DID - Développement international Desjardins

Published purpose

This project aims to increase the capacity of the SANASA movement (the largest cooperative credit association in Sri Lanka) to provide tailored financial and non-financial products and services to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in four selected value chains. Of the new MSMEs targeted, at least 40% will be led by women. Project activities include: (1) establishing an Entrepreneur Financial Centre; (2) providing smallholder producers and micro-entrepreneurs with non-financial services such as training and sector-specific technical advice; (3) developing or adapting specialized financing products for MSMEs; (4) linking MSMEs in selected value chains to large-scale enterprises and end users; (5) convening co-operative sector actors (e.g. through workshops, roundtable discussions) and drafting an advocacy policy on the role of the cooperative sector in supporting MSMEs to be shared with the regulatory authorities.