Description: SME Solutions Center—Kenya : Developing Alternative Financing Solutions for Small and Medium Enterprises

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SME Solutions Center—Kenya : Developing Alternative Financing Solutions for Small and Medium Enterprises

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Africa have been hailed as the engine of economic growth. They are at the heart of developing countries' entrepreneurship, the source of most new employment and productive investment, and the basis for gr...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors:	Maina, Kiragu, Butoyi, Scholastica, Michira, Nkatha
Language:	English
Published:	World Bank, Washington, DC 2012
Subjects:	ACCESS TO FINANCE ACCESS TO RESOURCES ACCESS TO SERVICES ADVISORY SERVICES ALTERNATIVE FINANCING APPROVAL RATE BANK LOANS BANKING SECTOR BANKS BENEFICIARY BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SERVICE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SERVICES BUSINESS ENABLING BUSINESS ENABLING ENVIRONMENT BUSINESS INCUBATION BUSINESS INCUBATORS BUSINESS PLANNING BUSINESS PRACTICES CAPACITY BUILDING CAPACITY BUILDING PROJECTS CAPITAL FUND CAPITAL FUNDS CAPITAL INVESTMENT CAPITAL INVESTMENTS CASH FLOWS COLLATERAL COLLATERAL REQUIREMENTS COMMERCIAL BANK COMMERCIAL BANK LOANS COMMERCIAL BANKING CORPORATE GOVERNANCE CREDIBILITY CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS DEBT DEFAULTS DEVELOPING COUNTRIES DEVELOPMENT BANK DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION ECONOMIC GROWTH EMPLOYMENT ENTREPRENEURS ENTREPRENEURSHIP EQUITY FINANCING EQUITY INVESTMENT FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT FINANCIAL PRODUCTS FINANCING NEEDS FUND MANAGER FUND MANAGERS GENERAL PARTNER HOLDING INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT INVESTING INVESTMENT BANK INVESTMENT FUND INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES LACK OF ACCESS LEGAL ADVICE LICENSING LOAN LOAN AGREEMENT LOAN PORTFOLIOS LOCAL BANKS MANUFACTURER MARKET FAILURE MARKET FAILURES MARKET INFORMATION MEDIUM ENTERPRISES NEW BUSINESS NONPERFORMING LOANS OUTREACH PARTY PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT POVERTY REDUCTION PRIVATE EQUITY PRIVATE SECTOR PRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPMENT PRODUCTIVE INVESTMENT RECESSION REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT RETURN RISK CAPITAL SHOP SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES SME SME CLIENT SME DEVELOPMENT SME FINANCE SME FINANCING SME LENDING SME SECTORS SMES START-UP SUBSIDIARY COMPANY TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE WORKING CAPITAL
Online Access:	http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2010/05/12591009/sme-solutions-center-kenya-developing-alternative-financing-solutions-small-medium-enterprises http://hdl.handle.net/10986/10490

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Summary:	Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Africa have been hailed as the engine of economic growth. They are at the heart of developing countries' entrepreneurship, the source of most new employment and productive investment, and the basis for growth and poverty reduction. Despite the economic potential of SMEs, they face severe constraints related to access to resources, finance, and services, as well as procedural barriers all of which limit their potential to invest, innovate, and improve productivity and sustainability. To address these constraints, International Finance Corporation (IFC) developed the SME Solutions Centre (SSC) Pilot Program in Kenya. The SSC value proposition centers on four key pillars: access to finance, access to advisory services/technical assistance (now SME management solutions), access to reliable market information, and support for an enhanced business enabling environment. This smart lesson details the lessons learned from the SSC's experience with the access to finance pillar.