Save the Children USA (SC) and Fondation Zakoura Microcredit (Zakoura) have joined forces to develop a strategic, new microfinance market – vulnerable youth between the ages of 15 and 24, who are among the most excluded in Morocco. SC and Zakoura are committed to exploring innovative modalities to address the financial needs of vulnerable youth and their families. Project implementation is based on market research using the latest youth-friendly tools developed by USAID and applied and adapted by SC in Indonesia, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador.

This three-year USAID-funded Implementation Grant Program (IGP) seeks to achieve the following:

• Enhance and extend access to financial and non financial services to vulnerable, poor youth (15-24) and members of their households in Morocco in order for them to better manage their livelihoods.
• Develop a delivery system to retain vulnerable populations in a pilot initiative.
• Pilot a monitoring and evaluation system that combines financial and social impact assessment tools.
• Participate in a learning forum to answer key industry questions, disseminate lessons learned on successes and failures and learn from others.
• Where possible, support inter-agency linkages for the successful delivery of services, including fostering collaboration among youth-focused organizations and microfinance organizations.

Sita Conklin
sconklin@savechildren.org

September 2006 to September 2009