Daraja Impact is a 5-year project in Tanzania that seeks to support enterprises through the provision of capital and technical assistance to advance economic inclusion and empowerment for women and youth. Daraja Impact (or the “project”) is funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (“SDC”) and is implemented by Small Enterprise Assistance Funds (or “SEAF”) (the Prime Contractor) in partnership with AlphaMundi Foundation (or “AMF”) (the Subcontractor).

Through this partnership, AMF manages the investment vehicle to support SMEs that have the potential for or are already generating positive impact for women and youth.

This work is executed through a comprehensive approach, which includes:

• Providing capital through well-structured, flexible and impact-linked financial instruments to catalyze private sector funding.

• Providing business support services that include investment readiness and impact management training.

• Offering targeted post-investment technical assistance to investees.

Funded by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), WE4F aims to scale water-energy-food innovations in emerging markets, with the overall intention to impact gender, food security, and poverty reduction in an environmentally-sustainable way.

For this program, AMF provides customized TA to build the capacity of SMEs working in water, energy, food and agriculture sectors. Partner SMEs include Redavia, Sunculture, Olivado, Asili farms, Amped Innovation, and GOT IT.

The program began with the first cohort receiving TA in November 2021 and the second in April 2022.

Thus far, this TA focuses on: 1) scaling innovation in electricity storage and energy management systems, 2) providing market research to inform product expansion, 3) conducting feasibility studies for carbon farming, 4) promoting capacity building of middle management, 5) designing and testing the prototype for a solar water-battery powered fridge, and 6) acquiring submersible solar water pumps for increased irrigation.

Funded by the development finance institution, Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft (DEG), this program supports organizations to implement gender-smart business principles, which empower female staff and clients to cultivate the next generation of female entrepreneurs in the region.

AMF is partnering with Value for Women (VfW) for this program. VfW is a specialized advisory firm that helps organizations advance gender inclusion.

Through this partnership, SME partners have an opportunity to implement gender-smart interventions, with the goals of supporting company priorities and improving business and social outcomes. Strategies include both those that are externally-focused on customers and suppliers, and internally-focused on workplace equity.

Overall, the program is contributing to the case for gender lens investing while generating learnings and evidence-based insights on the results of providing targeted gender-smart business support to SMEs.

Partner SMEs include: Asili Farms, Moko, Mr Green Africa, Olivado, Redavia, and Twiga Foods.

Insufficient or difficulty in accessing fertilizer in 2022 has led to at least a 20% reduction in local food production. African countries are dependent on fertilizer imports and the rising fertilizer costs are already having severe implications on food availability and prices.

Organic fertilizer offers an alternative to imported, synthetic fertilizers. It is typically produced locally from plant or animal residues, creating income opportunities for farmers and producers. With fertilizer prices soaring, local, organic alternatives represent both a solution and an opportunity for transforming and greening the agricultural sector in East and West Africa. Consequently, the German Government has reserved funds to support enhanced local fertilizer production and use in the target countries.

This program is funded by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). It supports SMEs in Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda to scale the production of organic fertilizers, raise awareness and training amongst smallholder farmers, and provide relevant support services, such as soil testing.