The SEEP Network

The SEEP Network
Non-profit organization
Founded 1985
Headquarters Arlington, VA, United States
Number of employees
~ 30 (2010)
Website www.seepnetwork.org www.seepcommunity.com

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:

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

References

  1. "SEEP Learning Initiatives." http://www.seepnetwork.org/Pages/Initiatives.aspx
  2. "Network Development Exchange." http://networks.seepnetwork.org/en/about
  3. "Blog Archives." Opportunity International. http://www.opportunity.org/blog/tag/2010-seep-conference/
  4. "Conference." The SEEP Network. http://www.seepnetwork.org/Pages/conference.aspx
  5. "Enterprising Ideas: The Microlinks Event Blog." Microlinks. http://microlinks.kdid.org/learning-marketplace/blogs?page=1
  6. "Members." The SEEP Network. http://www.seepnetwork.org/Pages/Members.aspx
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