided support for the initial feasibility study which sougt to assess what is demanded by the disabled in establishing and running their productive enterprises, as well as to outline the current situation as regards the existence of such services and infrastructure. In essence, the study sought to establish what potential and existing disabled entrepreneurs demand and identify what organisations are supplying such services. If gaps in service provision exist, recommendations were made to fill these gaps.
UNDP then further assisted with the development of a full project proposal which was approved by the Government in late 2004. A Steering Committee was etablished to guide the project implementation process comprising relevant government agencies, non-governmental organizations and education facilities particularly targetting the disabled as well as microfinance institutions. The project, which was officially launched in December 2004, is to be implemented and funded by the Government of Barbados in collaboration with various partners.
In Saint Lucia, in 2005, a similar feasibility study is to be completed. UNDP Barbados shared the experience and the effort of the Government of Barbados and this area was included in a new national poverty project in Saint Lucia which was initiated in the last quarter of 2004. This study is expected to inform the enhancement and expansion of opportunities to Persons With Disabilities by the existing micro-enterprise development institutions such as the James Belvedere Fund.
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