Toronto Microfinance Conference Delivery of Microfinance and the Sustainability of Microfinance Institutions Can ABCD affect delivery and sustainability? by Martha Deacon Founder and CEO The Townships Project

Toronto Microfinance Conference Delivery of Microfinance and the Sustainability of Microfinance Institutions Asset-Based Community Development 2 October 2010

Toronto Microfinance Conference Delivery of Microfinance and the Sustainability of Microfinance Institutions The Unicycle Microfinance Loan Limitations: 1)20% max voluntary; 80% necessity 2)“whack-a-mole” jealousy; 3)Too many doing the same thing 4)Building assets & infrastructure

Toronto Microfinance Conference Delivery of Microfinance and the Sustainability of Microfinance Institutions The Bicycle Asset-Based Community Development Let’s use what we have to get what we want

Toronto Microfinance Conference Delivery of Microfinance and the Sustainability of Microfinance Institutions Belief A community can use what it has to get what it wants – Coady International Institute St. Francis Xavier University Antigonish, Nova Scotia

Toronto Microfinance Conference Delivery of Microfinance and the Sustainability of Microfinance Institutions Mathopestat September course in Canada November workshop in South Africa

Toronto Microfinance Conference Delivery of Microfinance and the Sustainability of Microfinance Institutions Mathopestat in March New confidence, new Success in the fight against poverty

Toronto Microfinance Conference Delivery of Microfinance and the Sustainability of Microfinance Institutions Case Study 1 - Individual Sanah saw herself as a victim. She was raped first when 8 years old by a teacher and then again at 18. She became pregnant and HIV positive. Distraught, she left her community in shame for Johannesburg. Unable to find work, she returned to her village and stayed with her mother, depending on grants. After an ABCD workshop, Sanah was empowered. She took the lead in organising a community forum, becoming vice chair and is now a respected, elected community leader. She told her story for the first time to a conference held in March in the Senate Chamber at UNISA – The University of South Africa. No longer a victim, she’s an advocate for those living a positive life with HIV. Sanah

Toronto Microfinance Conference Delivery of Microfinance and the Sustainability of Microfinance Institutions Case Study 2 – Business Joel, 68, an unemployed pensioner Started a poultry business Bought a Farmers Weekly, read about raising broiler chickens Invested his own funds, constructed a chicken coop outside his home Started with 100 eggs; now sells his chickens every 6 weeks for R45 each R32,000 ($4,500) a year business He meticulously follows vaccinations and records all his expenses Has since started a Business Society to mentor unemployed youth in his community Joel

Toronto Microfinance Conference Delivery of Microfinance and the Sustainability of Microfinance Institutions Case Study 3 – Community The village formed a community forum and initiated a number of community projects on their own, based on their own priorities and with no initial outside funding. They began a community policing forum in association with the local SAPS office and started patrolling their streets. They started cleaning up the streets and built a fenced area for their cattle. They started a 2,000 ha community food project that is worked on by 100 villagers. The community forum now manages all their own partnerships.

Toronto Microfinance Conference Delivery of Microfinance and the Sustainability of Microfinance Institutions How did they do that? Asset-Based Community Development Asks the question: What do we have? Starts with appreciative inquiry Builds the community’s balance sheet

Toronto Microfinance Conference Delivery of Microfinance and the Sustainability of Microfinance Institutions Asset-Based Community Development Then the income statement And then…

Toronto Microfinance Conference Delivery of Microfinance and the Sustainability of Microfinance Institutions The Leaky Bucket !! What goes in? What leaks out? What stays inside and circulates to build community assets?

Toronto Microfinance Conference Delivery of Microfinance and the Sustainability of Microfinance Institutions Leaky Bucket Exercise leads to Community Development Plan to generate more assets and income to create businesses and jobs

Toronto Microfinance Conference Delivery of Microfinance and the Sustainability of Microfinance Institutions Asset-Based Community Development can turn the Unicycle of Microfinance …

Toronto Microfinance Conference Into a School Bus! Where the community is focused on using what it has to get what it wants