The SEEP Network

SEEP is a global learning network. We support strategies that create new and better opportunities for vulnerable populations, especially women and the rural poor, to participate in markets and improve the quality of their life.

Founded in 1985, SEEP was a pioneer in the microcredit movement and helped build the foundation of the financial inclusion efforts of today. In the last three decades our members have continued to serve as a testing ground for innovative strategies that promote inclusion, develop competitive markets, and enhance the livelihood potential of the worlds’ poor.

SEEP members are active in more than 170 countries worldwide. They work together and with other stakeholders to mobilize knowledge and foster innovation, creating opportunities for meaningful collaboration and, above all, for scaling impact.

Initiatives

Global Learning Exchange

SEEP documents and gathers the experience of practitioners through its Working Groups, made-up of self-selected individuals, they serve as the vehicle for SEEP members to engage in participatory research, applied learning, documentation, and training on a particular topic. Some of the working groups include: Poverty Outreach Working Group, Social Performance Working Group, Consumer Protection Working Group, and Market Facilitation Initiative. The research accumulated through the Working Groups is disseminated via various publications, training tools, as well as SEEP Communities of Practice. Each Community of Practice provides practitioners an opportunity to collaborate on particular areas of shared interest while ensuring cross-collaboration between Communities where priorities or programs overlap and align. Currently there are three overlapping Communities of Practice: Financial Services, Enterprise Development, and Associations along with many cross-cutting initiatives.^[1]

The Practitioner Learning Program (PLP)

PLP was developed by the SEEP Network to engage practitioners in a collaborative learning process to document and share findings and help identify effective and replicable practices and innovations. The PLP is a process oriented program rather than an output oriented program as it emphasizes on the lateral learning opposed to producing documents or deliverables. The outputs produced are practically written, as peer-to-peer “how-to” guides, technical notes, case studies, and even a periodic newsletter to maximize their effectiveness with practitioners and the industry at large. The PLP’s comparative advantage – practicing locally, sharing globally – is based on working with on-the-ground organizations to test strategies in institutional settings common to many practitioners. Furthermore, this model of “learning by doing” has the added benefit of more institutionalized knowledge, because when practitioners learn from their own experiences, mistakes and discoveries, the learning itself is often more sustainable.

Network Development Exchange

Microfinance associations play a powerful role in advancing the industry. The SEEP Network provides strategic framework for strengthening the microfinance sector through association leadership by implementing institutional strengthening activities and developing practical tools and resources in four areas: Organizational Effectiveness, Membership Services, Standards and Indicators, and Global Community. The SEEP Network currently has 38 network member organizations.^[2]

Value Initiative

The Value Initiative advances urban value-chain development to help millions of people work their way out of poverty. Funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Value Initiative is in the third of four years of learning with urban value-chain development program partners in India, Kenya, Jamaica, and Indonesia. The project includes:

• an on-line community, Enterprise Development Exchange, where practitioners can post their profile, opportunities and documents, and participate in on-line conferences;
• the “Global Enterprise Development Network,” which is an open, online platform on the Enterprise Development Exchange to bring together different stakeholders to advance sustainable enterprise development; and
• two Practitioner Learning Programs (PLP) on “urban Value Chain Development (uVCD)” and “Business Planning for Sustainability and Scale-up.”

The Value Initiative and partner ACCESS Development Services of India produced a 2009 video baseline survey of the initial stages of the ACCESS JJADE project, which supports artisans and microenterprises from the Jaipur jewelry industry with training and services to improve their income and quality of life.

SEEPCommunity

SEEPCommunity is the latest initiative of The SEEP Network that aims to foster online dialogue among microenterprise practitioners by leveraging social networking technology. As of right now there are over 1400 members on SEEPCommunity representing SEEP member organizations as well as various independent stakeholders in microenterprise and microfinance industries. An integral part of SEEPCommunity is online collaboration between the Working Groups that features online discussions, podcasts, and webinars.

The SEEP Annual Conference

The SEEP Annual Conference provides a forum in which practitioners can connect with each other; it is through the exchange of experiences and the interactive learning that conference participants strengthen their collective efforts to improve the lives of the most vulnerable people. The Annual Conference attracts a broad cross-section of key players in microenterprise and microfinance industries including NGOs, private sector firms, foundations, investment funds, and bilateral agencies. In 2009, more than 500 people representing 225 organizations and 56 countries participated. The SEEP Annual Conference consists not only of traditional plenary sessions, but also of workshops, two-days skill-building trainings, and Global Network Summit.^[3][4][5]

Member organizations^[6]

Academy for Educational Development

ACCESS Development Services

Accion International

ACDI/VOCA

Action for Enterprise, Inc. (AFE)

Affordable Housing Institute

Aflatoun

Africa Microfinance Network (AMFIN)

Aga Khan Foundation

Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development

All India Association for Microenterprise Development (AIAMED)

American Refugee Committee

AMPATH

Asociacion de Instituciones de Microfinanzas del Peru (ASOMIF)

Association of Ethiopian Microfinance Institutions (AEMFI)

Associations of Microfinace Institutions of Kenya

Association of Microfinance Institutions of Kosovo

Association of Microfinance Institutions of Uganda (AMFIU)

Associations of Microfinance Organizations of Kazakhstan

Association of Microfinance Organizations of Tajikistan

Association of Professional Microfinance Institutions of Burkina Faso (APIM-BF)

Azerbaijan Micro-finance Association (AMFA)

Cambodia Microfinance Association (CMA)

CARE USA

Catholic Relief Services

CEDPA

Centre For Microfinance (CMF) Nepal

CHF International

ChildFund International

Chinese Association of Microfinance

Coady International Institute

Coalition of Tanzania Microfinance

Concern Worldwide USA

Conservation International

Consorcio ProMuc

Consortium ALAFIA

COPEME

Credit and Development Forum (CDF)

Développement International Desjardins (DID)

ECDI Pakistan

EcoVentures International

EndPoverty.org

Fair Trade Forum - India

Fair Trade USA

FAM-F Cape Verdean National Microfinance Network

Federation Nationale des Associations de Microcredit (FNAM)

Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka

Financial Institutions for a Rural Development Association (FINRURAL)

FINCA International

Five Talents

Freedom from Hunger

Friendship Bridge (non-profit)

Ghana Microfinance Institutions Network (GHAMFIN)

Grameen Foundation

Habitat for Humanity International

Heifer International

Hope International

Indonesia Microfinance Association

International Development Enterprises

International Network of Alternative Financial Institutions / Latin America (INAFI-LA)

International Rescue Committee

IRIS Center at the University of Maryland

Joint Consultative Council (JCC)

Lanka Microfinance Association

Malawi Microfinance Network (MAMN)

Mambu

Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA)

Mercy Corps

Microfinance African Institutions Network (MAIN)

Microfinance Centre (MFC) for Central and Eastern Europe and the New Independent States

Microfinance Council of the Philippines, Inc.

Microfinance Information Exchange

Microfinance Opportunities

Microfinance Pasifika Network

Microfinance Transparency (MF Transparency)

National Cooperative Business Association

OIC International

Opportunity International

Organismo Cooperativo Microempresarial de Colombia "Emprender Colombia"

Oxfam America

Pact, Inc.

Pakistan Microfinance Network (PMN)

Plan (aid organisation)

Population Council

Practical Action

Pro Mujer

ProDesarrollo, Finanzas y Microempresa

Reach Global

Red Argentina De Instituciones De Microcredito - RADIM

Red Centroamericana de microfinanzas (REDCAMIF)

Red de Microfinancieras de Honduras (REDMICROH)

Red Financiera Rural

Red Katalysis

Regroupement des Acteurs de Microfinance au Nord Kivu RAMIF-NK

Relief International

Reseau des Institutions de Microfinance au Burundi

Russian Microfinance Center (RMC)

Sa Dhan

SANABEL - Microfinance Network of Arab Countries

Save the Children

ShoreCap Exchange

South Asia Microfinance Network

Swisscontact

Street Kids International

The Foundation for Development Cooperation

The Palestinian Network for Small and Microfinance (Sharakeh)

Trickle Up

Union of Credit Organizations of the Republic of Armenia

Unitus

Water.org

Women's World Banking

World Concern

World Council of Credit Unions

World Relief

World Relief Canada

World Vision

World Vision Canada

World Vision Inc.

Yemen Microfinance Network (YMN)

Zimbabwe Association of Microfinance Institutions (ZAMFI)

See also

• Microfinance
• Microcredit
• Microinsurance
• Microenterprise
• Poverty Alleviation
• Economic Development

References

External links

• The SEEP Network
• SEEPCommunity
• 2009 Annual Report