The Haiti MSME project, supported by the United States Agency for International Development, aimed to strengthen the microfinance sector in Haiti. The project’s primary objective was to build capacity for strong institutions and managers, with a focus on microfinance institutions (MFIs).
To achieve this objective, the project implemented technical assistance (TA) activities, which included direct coaching and training to select MFIs. The TA process involved four key steps: setting and distributing institutional partner criteria, selecting institutional partners, formulating individual partner TA plans, and implementing TA plans.
The institutional partner criteria were established to guide the selection of MFIs that would receive TA. The criteria included institutional transparency, institutional growth, and institutional buy-in. MFIs were required to demonstrate their commitment to implementing suggested diagnostic institutional improvements, as outlined in the Microfinanza institutional diagnostic reports.
A total of 12 MFIs expressed interest in receiving TA, but one institution was excluded due to non-payment of annual dues to the Association Nationale des Institutions de Microfinance d’Haïti (ANIMH). Following verification and analysis of the information provided by the interested institutions, individual institutional meetings were held to discuss the individual Microfinanza reports.
The synthesis of the meetings identified two broad categories of technical assistance needs: Management Information Systems (MIS) and governance and human resources. The project will provide targeted TA to the institutional partners, focusing on immediate needs and areas to improve institutional and sector-wide reporting.
In the area of MIS, the project will conduct an evaluation of each institution’s MIS to identify strengths and weaknesses. The evaluation will produce an objective institutional analysis that the MFI can use to orient its own resources and discuss TA needs with ANIMH and donors.
In the area of governance and human resources, the project will provide targeted TA to promote corporate governance practices among Haitian MFIs. This assistance will include certification of trainers in the CGAP/CAPAF MFI Governance Training of Trainers in Mali, replication of the course in Haiti, and coaching of MFI partners in the approach presented during the training.
The project’s TA activities are expected to promote activities under Objective 2 Improve the Enabling Environment by Supporting Necessary Policy, Legal, and Regulatory Changes, specifically under Activity 2.3 Promote MFI readiness for regulatory change and transformation.