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Access to financial services remains a challenge in Africa, with 57% of the population lacking access to bank accounts. This disparity is even more pronounced in rural areas of the continent, where youth and women are faced with particular obstacles in accessing finance.

Recognizing the critical role of financial inclusion in driving economic growth and development, the paper Bridging the Gap: How to Facilitate Access to Finance for Youth and Women Agripreneurs presents a comprehensive compilation of insights, experiences, and learnings from the country packages Burkina Faso, Kenya, Malawi, and Mozambique of the GIZ Global Project Employment in Rural Areas with a Focus on Youth and their partners.

The knowledge product serves as an introduction to the strategies and approaches outlined within, offering practical guidance on facilitating access to finance for project beneficiaries. Developed through a transnational thematic working group on access to finance, the guide draws from the diverse experiences of the four country packages to provide policymakers and implementing organizations with valuable insights.

Key components of this knowledge product include an overview of the context and background surrounding financial inclusion efforts, along with a collection of best practices and lessons learned from the participating countries.

The guide is hyperlinked, featuring pop-up windows for additional information and related resources.

Aimed at policymakers and organizations involved in implementation, the knowledge product serves as a practical tool to facilitate access of rural youth to financial services.

Agro dealer Chancy Mchacha, from Cheyadi Village recording his sales ⎮ © GIZ/Benni Khanyizira

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Sophie Mechsner