ACAP PROJECTACAP PROJECTAwareness Raising to Project Awareness Raising to Project

Partners in Self Savings and Credit Partners in Self Savings and Credit on Inclusion of People with on Inclusion of People with

DisabilitiesDisabilities

A project funded by the EU

Training developed and delivered by

Consortium Partners;

BRAINSTORM

What is Savings?What is Savings?

What are the methods for What are the methods for savings?savings?

What is Savings?What is Savings?

What are the methods for What are the methods for savings?savings?

• Saving; a habit which promotes self-reliance and decreases dependency.

• Regular saving even very small amounts gives a person struggling to survive the practical opportunity to learn to manage money. It creates financial capital, increases feelings of individual self-worth and group solidarity and establishes credit worthiness for access to financial services.

Nobody should be considered too poor to save, and having

a disability should also not be used as a reason for notsaving, and persons with disabilities should not use

theirdisability as an excuse for not saving.CBR Guidelines WHO Livelihoods

Saving Mechanism

• Self saving• Save in rural banks/ post office• Save within a group• Save in Self Help Groups• Revolving funds• New/Old Cash Collection (local

method)

• Self saving• Save in rural banks/ post office• Save within a group• Save in Self Help Groups• Revolving funds• New/Old Cash Collection (local

method)

BRAINSTORM

What is credit?What are the methods for getting

Credit?

What is credit?What are the methods for getting

Credit?

CreditCredit; loans which are commonly paidback with interest at the end of an agreedterm and can be provided through

differentmeans: • Self Help Groups• Credit and Saving Cooperatives • Micro finance & commercial banks

Credit Mechanisms

• Loans and grants from family, Neighbor and friends

• From Self Help Groups• Micro Finance Institutes• Banks• DPOs• Government Schemes• NGOs/INGOs• Private Company

• Loans and grants from family, Neighbor and friends

• From Self Help Groups• Micro Finance Institutes• Banks• DPOs• Government Schemes• NGOs/INGOs• Private Company

BarriersBarriers

Wall of Barriers Group Wall of Barriers Group ActivityActivity

Institutional AttitudesEnvironment

What barriers do you think people with disabilities face in accessing

credit?

ROLE PLAYROLE PLAYBeing an Micro Finance

Institutions client Spot the Barriers!

Do persons with disabilities access

microfinance? What barriers ?

PwD do not approach Exclusion by other members

Exclusion by the MFI staff

Exclusion by MFI methodology

On one hand, People with Disabilities may not approach

MF…

Different reasons:• Lack of information on MF products and

requirements• Repeated experiences of exclusion from an early age

• Lack of self-esteem and motivation +• Some People with Disabilities may expect charity

and special conditions • Some People with Disabilities being overprotected by

members of the family

On other hand, MF may not approach PwD nor be accessible…

Different reasons:• Lack of knowledge on the rights of PwD -> may

perceive them as “object of charity” instead of potential entrepreneurs on equal basis with others

• Lack of understanding of the skills and potential of PwD, may not have seen any success cases

• Lack of physical accessibility from their offices and meetings places in the field

• Lack of accessible communications to reach persons with visual and hearing impairments

• Belief that PwD represent a higher risk of non-repayment /failure of the entrepreneurial activity

RightsRights

Rights to EmploymentRights to Employment National Policy on Disability National Policy on Disability

in Sri Lanka 2003in Sri Lanka 2003

People who have disability, both men and women, will have their right to work fulfilled.

(1)They will have a free choice of employment in both the public and private sectors.

• (2) The Employers Federation of Ceylon will convene and sustain a forum to promote the policy and strategies related to creating and maintaining work opportunities for people who have disability in the private sector.

• (3) Programs and Projects which facilitate and support self-employment including entrepreneurship training, micro-credit and extension and marketing programs, will include a reasonable proportion of people who have disability.

United Nations Convention of Rights of Persons with

Disabilities.

United Nations Convention of Rights of Persons with

Disabilities.

States it is the right of people with disabilities to

Be able to borrow money the same as anyone else.

Be able to borrow money the same as anyone else.

Control their own money.Control their own money.

Creating AccessCreating Access

Inclusive approach via partnerships

DPOInformation,

Peer support,

Self confidence

MFIFinancial services

This approach promotes:

•Inclusion in mainstream services

• Focus of each org on core expertise

• Sustainability

Referral system

How to respond?

Working for the inclusion ofPWD’s in mainstreammicrofinance, by:

Raising awareness on the rights and skills of PwD’s

Training MF on simple adaptations to methodologies

Establishing a partnership to coach the MF

= sustainability, cost-efficiency, effectiveness

Examples of adaptations to MFMethodology:

– To adapt the processes and the methods (for example; meeting groups in an accessible places, providing outreach services)

Architecture : – Accessibility of the office:

• Don’t locate MFI on ”3rd floor with narrow stairs” with high counters

• Do use ramps, use ground floor facilities, low counters use visual and picture signs

Information:– Accessible for persons with visual/hearing impairments– Reading and expression skills (illiterate or speech

impairments)– Generally the “poor” are under or badly informed / including

PwD– Provide sessions to increase knowledge and understanding of

microfinance – advantage and disadvantage

Loans of higher amounts can beaccessed on a longer term basis to improve business continuously and

access other services …

People with Disabilities have the right

to access them and can do so successfully with the right

coaching!

• Make information accessible (brail/picture sign etc)

• Adapt services • Create accessible environment• Remember to include women and other

vulnerable groups as well. • Get PWDs ideas and inputs• Increase awareness on disability for

livelihoods and credit stakeholders

• Make information accessible (brail/picture sign etc)

• Adapt services • Create accessible environment• Remember to include women and other

vulnerable groups as well. • Get PWDs ideas and inputs• Increase awareness on disability for

livelihoods and credit stakeholders

Support people with all types of disabilities

Support people with all types of disabilities

?