📋 Tender Overview
By supporting the BUILD Fund, Switzerland seeks to increase access to financing by SDG oriented Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to create jobs, improve livelihoods for vulnerable and underserved groups and sustainably manage natural resources. By de-risking investment, this contribution will catalyse funding from the public and private sectors in agribusiness, financial inclusion, green economy and infrastructure initiatives in developing countries, in particular Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Country/region Topic Period Budget
Global
Employment & economic development
Business support & economic inclusion
SME development
01.10.2022 - 30.11.2027
CHF 15’320’000
The project in brief
Background In Zambia and Zimbabwe, as in many developing countries, SMEs face difficulties to meet their financial needs, despite their importance to the achievement of the SDGs and their contribution to economic growth. This challenge is exacerbated for SDGoriented SMEs, defined as organizations that have social and/or environmental objectives. Launched in 2020, the BUILD Fund is an innovative blended impact finance vehicle designed to bring finance to SDG-oriented SMEs in the Least Developed and Lower Middle Income countries such as Zambia and Zimbabwe. The Swiss support to this fund is part of Switzerland’s effort to further engage with the private sector to achieve the SDGs.
Objectives The overall goal of the intervention is to contribute towards poverty reduction, reduce gender inequalities, promote economic growth and drive clean energy access to the most vulnerable populations, in Least Developed Countries and Low Middle Income Countries globally and particularly in Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Target groups Direct beneficiaries are owners and managers of SDG-oriented SMEs. Secondary beneficiaries are people employed by investee companies, people served as customers or users, or those benefiting from jobs created upstream and downstream of value chains. Women-owned and women-led SMEs, those that employ women, serve women with their products and services, or work with women producers in their supply chains are prioritised. The direct outreach targeted through the Swiss contribution is 616’000 people, while indirect outreach is 2.46 million people.
Medium-term outcomes Immediate outcomes 1. Supported investees provide equitable employment opportunities to women and men, and provide tailored products and services to local customers/users. 2. Fiscal space for local governments is expanded. 3. Knowledge and experience from investments in Least Developed Countries and suggestions on how to improve it, are shared with Governments. Medium-term outcomes 4. The flow of finance and investment for SDGoriented SMEs (including women-led SMEs) is unlocked. 5. Sustainable jobs are created, positive economic ripple effect is generated on suppliers, consumers and users, and the wealth of local business owners, women and men, in last mile finance settings is incre
