Making Cents News & Events --Archived News

Archived News

2012

December 5-6, 2012: Showcase on Farmer Financial Capability at Citi-FT Financial Education Summit

Making Cents President, Timothy Nourse, is a panel speaker at the Citi-FT Financial Education Summit, hosted by the Citi Foundation, the Pearson Foundation and the Financial Times, in Manila, Philippines. The panel will discuss financial capability for farmers, and showcase Making Cents’ training tools being used in Asia to accelerate behavior change among small-holder farmers. For more information, visit www.financialeducationsummit.org.

December 4, 2012: Making Cents at the Child & Youth Finance International regional Meeting for Asia and the Pacific

The 2012 Child & Youth Regional Meeting for Asia & the Pacific is bringing together leading experts, practitioners and innovators from within the region who are engaged in the issues of financial access and financial education for children and youth. As part of a workshop with diverse stakeholders, Timothy Nourse will share Making Cents’ experience with youth-friendly banking products. For more information, visit apac.childfinanceinternational.org.

November 14, 2012: WNEW 99.1 FM interviews Making Cents Founder Fiona Macaulay, at Working Women’s Luncheon

Making Cents’ Founder, Fiona Macaulay will participate in the Working Women’s Luncheon panel discussion with other successful women in business in the Washington, DC area. The Working Women’s Luncheon is designed to foster and promote the success of women. The panel will be moderated by Amy Morris, morning anchor for All News 99.1 and will discuss the the necessary steps to succeed in business, surviving in male-dominated industries, women’s entrepreneurial success stories and lessons learned.

November 8, 2012: “Building Inclusive Markets: Impact Through Financial Enterprise Solutions” at the annual SEEP Network Conference

Making Cents’ Veronica Torres is presenting on panel at the annual SEEP Network Conference along with representatives from Save the Children, Freedom from Hunger, and New America Foundation. The panel, titled “ To Save or Not to Save: Overcoming Behavioral Institutional Barriers” will draw on behavioral economics and experiences working with fifteen formal and informal financial institutions to discuss psychologies and cognitive skills that motivate and block savings, as well as current practices in “nudging” savings, and balancing innovation with existing institutional practices. Learn more.

September 2012: New Youth Economic Opportunities Portal

Making Cents just launched its new YouthEconomicOpportunities.org! This new learning platform is the first community of practice and knowledge exchange portal developed by and for the youth economic opportunities sector dedicated to:

Connect and share knowledge, experiences, and lessons learned;
Exchange the latest resources, jobs, and funding opportunities; and
Impact the world’s 1.8 billion young people.

Unique features include:

Making Cents’ annual “State of the Field in Global Youth Economic Opportunities" publications, now available as an interactive online e-book format.
Hundreds of resources, including the latest publications, videos, and tools.
Over 100 global initiatives led by organizations, networks, and projects working to support economic opportunities for young people, including an interactive map.
Upcoming events, including industry trainings and conferences.
Youth Economic Opportunities Blogs for leading industry experts to share innovative ideas and lessons learned.
The latest news & announcements and career opportunities in the youth economic opportunities field.

Start Connecting Today!

July 26, 2012: Making Cents President Speaks about Youth and Security at Department of State’s “Global Youth, Civilian Security, and National Security” Conference

Making Cents President Timothy Nourse was invited to be an expert speaker regarding youth, entrepreneurship and economic empowerment at Department of State’s “Global Youth, Civilian Security, and National Security” Conference. On the panel entitled “On the Ground Realities: Youth and Security,” Mr. Nourse along with colleagues from Mercy Corps and St Michael College shared the latest research and programs on the ground that are supporting at-risk youth around the world. In her keynote speech, Under Secretary Maria Otero highlighted the importance of the event to raise awareness among the public, private, and civil society about the critical links between youth and civilian security and national security; and discuss and develop ideas about how to better engage youth in these regions and beyond.

June 27, 2012: Making Cents President leads SID Discussion on Youth Access to Financial Services

Making Cents President Timothy Nourse recently led a “Youth in Development Work Group” discussion highlighting programs from Making Cents, YouthSave Consortium, Freedom from Hunger, and Start Some Good. During the session, sponsored by the Society for International Development (SIDW) Washington, Mr. Nourse and the panelists discussed current strategies to meet the financial needs of vulnerable youth populations and the barriers preventing these needs from being met. The discussion also centered on various approaches to partnering with local financial institutions so that youth have greater access to financial services. To read more about the Youth in Development Work Group click here.

June 8, 2012: Making Cents President Presents at USAID Economic Growth & Post-Conflict Environment Seminar

Making Cents President Timothy Nourse presented on micro-finance institutions and tools as part of the USAID seminar, Economic Growth in Post-Conflict Countries. The training was held to provide guidance to development planners that prioritize, design, and deliver economic growth programs in post-conflict environments. Specifically, Mr. Nourse spoke about the role of micro-finance institutions (MFIs), basic principles of sound MFI operations, and credit vs. savings and transactions. For more information on how USAID develops economic growth programs in post-conflict environments, click here.

May 2012: Check out the latest news from the Global Youth Economic Opportunities Conference

The Global Youth Economic Opportunities Conference is the leading annual global conference on increasing economic opportunities for young people.

Register now and join more than 400 participants, including practitioners, policy-makers, funders, private sector and NGO actors, and other change-makers who are advancing youth economic opportunities.
Already registered? Conference registrants that have paid gain exclusive access to the new Global Youth Economic Opportunities Conference LinkedIn Group. By joining this group, you can make early connections and arrange meetings with other confirmed participants. Click here to access the Conference LinkedIn Group and start making those vital connections!
How have previous conferences impacted your work? Share how your participation at the Global Youth Economic Conference helped to improve or scale your work in a short video and you could win 2 free conference registrations (a nearly $1,400 value)! Submit your entry by June 29, 2012. Click here for contest details. View last year's winning video here.
Join the list of 2012 Conference sponsors by investing in this important learning event. To find out how your organization can become a 2012 sponsor, click here.

May 20, 2012: Global Youth Economic Opportunities Conference Agenda & Speaker Bios Now Available

The 2012 Conference agenda is now available for you to review. This year’s conference showcases 60 sessions and 120 world-class speakers from 25 countries with a special cross-cutting spotlight on technology.

Unique interactive sessions and networking events are designed to equip you with the latest research and trends and provide opportunities to develop and deepen relationships. Detailed session descriptions ensure you select and attend sessions based on your technical interests.

This year’s conference features five learning tracks:

Workforce Development
Financial Services and Capabilities
Enterprise Development
Monitoring, Evaluation and Impact Assessment
Adolescent Girls and Young Women

Click here to check out this year’s featured speakers and session topics.

April 22-27, 2012: Making Cents Presents at 2012 CIES Conference

Making Cents recently took part in the 2012 Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) conference by presenting on ways to make entrepreneurship curricula accessible and relevant to young people. At the event, YFS-Link Program Manager, Rathi Mani, spoke to colleagues about Making Cents’ experience in developing and tailoring entrepreneurship curricula to be interactive and applicable to youth in Palestine and Liberia. The 2012 CIES conference focused on the “education revolution”, its legacy, current challenges, and promises for the future. For information about CIES, visit: http://www.cies.us/home.htm.

April 17, 2012: Conversations that Build and Strengthen Youth Economic Opportunities

On April 17, Hidde van der Veer, Executive Director of Aflatoun, and Aishwarya Lakshmi Ratan, Director of the Microsavings and Payments Innovation Initiative at Innovations for Poverty Action came to Making Cents and presented on the recently completed rigorous evaluation of Aflatoun’s school-based financial education program for youth in Ghana.

Ms. Ratan focused her presentation on how IPA uses randomized controlled trials to evaluate the theory of change of development programs such as Aflatoun, using survey methodology to measure the outcomes of interest. She also presented results from the evaluation, which showed that both programs successfully increasing student savings and shifted savings to school. Ms. Ratan and Mr. van der Veer then led participants in a discussion on the role of incorporating social components in a financial literacy curriculum aimed at youth.

Weren’t able to attend? Click here to see the PowerPoint presentation. Click here to watch a 10-minute video of key take-aways from the event.
To view Tweets from the learning event, please visit: https://twitter.com/#!/MakingCentsIntl.

April 2, 2012: New "State of the Field" Publication Now Available to Download

Review the outcomes and impact of the 2011 Global Youth Economic Opportunities Conference. Click here for a free download of this practical, "go-to" resource featuring learning from over 80 leading organizations that are working to increase and improve economic opportunities for young people around the world. Topics include:

Workforce Development
Financial Services and Capabilities
Youth Enterprise Development
Adolescent Girls & Young Women
Monitoring,Evaluation, & Impact Assessment

Forward the link to others who might also find this resource useful: http://www.youtheconomicopportunities.org/media.asp

March 29, 2012: Making Cents Peer Reviews M&E/Youth Livelihood Guide Developed by World Bank and Global Partnership for Youth Employment

Making Cents staff recently served as peer reviewers for the newly released publication, Measuring Success of Youth Livelihood Interventions: A Practical Guide to Monitoring and Evaluation. The guide, developed by the World Bank and Global Partnership for Youth Employment, provides a comprehensive and accessible introduction of monitoring and evaluation and its application in the field of youth employment and livelihood development. Making Cents Founder and CEO, Fiona Macaulay, along with Veronica Torres, Director, Youth Economic Opportunities, contributed as peer reviewers. Click here to access a free copy of the document.

March 21, 2012: Making Cents Participates in NASDAQ Stock Market Opening Bell Ceremony

On March 21, Making Cents International joined Child and Youth Finance International (CYFI) as the organization rang in the NASDAQ stock market opening bell. The event helped highlight CYFI’s goal of ensuring 100 million children and youth have access to appropriate and low cost financial products by 2015. As a CYFI Supervisory Board Member, Making Cents attended the NASDAQ event to support the two organization’s shared vision of youth-inclusive financial services.

In keeping with that vision, Making Cents President Timothy Nourse participated in two sessions at CYFI’s International Summit in April. In a pre-conference event entitled, “Components of a National Child and Youth Strategy: The Experience of Malawi”, he discussed Making Cents’ development of a child savings product with Opportunity International Bank of Malawi. Later, Mr. Nourse will chair a discussion on innovative characteristics of child friendly banking products. The Summit, which took place April 3 - 4 in Amsterdam, brought together children, youth and senior level representatives from across various sectors on the topic of financial inclusion and Child and Youth Finance education for children and youth.

January 2012: Closing the Gap Between Evaluation and Practice in Youth Economic Empowerment

On January 13, Making Cents hosted Dr. Gina Chowa and her colleagues from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill to discuss efforts to measure the outcomes and impact of youth economic opportunity programs. Dr. Chowa and her team focused on the ethical, practical, and methodological benefits and challenges of different types of evaluation designs, comparing and contrasting experimental, quasi-experimental, and non-experimental approaches. Weren’t able to attend? Click here to view the presenters’ PowerPoint slides. To watch a 5-minute video of key take-aways from the event, please visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1yg0Im9Ck4. To view Tweets from the learning event, please visit: http://twitter.com/makingcentsintl.

2011

December

December 1, 2011: Conversations that Build and Strengthen Youth Economic Opportunities Field

On December 1, 2011, Making Cents hosted Michael Chertok, co-founder and Chief Development Officer of Digital Divide Data (DDD), and Souphalak Souksavath, CFO of DDD in Laos, for an in-depth look at how the DDD model has provided employment in a sustainable way over the past 10 years to hundreds of marginalized and disadvantaged young people in Cambodia, Laos and Kenya. Participants walked away with transferable lessons learned, tips for your youth employment and entrepreneurship programs, and innovative ideas for addressing youth employment challenges in various contexts around the world. Weren’t able to attend? Read notes from the discussion, or watch the entire event from start to finish. You can also read tweets sent live during the event. Thanks to all who participated!

November

November 21, 2011: Making Cents President a Featured Speaker at Sanabel Workshop in Cairo, Egypt

During the November Sanabel Workshop, Revolutions and Uprisings in the Arab World: Managing the Crisis and Planning for the Future, Making Cents President, Timothy H. Nourse drew upon his extensive experience in microfinance in the Middle East and delivered a presentation about the importance of contingency planning. The Workshop--a first for Sanabel--was a response to members’ needs to discuss the current situation in the Microfinance sector in the MENA region, and how to plan for the future. Click here to learn more about the workshop.

October

October 2011: Video Interviews, Photos, and Resource Tools Now Available from Making Cents' Global Youth Economic Opportunities Conference

This year’s 5th anniversary conference convened more than 400 participants from 51 countries. Be among the first to view videos, photos and resource tools from the event:

Click here to view interviews from conference participants, including Making Cents Founder & CEO, Fiona Macaulay, and USAID Deputy Administrator, Ambassador Donald Steinberg.
Visit Microlinks to see the latest conference photos.
Click here to download free resources from the conference’s Youth Financial Services and Financial Capabilities track.
View conference tweets captured on the SEEP Network blog, and from @MakingCentsIntl.

October 2011: Youth-Inclusive Financial Services Linkage (YFS-Link) Program Course Offerings

Explore the financial services sector through a youth-inclusive lens via Making Cents' upcoming 2011 Youth-Inclusive Financial Services Linkage (YFS-Link) Program offerings:

Training: Making a Case for YFS. Inter-American Forum on Microenterprise (Foromic), IDB, San José, Costa Rica. Oct 10-12 (Spanish).
Training: Making a Case for YFS; Panel: Microfinance-Plus to Cultivating Young Clients.Global Microcredit Summit, Valladolid, Spain Nov 14-17.

Click here for more information.

September

September 7-9, 2011: Making Cents' 5th Annual Global Youth Economic Opportunities Conference in Washington, DC

The Global Youth Economic Opportunities Conference provides a learning platform for the world's leading professionals working to increase and improve economic opportunities for young people. This year's theme, Breakthroughs, reflects our 5th anniversary focus on the innovative ideas, proven practices, and visionary insights that are taking our emerging field to new heights. The five focus areas are: Workforce Development, Financial Services and Capabilities, Enterprise Development, Adolescent Girls and Young Women, and Monitoring, Evaluation and Impact Assessment.

Join 400 participants from over 60 countries to share lessons learned, promising practices, and innovative ideas by registering today. Click here to register and view the program agenda here. For a list of 2010 participants, click here.

September 1, 2011: "Financial Inclusion for Youth: Reaching the Next Generation" After Hours Seminar

This After Hours Seminar will highlight promising practices from BRAC's integrated approach towards empowering youth in Bangladesh and Sub-Saharan Africa, learning from SEEP's Practitioner Learning Program (PLP) on Reaching Scale in Youth Financial Services, and Making Cents' approach to creating practical tools and resources for developing quality financial services for the next generation. For more information, click here.

June

June 2011: Youth-Inclusive Financial Services Linkage (YFS-Link) Program Course Offerings

Explore the financial services sector through a youth-inclusive lens via Making Cents' summer 2011 Youth-Inclusive Financial Services Linkage (YFS-Link) Program training in Accra, Ghana. The training takes place from June 27 through July 8 and will include the following courses:

Sound Practices Course
Market Research with Youth
Adapting and Developing Financial Services for Young People
Partnering for Improved Service Delivery with Young People
Staffing for Improved Service Delivery with Young People

For more information on the training, visit the YFS-Link Course Description site.

April

April 2011: Making Cents Participated in the Second China-US Foundation Leaders Exchange Program.

In April, 14 delegation members from Chinese foundations visited with nearly 20 foundations and non-profit organizations around the US. Making Cents International was one of the participating organizations, along with Innovations in Civic Participation, Ashoka Foundation, Harvard Business and Kennedy Schools, the Center for Effective Philanthropy, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, among others. The objective of the Second China-US Foundation Leaders Exchange Program sponsored by Mercy Corps China and China Foundation Center was to introduce delegates to the new trends in the development of effective philanthropy in the US.

April 14, 2011: Making Cents President Leads Conversation on Youth Empowerment and ICT at TechSalon

Making Cents' President and Founder, Fiona Macaulay, helped lead a conversation about technology and youth economic empowerment during an April 14 TechSalon, hosted by ICT Works and the UN Foundation Technology Partnership. The salon explored three key questions:

How are youth around the world getting jobs or starting businesses?
What ways are organizations using technology to reach young people?
Where should there be caution or enthusiasm about technology and its effect on youths' economic empowerment?

Click here to read co-moderator Linda Raftree's thoughts about the TechSalon, expressed on her blog in the Christian Science Monitor. For more information about the TechSalon, visit this site.

March

March 31, 2011: Making Cents to discuss Entrepreneurship and Young Business Leaders during George Washington University Symposium

On March 31, Making Cents engaged in a discussion about the important issues facing young entrepreneurs as a featured panelist at the George Washington University School of Business Conference, “Crossroads: The Interplay of Business, Government, and the Global Economy.” The university invited Making Cents to participate, and Making Cents’ Manager of Partnership Development and Communications, Stephanie Chen, served as the guest speaker. For more information about the conference, click here.

March 26-April 1, 2011: Global Entrepreneurship Week Planning Meetings in China

Whitney Harrelson, Making Cents' Associate Director of Youth Enterprise & Livelihoods Development, participated in planning meetings for Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) 2011 in Shanghai, China. Making Cents is pleased to be a partner of GEW, which is an initiative of the Kauffman Foundation. Each November during GEW, host organizations within each country coordinate a network of partners to run events that inspire and challenge both aspiring and existing entrepreneurs. For more information, please visit: www.inspiringideas.org.

March 2011: Making Cents a Top Finalist in the Knowledge Management Impact Challenge

In March, Making Cents’ knowledge exchange and partnership building work was selected as a top finalist in the USAID-sponsored Knowledge Management Impact Challenge. The Challenge is a collaborative learning process that aims to accelerate knowledge exchange around shared challenges and approaches in order to assess the impact of investments in knowledge management and learning. To that end, entrants were asked to submit case studies that highlighted their experience assessing their knowledge management activities. Making Cents’ submission, “Measuring the Impact of Learning Events and Publications,” focused on Making Cents’ annual Global Youth Economic Opportunities conference and “State of the Field” publications. Click here to read the case study or to download a copy. Click here to watch presentations and other conference materials.

March 24, 2011: Making Cents' President Spoke at Youth Day during the 2011 IDB Annual Meeting in Calgary, Canada

Making Cents’ President and Founder, Fiona Macaulay, joined a distinguished panel during the IDB Board of Governors’ meeting in Calgary to engage in a lively debate and share their perspectives on how to effectively address the employment and financial needs of young people. The panel was entitled “Good Jobs Wanted: Employment and Entrepreneurship for Economic Growth” and other panelists included Julie Katzman, Executive Vice President, IDB; Akhtar Badshah, Senior Director, Microsoft Global Community Affairs; and Janet Longmore, President and CEO of Ottawa-based Digital Opportunity Trust, Canada. The panel was moderated by Elena Suarez, Chief, Development Communication and IDB Youth, IDB. Click here for more information.

March 2011: Youth-Inclusive Financial Services Linkage (YFS-Link) Program Course Offerings

Explore the financial services sector through a youth-inclusive lens via Making Cents' March 2011 Youth-Inclusive Financial Services Linkage (YFS-Link) Program trainings:

Market Research and Product Development for Young Clients

March 21 - March 25, 2011 Lucknow, India
Market Research and Product Development for Young Clients (Spanish)

March 21 - March 25, 2011 La Paz, Bolivia
Market Research and Product Development for Young Clients (with supplemental Training of Trainers workshop)

March 22 - March 31, 2011 Bali, Indonesia
Making A Case for Youth-Inclusive Financial Services
March 30, 2011 Washington DC, USA

For more information on these courses, visit the YFS-Link Course Description site .

March 7-8, 2011: ChildFinance Education Working Group Meeting in Paris, France

As a member of the ChildFinance Education Working Group co-chaired by OECD and UNICEF, Making Cents participated in the second ChildFinance Education meeting in Paris to help finalize the ChildFinance core curriculum content framework that will provide the basis for work in child social and financial education (CSFE) for members of the ChildFinance movement. The meeting also created the blueprint for the establishment of a curriculum assessment committee and evaluation criteria for CSFE programs in the field. Key stakeholders in CSFE worldwide meet regularly to work towards the overall goal of the ChildFinance Education Workstream - to ensure 100 million children are educated to be socially empowered and financially capable citizens by 2020 and have access to appropriate financial products and services.

February

February 23, 2011: "Conversations" on High-Growth Youth Entrepreneurship with the Kauffman Foundation

On Wednesday, February 23, Making Cents hosted Jonathan Ortmans, Senior Fellow at the Kauffman Foundation and President of Global Entrepreneurship Week, for an in-depth discussion at what it takes to support young people to become high-growth entrepreneurs. This event was to engage participants in a new way of thinking, challenge traditional mindsets, and explore approaches that are sparking growth and development in the United States and around the world.

This event was part of Making Cents' "Conversations that Build & Strengthen the Youth Enterprise & Livelihoods Development Field" series. Making Cents regularly hosts these DC-based learning events to provide a safe space for an honest dialogue around pressing questions, field-tested tools and innovative approaches for increasing and improving economic opportunities for young people. The dialogues are designed to be informal and practical so participants will walk away with concrete information that can inform their programming, policymaking, and partnership building.

February 17, 2011: Making Cents President addresses Global Trends in Youth Entrepreneurship Education at Education Summit

Making Cents Founder and President, Fiona Macaulay, was a featured guest panelist at the Future of Entrepreneurship Education Summit. In her remarks, titled, “2020 Global Vision for Entrepreneurship Education”, Ms. Macaulay outlined key strategies toward achieving that vision. The Future of Entrepreneurship Education Summit convened many of country’s top leaders in entrepreneurship education in order to discuss thoughts on cutting-edge practices and the future of the field. The event was sponsored by Extreme Entrepreneurship Education and took place on the University of Central Florida campus.Click here to watch a video of the presentation.

February 4, 2011: New YFS Resource in Enterprise Development & Microfinance

Making Cents wrote an article, “Emerging Guidelines for Linking Youth to Financial Services,” in the most recent Enterprise Development & Microfinance (December 2010). The article explores how access to appropriate financial services can play a critical role in enabling young people to navigate the challenges and opportunities they face, regardless of their employment or educational status. To download a copy, please click here.

Making Cents' Membership in Coalition for Adolescent Girls

Making Cents is pleased to be a partner organization to the Coalition for Adolescent Girls, which is a group of organizations committed to creating lasting change for communities in the developing world by driving investments to adolescent girls. Founded by the United Nations Foundation and the Nike Foundation in 2005, the Coalition has been joined by more than 30 leading international organizations, including its founding members, International Center for Research on Women, the Population Council and the International Women's Health Coalition. This public-private partnership brings fresh perspectives, diverse resources and concrete solutions to the challenges facing adolescent girls in developing countries. For more information, please visit: www.coalitionforadolescentgirls.org.

Making Cents' Membership in Alliance for International Youth Development

Making Cents is pleased to be a member of the new Alliance for International Youth Development, which promotes effective policies and programs and also advocates for resources that support youth worldwide. Making Cents is on the Steering Committee, a co-chair of the Advocacy Committee, and also an active member of the Effective Practices Committee. More than 25 organizations have thus far joined this exciting new initiative.

2010

Nov

November 15-19, 2010: Making Cents engages in Global Entrepreneurship Week with three events:

Youth Entrepreneurship: Beyond Collateral online dialog
Fiona Macaulay, Making Cents' President, contributed to an online dialogue Youth Business International organized as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week. YBI based the dialogue on their new report titled, Beyond Collateral: How to increase access to capital for young entrepreneurs. The report and dialogue addressed the following questions: What are the barriers to kick starting growth through enterprise? What will it take to increase young entrepreneurs' access to start-up capital? What change is required of banks, governments and development institutions? To read the dialogue and access the report, please click here.

Youth Participate in Business Simulation Game
Making Cents led a Business Simulation training on November 18th for youth at Potomac Job Corps who will soon be from their programs and entering the workforce. Making Cents’ Business Simulation provides a challenging learning experience for business practitioners and entrepreneurs to develop real skills in negotiation, teamwork, recordkeeping, risk management, and taking initiative.

YFS-Link Webinar: The Latest and Greatest on Implementing Sound Practices in Youth-Inclusive Financial Services
Making Cents held a webinar on Friday, November 19th as a part of its Youth-Inclusive Financial Services Linkage (YFS-Link) Program. This 60-minute webinar was dedicated to equipping practitioners who have been trained in our introductory course on youth-inclusive financial services - Implementing Sound Practices in Youth-Inclusive Financial Services - with the latest materials, resources, and tools that have recently been developed in the sector. In addition, practitioners were given a step-by-step introduction to a new guide containing practical exercises and presentations Making Cents developed to help them quickly and easily take information on youth-inclusive financial services back to their colleagues at your organization. For more information on YFS-Lind and upcoming courses, please visit: www.yfslink.org.

November 13, 2010: President of Making Cents spoke at YSE event

Fiona Macaulay, President of Making Cents, joined the list of social innovator speakers at theevent, Youth Social Entrepreneurship: Unleashing Young Social Entrepreneurs. The event was organized by Ashoka's Youth Venture and took place in Washington, DC. Click here to watch a video of the presentation.

October

October 21, 2010: USAID MARKETS Livelihood and Household Nutrition Pilot in Nigeria

Making Cents, in collaboration with Chemonics International, recently completed the Livelihood and Household Nutrition pilot activity in Nigeria under the USAID MARKETS Global Food Security Response program. The activity empowers women in vulnerable communities in key target states in Northern Nigeria with practical skills in household asset management and cost benefit analysis. As a result, vulnerable populations become empowered and self-sufficient by putting into practice proven skills and knowledge to allow them to lead healthier and more productive lives.

A similar program under USAID MARKETS was implemented by Making Cents with the aim of meeting the immediate and long-term needs of OVC households. Please click here to view a video highlighting the program and its impact, which has trained 24,000 caregivers to benefit over 100,000 OVCs across 12 states in Nigeria.

October 11-23, 2010: Course offerings in Zanzibar, Tanzania (SMDP)

Making Cents is partnering with the Sustainable Microenterprise and Development Program(SMDP), an intensive training program offering critical skills for today's microfinance and enterprise development leaders around the world, to offer the latest training in youth-inclusive financial services through the following courses:

Implementing Sound Practices in Youth-Inclusive Financial Services (2 days)
Market Research with Young Clients (3 days)
Adapting and Developing Financial Services for Young People (3 days)
Partnering for Improved Service Delivery with Young People (2 days)

For more information on courses, costs, and registration, visit the SMDP-Tanzania Web by clicking here.

October 7, 2010: Fiona Macaulay is named a D.C. "40 under 40" International Development Leader

The recognition, the first of its kind, was given to social entrepreneurs, advocates, private sector innovators and government and multilateral agency officials. Devex's goal is to highlight and celebrate the important work of the next generation of leaders in the international development community in Washington, DC. Criteria included individual influence on the global development agenda and results achieved. Devex and Chevron Corporation announced the honor during the Business Civic Leadership Center's annual conference. Click here for the press release. For more information about the initiative, the selectees and selection process please visit the 40-Under-40 website: http://dc40.devex.com/ and Devex.com: http://www.devex.com/articles/devex-list-of-young-aid-leaders-in-dc-is-announced

September

September 14-16, 2010: Global Youth Enterprise & Livelihoods Development Conference (Washington, DC, U.S)

Making Cents held the fourth Global Youth Enterprise and Livelihoods Development Conference at the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington, DC September 14-16, 2010. In just four years, this participatory and demand-driven learning event has become the "go to" conference for practitioners, funders, educators, policymakers, members of the private sector, and other professionals who design, implement, monitor, evaluate, and fund programs and policies in this field. This year's event convened 402 participants from 63 countries. The 2010 conference themes were: youth enterprise development; youth-inclusive financial services and capabilities; workforce development; monitoring, evaluation and impact assessment; and adolescent girls and young women. For more information on outcomes of the 2010 conference or how you can become involved in next year's conference, please visit: www.youtheconomicopportunities.org.

July

July 15, 2010: YFSlink.org Platform Launch

Making Cents is pleased to announce the launch of YFS-Link—the first space for financial services providers (FSPs) and youth-serving organizations (YSOs) to gather, learn and share about youth-inclusive financial services! With your participation, this collaborative platform will act as the community driven "go-to" place for pioneers in the sector to share knowledge, experiences, and lessons learned.

Features include: Interactive Global Map; Resource Center; Practitioner Discussion Forum; YFS Blog; and more!

Special thanks to The MasterCard Foundation for its continued support and commitment to the YFS-Link Program.

June

June 26, 2010: Pakistan Handmade Fashion Show

Since January 2010, Making Cents has been working with USAID's Pakistan FIRMS Market Readiness Program (MRP) to increase access to international markets for women-owned small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) working in the handmade sector. The culmination was an exciting Pakistan Handmade Fashion Show and Exhibition held on June 25-26 in Islamabad. The international fashion show and trade exhibition attracted nearly 40 artisans, businesses, and handicrafts cooperatives showcasing their products for international buyers, including 14 major U.S. wholesale buyers.

U.S. Ambassador Anne W. Patterson opened the event, highlighting U.S. support for Pakistani industries. "This event is more than a fashion show," Ambassador Patterson said. "It is also an opportunity to support women entrepreneurs in Pakistan and to introduce them to international buyers."

Click here for the news release, or check out Pakistan Handmade's Facebook Page for more information.

May

May 31-June 12, 2010: Course offerings in New Hampshire, USA (SMDP)

Implementing Sound Practices in Youth-Inclusive Financial Services (2 days)
Market Research with Young Clients (3 days)
Adapting and Developing Financial Services for Young People (3 days)
Partnering for Improved Service Delivery with Young People (2 days)

For more information on courses, costs, and registration, visit the SMDP-Ghana Web by clicking here.

View brochure.

Making Cents' Agricultural Enterprise Curriculum expected to train 250,000 Nigerian farmers

In collaboration with the USAID/MARKETS and World Bank Fadama III projects, Making Cents is rolling out training on the Nigerian Agricultural Enterprise Curriculum. The trainings are contributing to the improvement of production and quality of life among small-scale Nigerian farmers. To learn more about how farmers are putting their training to use, click here.

May 4, 2010: Making Cents hosts a "Conversation to Build & Strengthen the Youth Enterprise & Livelihoods Development Field"

Making Cents hosted the event "Conversation to Build & Strengthen the Youth Enterprise & Livelihoods Development Field" on youth and savings. Mr. Chandula Abeywickrema, Deputy General Manager of Hatton National Bank in Sri Lanka, and Ms. Madeline Hirschland, a specialist in youth-inclusive financial services, discussed current trends and examples of how financial institutions are increasing the access young people have to appropriate savings programs. To view the presentation given by Mr. Abeywickrema click here, and to view the report prepared by Ms. Hirschland click here. For more information about this event and future events, please contact Whitney Harrelson, Associate Director of Youth Enterprise & Livelihoods Development at Making Cents (whitney@makingcents.com); 202-783-4090.

Making Cents Partners with MasterCard Foundation

MasterCard Foundation awards Making Cents a 1.5 million dollar grant to increase the access youth have to financial services. The Youth-Inclusive Financial Services Linkage Program (YFS-Link) is a three-year knowledge management and global capacity building and training initiative that aims to support the greater provision of appropriate financial services to young people. For further information on YFS-Links and how you can play a role in this important initiative, click here.

March

Course offering in Accra, Ghana (SMDP), March 15-27, 2010

Making Cents partnered with the Sustainable Microenterprise and Development Program(SMDP), an intensive training program offering critical skills for today’s microfinance and enterprise development leaders around the world, to offer the latest training in youth-inclusive financial services through the following courses:

Implementing Sound Practices in Youth-Inclusive Financial Services (2 days)
Market Research with Young Clients (3 days)
Adapting and Developing Financial Services for Young People (3 days)
Partnering for Improved Service Delivery with Young People (2 days)

"It was a very good program and I enjoyed the course...[we will be starting] a program with the youth in the project affected communities we are working in. We plan to train them in Youth Inclusive Financial Services, organize a market research to identify their financial needs and link them to a partner bank. All this has been possible through your support. Thank you."

- Joseph Nyamekeh Armah, Project Coordinator, Organization for Livelihood Enhancement Services (Olives)

Making Cents participated in the planning meetings for the 2010 Global Entrepreneurship Week March 9-10, 2010

Making Cents is pleased to be a global partner of Global Entrepreneurship Week, an initiative of the Kauffman Foundation. In November 2010, Global Entrepreneurship Week will connect young people everywhere through local, national and global activities designed to help them explore their potential as self-starters and innovators. Students, educators, entrepreneurs, business leaders, employees, non-profit leaders, government officials and many others will participate in a range of activities, from online to face-to-face, and from large-scale competitions and events to intimate networking gatherings. For more information and to see how you can become involved, please visit: www.unleashingideas.org.

Making Cents hosted “Partnerships That Make Youth Workforce Development Work”, March 4th 2010

Making Cents was pleased to collaborate with The SEEP Network on the March, 2010 “Conversation to Build and Strengthen the Youth Enterprise & Livelihoods Development Field”. This was Making Cents’ 2nd event in a new series we’re hosting throughout the year and in between our annual Global Youth Enterprise & Livelihoods Development Conferences. Our goal is to provide a regular, open, and safe learning space where members of our global community can have an honest dialogue around lessons learned, promising practices, pressing questions, field-tested tools, and innovative approaches for increasing and improving economic opportunities for young people. The dialogues are designed to be informal and practical so participants will walk away with concrete information that can inform their programming, policymaking, and partnership building.

The March 4th conversation on “Partnerships That Make Youth Workforce Development Work” featured the Education Development Center and Partners of the Americas. The presenters shared their experiences and lessons learned in the following areas:

Partnering with multilateral international organizations

Partnering with corporations and learning to ‘speak their language’

Working with universities to develop quality training curricula
Managing large numbers of local partners
Building local capacity
Helping partners through crises.

Fifty people, representing all sectors, engaged in the Conversation. To access the learning product that emerged from SEEP’s Practitioner Learning Program on Youth and Workforce Development, visit http://seepnetwork.org/Pages/YouthandWorkforceDevelopment.aspx.

January

Making Cents participated on the Kick-Off committee for NMC and the First World Youth Meeting, an initiative of the Government of Italy January 19-21, 2010

Since 2008, Making Cents has participated on the Kick Off Committee for a global initiative the Government of Italy is leading to increase the influence young people have in policymaking related to employment and entrepreneurship, education, health, the environment, and civic participation. The work of the Kick Off Committee culminated in the First World Youth Meeting, which convened 500 young “agents of change” from 120 countries. These young leaders strategized to develop concrete action plans they could implement in their home communities as part of a new global support network. Other members of the Kick Off Committee included: Italy’s National Agency for Youth, Greece’s National Agency of Youth for Greece and the EU, the Inter-American Development Bank, the International Labour Organization, UNESCO, UN-HABITAT, MTV, Amartya, and Microsoft. For more information, please visit:

http://www.viddler.com/explore/entrepreneurs/videos/1/ the complete video
http://www.youtube.com/user/EntrepreneurVoices#p/c/926E4231A3878C36 broken up into different parts

New Course: Implementing Sound Practices in Youth-Inclusive Financial Services, provided to financial service practitioners and youth serving organizations in Toronto, Canada, January 13–14, 2010.

This is highly interactive course offers a practical step-by-step framework for understanding what it takes to offer youth-inclusive financial services. The course will be held January 13-14, 2010 in Toronto, Canada..

2009

November

Making Cents President Fiona Macaulay is featured at George Mason University event as an expert panelist on innovative entrepreneurship.

Fiona Macaulay spoke on building a successful social enterprise as part of the panel "A New Capitalism?" for George Mason University's Hunger and Homelessness Action Week. The event drew a wide audience of students and educators in effort to increase awareness and active participation in social innovation and entrepreneurship to reduce poverty.

Making Cents presents at SEEP Network Annual Conference

Fiona Macaulay, President of Making Cents, recently presented at The SEEP Network Annual Conference on her work as the lead facilitator of SEEP's Practitioner Learning Program (PLP) in Youth and Workforce Development. Her presentation can be viewed here: Youth PLP Presentation. For more information about the PLP please visit The SEEP Network Youth and Workforce Development website. Beth Porter, Director of the Youth-Inclusive Financial Services Linkages Program at Making Cents, also presented at the conference. Her presentation can be viewed here: YFS Presentation.

Beth Porter named WAM Woman of the Year 2009

Making Cents' Beth Porter was named Woman of the Year by Women Advancing Microfinance (WAM) on November 4th. Beth was recognized for her years of service in the microfinance industry and for her current initiative at Making Cents to expand youth-focused financial services worldwide. For more information, visit www.wam-international.org.

Film Screening of "Where the Water Meets the Sky". November 16, 2009, Washington, D.C.

Making Cents collaborated with Camfed, an NGO that works to educate girls and invest in economic and leadership opportunities for young women in Africa, to share the award-winning documentary Camfed produced, “Where the Water Meets the Sky”. “Where the Water Meets the Sky” is the inspiring story of a group of women in rural Zambia who learn how to make a film as a way to speak out about their lives. The film covers topics such as HIV and AIDS, livelihoods opportunities for girls and young women, education, and human rights. This was the first event in Making Cents’ new series called Conversations to Build and Strengthen the Youth Enterprise & Livelihoods Development Field”. Our goal is to provide a regular, open, and safe learning space where members of our global community can have an honest dialogue around lessons learned, promising practices, pressing questions, field-tested tools, and innovative approaches for increasing and improving economic opportunities for young people. The dialogues are designed to be informal and practical so participants will walk away with concrete information that can inform their programming, policymaking, and partnership building. More than 25 people attended the documentary and dialogue.

September

Global Youth Enterprise Conference. September 29-30, 2009, Washington, D.C

Making Cents convened more than 300 practitioners, educators, researchers, youth, funders, government representatives, and other partners in youth enterprise, employment, and livelihoods development from 43 countries for the 2009 Global Youth Enterprise Conference. The conference took place September 29-30, 2009 in Washington, DC.

This participatory and demand-driven learning event provided participants with a space to share their promising practices, lessons learned, and innovative ideas for increasing and improving economic opportunities for youth. A whole half-day focused on the new and growing field of Youth-Inclusive Financial Services. Participants have reported that as a direct result of having attended, they gained new technical capacity, explored new partnerships, and shared information with leading stakeholders from around the world. Making Cents is in the process of synthesizing the key learning points and programmatic examples from the conference to produce a practical publication, which will be disseminated and available for free download in early 2010. For more information on the conference and Making Cents’ post-conference publications, please visit: www.youtheconomicopportunities.org or contact Whitney Harrelson (202-783-4090; whitney@makingcents.com).

Focus on Financial Services. September 30, 2009, Washington, D.C

Making Cents will host a half-day dialogue focused on the state of the youth-inclusive financial services sector and strategize a participatory growth plan for the field over the next three years during the 2009 Global Youth Enterprise Conference. Become engaged and attend. For more information, please contact Rathi Mani, Youth-Inclusive Financial Services Linkage Project Coordinator, by email: rathi@makingcents.com.

Adapting Training Products for Youth. September 28, 2009, Washington, D.C.

Making Cents hosted a half-day session on how to adapt several of the Making Cents field-tested enterprise development training products to participants' programs. Attendees gained hands-on experience with Making Cents training products, and learned how these products can be adapted to different programs. Featured curricula included: Market Opportunities curriculum, Agriculture Enterprise curriculum, Business Fundamentals for Cooperatives, and MicroEnterprise Fundamentals curriculum for illiterate and semi-literate populations.

June

Publication Announcement

Making Cents is pleased to announce the release of the following publication: State of the Field in Youth Enterprise, Employment, and Livelihoods Development. Market-Driven Approaches; Monitoring, Evaluation and Impact Assessment; and Youth-Inclusive Financial Services.

To download a copy, please click here.
To order a hard copy, please click here.

Making Cents Featured in New York Times Article

The New York Times wrote an article on the importance of providing business skills training to the world’s poor, and how such training can be a way to end hunger and stabilize societies. Full Article.

Making Cents Selected for OPEN Savings American Express Print Advertisement

The American Express OPEN Savings advertisement selects Making Cents to be featured in the July/August, 2009 issue of Fortune Small Business as example of the kind of client-driven business America needs. View Ad.

International Symposium on Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship

Making Cents’ Manager of Innovative Partnerships & Learning Initiatives, Whitney Harrelson, presented lessons learned in the area of market-driven approaches related to youth employment and entrepreneurship at the International Symposium on Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship. The Symposium took place in Beijing, China, and was co-organized by the All-China Youth Federation, the International Labour Organization and the World Bank.

Making Cents Leads Course at the MicroEnterprise Development Institute.

Making Cents’ President and Founder, Fiona Macaulay, conducted a course on youth-inclusive financial services at Southern New Hampshire University’s 2009 MicroEnterprise Development Institute. Microfinance and microenterprise practitioners from around the world participated.

March

Making Cents Conducts the “Youth-Inclusive Financial Services: Implementing Good Practices in the Field” Course.

Making Cents conducted its "Youth-Inclusive Financial Services: Implementing Good Practices in the Field" course in Washington, D.C. Fully subscribed, the 30 course participants came from Africa, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and North America. They participated in an innovative and action-oriented program that provided engaged learning on program approaches and designs to link youth to appropriate financial services. To find out more about future offerings of the course, please click here.

2008

December

Making Cents Hosts Webinar: “Youth-Inclusive Financial Services: Assessment and Product Design.”

Making Cents conducted this two-part webinar for members of the SEEP Network’s Practitioner Learning Program. It attracted participation from 12 microfinance institutions and youth-serving organizations, as well as collaborators from four leading youth-inclusive financial service providers. Attendees included international NGOs (e.g. MEDA, Save the Children, and Plan International) and local practitioners (e.g. Camfed Zambia, Partner MFK Bosnia, Fundación Paraguaya and BRAC).

November

Making Cents Hosts Session at the National Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education Forum.

Making Cents’ Business Development Associate, Fernando Maldonado, led participants through an interactive session on Making Cents’ experiential learning curricula and teacher’s aids for elementary, middle, and high school levels.

Making Cents Presents at the SEEP Annual Conference

Making Cents presented Youth Enterprise & Youth Financial Services: Key Considerations and New Understandings, sharing with practitioners the lessons learned from the Youth-Inclusive Financial Services: Emerging Good Practices course Making Cents conducted in September, 2008.

September

Making Cents Conducts the “Youth-Inclusive Financial Services: Emerging Good Practices” Course.

Making Cents brought together 25 youth-serving and microfinance practitioners from around the globe for a collaborative course to identify, understand and address the need youth have to access finance. A key outcome of the courses was the identification of the 14 principles or guidelines for creating financial products or programs that link youth to financial services.

Making Cents Hosts Second Annual Global Youth Enterprise Conference.

The 2008 Global Youth Enterprise Conference convened 350 representatives from 189 organizations in 50 countries to discuss: 1) Market-Driven Approaches; 2) Effective Methodologies and Practices for Monitoring, Evaluating, and Conducting Impact Assessments; and 3) Youth-Inclusive Financial Services. Through these technical themes, conference participants engaged in action-based learning on topics such as youth financial services, working with adolescent girls, and implementing initiatives in conflict-affected environments. The conference has led to the formation of new partnerships; the acquisition of new technical skills; and the dissemination of lessons learned, promising practices, and innovative ideas. For further information, visit the Global Youth Enterprise Conference website at: www.youtheconomicopportunities.org

July

Making Cents Hosts a Workshop at Ashoka’s First Annual Youth Venture Summit

Held at the American University in Washington, D.C., Making Cents conducted an interactive session to youth leaders on key enterprise skills and how to apply them to their community based ventures. For a video ad on the First Annual Youth Venture Summit click here!

May

Making Cents was Invited by the Italian Government to Engage in a Collaborative Effort to Develop a G-Local Initiative: Youth for Sustainable Development

This long-term process promotes and supports the creation of a durable G-Local (Global-Local) environment where young citizens can fully exert their responsibility to actively participate in shaping a sustainable future for all.

Making Cents Participates in the World Bank Annual Communications Conference

Making Cents was one of a select group of organizations invited to participate as discussion facilitators in the “Working with the Next Generation” session at the World Bank’s Annual Communications Conference. Communications Specialists from each World Bank country office convened in Washington, D.C. for meetings and trainings related to communications, and those also working on issues pertaining to youth.

April

Making Cents Presents at Unite for Sight’s Fifth Annual International Health Conference

Making Cents’ Business Development Associate, Fernando Maldonado, delivered a presentation on Increasing Income, Confidence and Business Growth for Women in the Developing Worldas part of a panel discussion on women’s health issues.

2007

December

Making Cents Authors “Perspectives on Youth, Conflict and Enterprise.”

Authored by Making Cents’ President, Fiona Macaulay; Making Cents’ Manager of Innovative Partnerships & Learning Initiatives, Whitney Harrelson; and independent consultant, Anita Campion, the article appears in CHF International’s February, 2008 publication, International Development Matters. Full Article

Making Cents Sponsors the First World Conference on Self-Sufficient Agricultural Schools in Cerrito, Paraguay.

The conference -- organized by Fundación Paraguaya and its sister organization, TeachAMantoFish -- convened 140 experts in education, microfinance, and agriculture at Fundación Paraguaya’s agricultural high school campus. The theme of the conference was Integrating Entrepreneurship in Agricultural Education, emphasizing the significance of agriculture in sustaining rural life in the developing world. Full Article.

September

Making Cents Holds First-Ever Global Youth Enterprise Conference

This first-ever Global Youth Enterprise Conference brought together 270 participants from 28 countries. These participants were practitioners, funders, members of the private sector, government representatives, educators, and youth who address challenges and opportunities related to youth enterprise, employment, and livelihoods development. Making Cents created the learning agenda after conducting a global consultation with key stakeholders that identified the field’s priority interest areas.