The document discusses CRS Rwanda's efforts to empower youth through savings-led microfinance programs. It describes how CRS supports over 3,151 vulnerable children and youth between 12-22 years old through their comprehensive package of services, including micro-enterprise. A key program discussed is CRS's introduction of the Savings and Internal Lending Communities (SILC) methodology, which teaches financial literacy skills and provides access to loans. Data shows positive outcomes for participating orphaned and vulnerable children in improved nutrition, school attendance, and contributions to national insurance. The program integrates vocational training, apprenticeships, and start-up kits to help youth develop self-employment skills.

1. Global Youth Enterprise Conference,
Focus on Finance September 30, 2009
CRS Rwanda
Empowering Rwanda youth through savings-led microfinance

2. CRS Rwanda and OVC
• There are 220,000 children
orphaned by AIDS in
Rwanda
• A child is considered
vulnerable if they have lost
one of their parents
• Rwanda has a unique
challenge with child headed
households (CHH)

3. CRS Rwanda and OVC
• CRS has been operating in
Rwanda since 1963
• Under the PEPHAR
program, CRS supports
OVC
• CRS Rwanda provides a
comprehensive package of
services to over 3,151 OVC
including micro-enterprise
• Support is provided to
vulnerable children and
youth between the ages of
12-18, though some services
extend to youth up to age 22

4. Rwanda: Youth Inclusive
Financial Services
Why Youth-Inclusive Financial Services?
– Youth in Rwanda, especially OVC
have little or no access to formal credit
to start or expand micro-businesses.
– Many child-headed households are
responsible for the wellbeing of their
siblings
– Vulnerable youth are already engaged
in building their livelihood and need
financial resources to grow their
businesses
– OVC are responsible financial
managers once they are taught basic
financial literacy skills

5. Introducing Financial Services to OVC
in Rwanda (the SILC Model)
• In 2008, CRS Savings and
Internal Lending Communities
(SILC) methodology was
introduced to the CRS OVC
program
•The program was designed to
complement the financial needs
of OVC participating in
vocational training and
apprenticeship program

6. SILC Methodology
• Self-selected groups of no more than 25 individuals
• Groups operate for a cycle of 8-12 months
• Members save weekly and borrow from each other
• After the end of the cycle a share-out takes place of savings and
dividend
• Groups are made up of both youth and adults to allow for mentoring
and transfer of life skills
• Some groups are made up primarily of youth which helps to
strengthen their social networks
• No special adaptations were made for OVC participating in SILC
however a more structured financial literacy curriculum is being
targeted for trainings

7. SILC Outcomes
• OVC learn basic financial literacy and financial
management skills
• Through SILC, OVC have built trust among group
members which has led to greater social cohesion
• While OVC receive mentoring support from adults in their
SILC groups, they are able to assist adult participants with
complex bookkeeping
• Improved access to financial services has resulted in:
– 90% of participants being able to contribute to the national
insurance scheme
– Improvements in nutrition whereby 81% of participants are able to
eat at least two meals, up from 60.9%.
– Decrease in school drop-outs from 20.7% to 14.8%

8. Integrating SILC and Vocational
training
• OVC youth undertake vocational
training courses where they learn
practical skills for self- employment
and gain basic financial literacy
skills through participation in SILC
• Formal apprenticeship opportunities
follow the vocational training
• CRS provides start-up kits, business
skills training and basic accounting
• Costs:
– SILC alone: $50.00
– SILC with integrated vocational training:
$318.00

9. Targeting and Delivery Channels
• CRS and Caritas Rwanda invests in large-scale
community awareness events to target youths
and caretakers
• Once the youth show interest and are ready to
self-select into groups, CRS provides training
on the SILC

10. The Result
• 23% of the current 27,233 SILC
group are OVC participants
• The majority of participating
OVC are child heads of
households and OVC enrolled in
vocational training
• Repayment rate for all other
SILC groups was 99.9%

11. Monitoring and evaluation considerations for youth-
inclusive financial services
• CRS has developed an OVC Wellbeing Tool (OWT)
• The OWT provides insight on the holistic “wellbeing” of adolescent
children
• The OWT is a self assessing tool from the child’s vantage point
• It is used for monitoring change in the wellbeing of a child over a
period of time
• Another combined M&E tool to help understand the impact of SILC
on participating OVC and their caregivers is currently being
developed and will be tested in early 2010.
• All tools are shareable!

12. Murakoze Cyane!
Thank You!