The Palladium Group - TA-9660 REG: Promoting Transformative Gender Equality Agenda in Asia and the Pacific – Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative Vietnam Access to Finance and Environment - 2020

Project Description:

The project is funded by ADB to support Vietnamese women-owned or led small- and medium-sized enterprises’ (WSMEs) access to finance, with an aim to strengthen the capacity of financial institutions to increase lending to WSMES and develop gender responsive products and services tailored for the WSME market, support of State Bank of Viet Nam, and Ministry of Planning and Investment to better support the WSMES. The technical assistance services implement the activities of component 1 and component 2 of the project: Component 1 focuses on Access to Finance through innovative and ambitious financial approaches including performance-based lending (Viet Nam) and  first gender bond in Southeast Asia and the Pacific; while component 2 addresses the Enabling Environment, which will work with national partners including government agencies, civil society organizations, and women’s business associations to develop stronger WSME-focused policies, regulations and action plans.

As part of this project, Mekong Economics team have:

·      Worked with 6 institutions, including: State Bank of Vietnam (SBV), 4 financial institutions (commercial banks), and 1 non-financial institution to strengthen their capacities to increase lending to WSMES and develop gender responsive products and services tailored for the WSME market

·    Worked with the State Bank of Vietnam, Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) and selected provinces to strengthen the policy environment for women’s entrepreneurship

·     Conducted qualitative research through focus groups and individual interviews on the impact that receiving We-Fi supported financing has on women entrepreneurs and particularly their position in their families and communities as well as other related issues on empowerment and social norms.

·  Prepared concise, effective print and video impact stories and plan seminars to promote activities supported under WAVES through traditional and social media.

E.Gen Consultants Ltd. (funded by ADB) - Equipping Youth for Employment Project - 2019

Project Description:

The project aims to provide an array of technical inputs to support the government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar—particularly the Ministry of Education (MOE) and Ministry of Industry (MOI), in cooperation with the Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population (MOLIP) and other agencies—to implement the Equipping Youth for Employment Project (EYE), which is financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

EYE aims to strengthen Myanmar's education and skills base, supporting Myanmar's transition toward a modern, market-based economy, and promoting inclusive growth and job creation.

Landell Mills/ Funded by ADB - TA 9634-REG: Strengthening Integrated Flood Risk Management - 2019

Project Description:

The project aimed to strengthen the design and implementation of Integrated Flood Risk Management (IFRM) solutions, enhancing knowledge and application of IFRM strategies in DMCs of ADB. The assignment aimed to provide targeted technical support for program and project preparation and promote more holistic IFRM solutions, including basin-wide and NBSs that would deliver greater sustainability and long-term effectiveness, thereby strengthening flood resilience and adaptive capacity to climate change, land-use change, and other human interventions.

MKE mobilised and provided backstopping support to the inputs of the National Integrated Flood Risk Management Specialist position.