Economic Opportunity

USAID CLEAR Program in Kenya Launches a Series of Cooperative Management Education Videos

The Cooperative Leadership Engagement Advocacy and Research (CLEAR) program, funded by USAID, Cooperative Development Program, recently developed a series of training and educational videos to …

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Building the Resilience of Kenya’s Cooperative Sector through Capacity Building of Policymakers and Implementers

By Olga Oyier & Maureen Gitau, USAID/CLEAR Program Kenya’s devolved system of governance has provided the country with an opportunity to implement grassroots-led development programs …

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How Policy Innovations Can Strengthen Cooperative Businesses in Kenya

By Maureen Gitau, USAID/CLEAR Program Registration of cooperative businesses is a challenging issue for policymakers and stakeholders in the cooperative sector. Under Schedule Four of …

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How Village Savings & Loans Groups Saved $7,000 in Only Four Months

By David Mbulula Garamba National Park lies in the Haut-Uélé province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), along the border with South Sudan. …

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Up to Youth Program Supports Sweet Entrepreneurship in Kosovo

By Lizzie Hickman Do you remember what it was like to be a teenager, to have the entire world of possibilities open for you to …

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USAID CLEAR Program in Kenya Launches a Series of Worker Cooperative Videos

Kenya has a vibrant and dynamic cooperative movement. The worker cooperative model, while new to the Kenyan Cooperative sector, is gaining attention and recognition as …

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Supporting Economic Resilience through Increased Livelihoods in Sri Lanka

By Nagarajah Sathyaruban and Amila Jayamaha In Sri Lanka’s Mullaitivu district, a lack of job opportunities and career guidance avenues has contributed to a high youth …

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Equitable Partnerships to Support Women’s Economic Empowerment & Combat Gender-Based Violence

By Mabel Bejarano Cobo Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to be part of a panel at the Gender Plus Summit which was organized …

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Using the New Digital Savings Group Hub to Eliminate Paper, Inspire Savings 

Digitization can feel overwhelming — and even risky when considering inherent equity and access issues. Yet, with the right resources, organizations can go paper-free, or …

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Expanding Possibilities for Women Entrepreneurs in Guatemala

By Jessica Ayala Just over a year ago, Sucely Rocsana Reyes Molina never would have imagined that she would own a flourishing formal dairy business …

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USAID’s Zahabu Safi (Clean Gold) Project Launches Refiners Community of Practice to Help Set Up Responsible Gold Supply Chain from Eastern DRC

By Rachel Brass – Director, Market Linkages and Investment, USAID’s Zahabu Safi (Clean Gold) Project Gold refiners Heimerle + Meule, IGR, Italpreziosi, L’Orfebre, MKS PAMP, …

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Building Demand for Responsibly-Sourced Gold from Eastern Congo

Many communities in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) rely on artisanal and small-scale mining as a primary livelihood. While a significant drive of …

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Indispensable: Recognizing & Rebranding the Work of Brazil’s Trash Recyclers

By Roseli Bianchi and Lizzie Hickman In Brazil, some low-income families make ends meet through recycling. However, the process is not as simple as sorting …

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Addressing Housing Challenges through Cooperatives

By Ashley Holst One of the global victims of rising inequality and climate change is access to decent housing. Housing costs are increasing, while the …

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Increasing the Climate Resilience and Productivity of Emerging Farmers in Zambia

In Zambia, agriculture is a key employment sector and one that is essential to local food security. However, emerging farmers are facing many challenges, including …

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Artisanal miner in DRC

Local Solution to Improved Transparency in Responsible Minerals Trade in Congo’s Ituri Province

How USAID’s Zahabu Safi (Clean Gold) Project is strengthening local civil society to carry out due diligence through a new information management platform By Kevin …

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A Kenyan woman smiles while holding Kenya's flag in front of her.

Lessons from Kenya on Empowering Women in Housing Cooperatives

By Fredrick Nyagah and Tindi Sitati According to data from the International Cooperative Research Group, women represent only 30 percent of cooperative membership in Kenya. …

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Mining site in DRC's Ituri Province

USAID’s Zahabu Safi (Clean Gold) Project Facilitates Landmark Agreement in Congo’s Ituri Province

By Kevin Eze The banks of the Ituri River are teeming with men and women searching for gold. For many of these individuals, artisanal mining …

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