Global Brigades Ghana Pilot Business Brigades

1. Global Brigades Ghana PilotBusiness Brigades

2. MEET THE STAFF William (Willy) Offeiserves as the Microfinance Program Lead. In this role, Willy is responsible for managing relationships with our partnering communities. Prior to joining Global Brigades, Willy worked for Barclays in Ghana where he amassed a wealth of banking knowledge. Ronnie Washington serves as the Microfinance Program Developer. In this role, Ronnie is responsible for developing brigade programming as well as defining the program strategy. Prior to joining Global Brigades, Ronnie worked as a Strategy and Operations Consultant for Deloitte Consulting based in Atlanta, GA. HellenKassais the Microfinance Program Advisor. In this role, she is responsible for managing communications with students and overseas student engage pre- and post-brigades. Prior to joining Global Brigades, Hellen attended The University of Denver where she majored in Economics and International Studies. Isaac (Kojo) Acheampongis the Microfinance Coordinator. Working across community development, program development, and student engagement, Kojo is responsible for running brigades with students once they are in country. Prior to joining Global Brigades, Kojo attended Cape Coast Technical Institute.

3. MICROFINANCE AND BUSINESSIN GHANA • MISSION: • To provide access to business consulting services to as many micro-entrepreneurs throughout the Central region as possible • To increase the average annual income and savings of households in our partnering communities • To build strong business skill sets throughout the community to increase the long-term success of community businesses • To promote community development through business expansion and CDF sponsored social projects • HOW IT WORKS: • The Microfinance team establishes Community Development Funds, informal rural banking systems that provide savings and loan services to community members, in various communities. Through these facilities, loans are able to be granted for the purpose of business expansion, working capital, and/or social projects. The Microfinance and Business Brigades support this mission throughout the various stages of the business lifecycle.

4. ROLE OF BRIGADERS Brigaders have the ability to be involved in every step of the process for addressing the economic challenges existing in our partnering communities including financial literacy, business development, and social investments. • Providing financial literacy education to community members • Identifying potential entrepreneurs and social projects • Serving as pioneer investors for potential social and business ideas Identifying Micro-Entrepreneurs Focus Brigade Groups Developing Micro-Entrepreneurs Investing in Micro-Entrepreneurs Community Development 1 3 2 CIF Investment Microfinance Brigade Business Brigade Focus Focus • Providing a $100 investment to fund identified projects • Selecting 1 of 5 strategically designed buckets for CIF contributions • Building on investments from previous brigades to complete projects • Delivering business training to potential entrepreneurs • Developing recommendations to improve the viability of businesses and social projects

5. IDENTIFYING ENTREPRENUERS • Conduct door-to-door family visits to gain an understanding of the challenges families face • Work in teams to develop solutions to address some of the top financial challenges faced by families and their businesses • Deliver presentations on solution to financial issues utilizing materials from the GB Financial Literacy Curriculum Day-to-Day Activities Program Goal • Identify community members with viable social projects and business ideas • Increase the level of basic financial literacy throughout the community 1 Microfinance Brigade Experience: Exposes students to the financial challenges faced by those living in developing countries. Perfect for individuals interested in Finance or Economics! Post-Brigade Involvement • Develop a business plan on behalf of the micro-entrepreneur • Solve real-life development cases • Help fundraise on behalf of your partnering community and micro-entrepreneur

6. DEVELOPING ENTREPRENUERS Day-to-Day Activities There are 3 phases to the Business Brigade including: • Assessing the business idea or social project • Developing a solution for potential issues and/or opportunities • Presenting your recommendations to GB staff and community members Program Goal • Deliver business training to budding micro-entrepreneurs • Validate the viability of investments identified by previous Brigades • Promote community development through the increased number of businesses and social projects in the community 2 Business Brigade Experience: Allows students to assess businesses and social projects for long-term viability. Perfect for people interested in Management Consulting or Entrepreneurship! Post-Brigade Involvement • Develop plans for business growth and development • Solve real-life development cases • Help fundraise on behalf of your partnering community and micro-entrepreneur

7. SAMPLE BUSINESS EXPERIENCE PICTURE A Brigader’s Perspective: The Business Brigade Experience • Initiate Research • (Day 3-4) • Develop Solutions • (Day 5-7) • Propose Solutions • (Day 8-9) • Met with our community partner, Mary, for the first time to do introductions • After building a good level of comfort, our team of 3-5 people began asking questions about her business • Mary was interested in starting a soap business, but needs help understanding how to get it started • After understanding Mary’s goal, the team began to document the approach they would take to offer assistance • Over the course of the next few days, we met with other community members to validate some of our notes and gather additional information to help Mary • Once all of the issues were gathered, the team bucketed the issues in a manageable way • We then used a consulting framework to make sense of the core problems and to identify potential solutions • The team finally came to a consensus on an idea and developed a proposal for Mary • We introduced Mary to the proposal to see if she was comfortable with it. She had some thoughts so we decided to incorporate her feedback • Once Mary was comfortable with the recommendations, the team developed an action plan to accomplish the proposal • On the last day, the team presented the proposal and the action plan to Mary which she loved. • In the end, we were able to help launch a business and recommend Mary for a loan from the CDF

8. CIF INVESTMENT Goal: Identify, Develop, and Finance Micro-entreprenuers Goal: Identify, Assess, and Finance Social Projects Microfinance Brigade CIF Investment – Become the pioneering investor in a community social project or micro-entrepreneurs’ business Business Brigade CIF Investment – After performing business assessments, invest in the most viable social projects and micro-entrepreneurs’ business plan 3 CIF Investment: Allows both Microfinance and Business Brigaders to invest into the same micro-entrepreneurs that were identified and trained. The Microfinance team has designed 3 strategic areas that these funds can be used for, leaving the option ultimately to the group. Great opportunity for future Social Investors! Post-Brigade Investments – Support your partnering community’s CDF and/or micro-entrepreneur through one-time or regular contributions through the GB Membership Portal

9. DESCRIPTION OF CIF BUCKETS Every Brigader’s program fee includes an amount of $100 that can be used to invest in the community. The group has the ability to choose any of the following 3 buckets to use the their CIF: 1 General Loans • Used to extend loans to community members to undertake such projects as hiring hands, expanding their businesses, and purchasing machinery and equipment. The average loan size is between $50-$200 and can be life changing for many families. By investing in this option, you will be investing in people across all of our communities. Note, recommendations can be made for investing in specific projects and businesses. 2 Social Project • Used to fund such social projects as identified by Brigaders and the GB Microfinance team including libraries, schools, community centers, etc.. A longer term investment, this option allows students to help community members in their pursuit of growing and developing their community. 3 Community Education • Used to fund continued training, including facilitating trainings delivered by professionals. Every community visit and training held by the MF team has a significant cost component. Without funding, communities may not have access to business and financial education. By investing in this option, you will be able to help facilitate trainings led by experts on various specific topics such as agriculture, marketing, accounting, etc.

10. ITENARARY

11. RECOMMENDED READING Please feel free to use any of the following resources to prepare for your Brigade experience in Ghana. We look forward to meeting you! • Recommended Readings on Microfinance/Business • Banker to the Poor • Due Diligence • Dead Aid • Case In Point • Stanford Social Innovation Review • History of Ghana • Ghana, 4th (Bradt Travel Guide) • Past Brigade Contact Info • RonakShahLronak.shah.09@gmail.com • Nat Banyatpiyaphodnatbanyat@gmail.com • Sandra Chua sandra.chua@st-annes.ox.ac.uk • **Please contact team for additional recommendations.**

12. PACKING What NOT to Bring What to Bring • High heels • Expensive jewelry • Hair dryers • Major electronics • Passport + Copy of Passport • Flashlight • Spending money (just in case) • Bug spray (>30% Deet) • Sun block • Waterproof windbreaker/poncho • Long, lightweight pants • Hat • Sunglasses • Camera • Canteen or Water Bottle • Travel-size toiletries (check these in your suitcase due to the TSA regulations on liquids) • Pens and notebooks • Laptops (recommended, at least one per group) Pack light, yet remember the essentials. *Please dress appropriately when in the communities. Be conservative in your attire.

13. CULTURE “It’s not good, it’s not bad, just different” The best thing you can do is be open and ask questions. • http://vimeo.com/54567774

14. Questions?

15. APPENDIX: MICROFINANCE MODEL

16. APPENDIX: MICROFINANCE MODEL

17. APPENDIX: MICROFINANCE MODEL 2 Savings Goal: To provide community members with financial literacy training as well as a secure place to store their money through the CDF’s Savings product Exit Dividends 6 5 Loans 4 Criteria Before Offering Savings: • Fair processes to identify and select leaders facilitated • Location for operations secured • Materials for operations provided including some office supplies (E.g. tables, chairs, safe box, file binders, general ledger, client profile sheets, savings slips and customer passbooks) • Leaders successfully completed training on basic accounting and CDF operations • Initial Grameen Progress out of Poverty Survey conducted in community • CDF services adequately marketed and promoted throughout the community • Community provided with basic financial literacy training • Global Brigades’ team discretion CDF Funds Shares 3 Savings Launch 2 1 1 Month 6 Months 6.5 Months 1.5 Years (1 FY from Shares) ~3-5 Years 1 Year Time since launch

18. APPENDIX: MICROFINANCE MODEL 3 Share Goal: To raise loan capital and to give community members opportunities to become shareholders in the CDF, allowing them to earn dividends Exit Dividends 6 5 Loans 4 Criteria Before Offering Shares: • ~40% of community adults have accounts • ~100 Cedis average savings per account • Community members trained on shares • 3 consecutive audits passed • Training CDF leaders • Offered twice before shares offered • Test knowledge through role playing scenario • Leaders selected as “Shares Marshals” • Global Brigades’ team discretion CDF Funds Shares 3 Savings Launch 2 1 1 Month 6 Months 6.5 Months 1.5 Years (1 FY from Shares) ~3-5 Years 1 Year Time since launch

19. APPENDIX: MICROFINANCE MODEL 4 Loans Goal: To provide community members with business development training and loans to start or expand their businesses Exit Dividends 6 5 Loans 4 Criteria Before Offering Loans: • ~50% of community adults have accounts • ~125 Cedis average savings per account • Community members trained on loans • 20% of community adults purchased shares • 5000 Available Cedis to loan (includes Share income and CIF) • Exemplary leadership and managerial excellence • 3 consecutive audits passed • Training CDF leaders • Offered twice before loans offered • Tests knowledge through role playing scenarios • Leaders selected as “Loan Marshals” • Global Brigades’ team discretion CDF Funds Shares 3 Savings Launch 2 1 1 Month 6 Months 6.5 Months 1.5 Years (1 FY from Shares) ~3-5 Years 1 Year Time since launch

20. APPENDIX: MICROFINANCE MODEL 5 Dividends Goal: To provide shareholders with dividends from CDF profits at the end of the fiscal year Exit Dividends 6 5 Criteria Before Offering Dividends: • 90% loan repayment rate • Community members trained on loans • 4 consecutive pop-up audits passed • 1 Fiscal Year passed since shares offered • Training CDF leaders • Offered twice before dividends offered • Tests knowledge through role playing scenarios • Leaders selected as “Dividend Marshals” • Board of shareholders have met with CDF leaders to discuss profit, decide on retained earnings and determine the date for distributing dividends to shareholders • Proper accounting procedures in place to allocate interest income in the following manner: • 40% Dividends • 30% Capitalization • 20% Reserve • 10% Social Fund Loans 4 CDF Funds Shares 3 Savings Launch 2 1 1 Month 6 Months 6.5 Months 1.5 Years (1 FY from Shares) ~3-5 Years 1 Year Time since launch

21. APPENDIX: MICROFINANCE MODEL 6 Sustainable Exit Goal: To provide the community with access to financial services, financial literacy, and opportunities to develop their community through the Community-based bank Operational Metrics Before Exit: • Successful transition of auditing and advisory functions to the Centralized Development Bank • Successful leadership transition • Youth represented in CDF (E.g. interns) • CDF sustainably profitable to cover administrative costs, compensation, and social fund initiatives • 6 pop-up audits passed Exit Dividends 6 5 Loans 4 CDF Funds Impact Metrics Before Exit: • # of people trained on financial literacy and business development • 75% of community adults have savings accounts • 95% savings account client retention rate • Average of 200 Cedis per savings account • Average deposit rate • 95% loan repayment rate • # of shareholders • ~7000 Cedis in loan capital • Community benefited from at least one (1) Social Project • # of microenterprises financed • # of outstanding loans • # of active borrowers • # of jobs created • % increase in per capita household income • % decrease in per capita household expenditure • Final Grameen Progress out of Poverty Survey improvements • Global Brigades’ team discretion Shares 3 Savings Launch 2 1 1 Month 6 Months 6.5 Months 1.5 Years (1 FY from Shares) ~3-5 Years 1 Year Time since launch