Recovery and Advancement of Informal Sector Employment (RAISE)

Project Summary

The Recovery and Advancement of Informal Sector Employment (RAISE) Project was a flagship economic recovery initiative implemented by Shishu Niloy Foundation (SNF) with financial support from the World Bank through PKSF. The project commenced on 1 February 2022 and was successfully completed on 30 June 2026.

RAISE was implemented through 43 branch offices with the dedicated efforts of 229 Credit Officers, 43 Finance Officers, 43 Branch Managers, and 4 Project Management Staff. Over the project period, SNF received BDT 18.20 crore in five installments to support COVID-19-affected entrepreneurs in urban and peri-urban areas.

The project provided financial services, entrepreneurship development training, apprenticeship opportunities, technology transfer, and business mentoring to help small and youth entrepreneurs rebuild their livelihoods and create sustainable employment. A total of 1,049 entrepreneurs (214 male and 835 female) received financial support, while 450 additional youth benefited from apprenticeship training without becoming borrowers.

Goal

To restore and strengthen the livelihoods of COVID-19-affected small and youth entrepreneurs by creating sustainable employment opportunities, improving business resilience, and promoting inclusive economic recovery in urban and peri-urban communities.

Objectives

  • Provide affordable financial services to COVID-19-affected entrepreneurs.
  • Support youth and small entrepreneurs from low-income families in rebuilding and expanding their businesses.
  • Enhance entrepreneurial skills through training, mentoring, and experience-sharing.
  • Promote technology adoption and innovation in small enterprises.
  • Encourage digital financial transactions through cashless operations.
  • Improve loan assessment and business sustainability using psychometric profiling.
  • Generate sustainable employment opportunities and strengthen local economic resilience.

Impact

The RAISE Project significantly contributed to post-pandemic economic recovery by enabling vulnerable entrepreneurs to restart, stabilize, and expand their businesses. Increased access to finance and capacity-building support improved household incomes, strengthened business management skills, and enhanced entrepreneurs’ confidence.

The project also promoted women’s economic empowerment, with nearly 80% of the supported entrepreneurs being women, enabling them to become active contributors to their families and local economies. Through apprenticeship opportunities, unemployed youth acquired practical skills that enhanced their employability and future income prospects.

Key Achievements

  • Successfully implemented the project across 43 branch offices.
  • Disbursed BDT 18.20 crore through five funding installments.
  • Supported 1,049 entrepreneurs, including:
  • 214 male entrepreneurs
  • 835 female entrepreneurs
  • Provided apprenticeship training to 450 youth.
  • Maintained an average loan size of approximately BDT 100,000, with loan amounts ranging from BDT 51,000 to BDT 700,000.
  • Introduced innovative features including:
  • Cashless financial transactions
  • Psychometric profiling for entrepreneur assessment
  • Entrepreneurship development training
  • Technology transfer and business mentoring
  • Contributed to sustainable employment creation and strengthened local enterprise development.

Challenges

The project was implemented during a period of economic uncertainty following the COVID-19 pandemic. Many entrepreneurs faced disrupted markets, rising production costs, limited business experience, and changing consumer demand. Encouraging digital financial transactions and supporting first-generation entrepreneurs in adopting new business practices also required continuous guidance and capacity-building efforts.

Learning

The implementation of the RAISE Project demonstrated that combining access to finance with entrepreneurship development, mentoring, and technology support produces more sustainable business outcomes than financial assistance alone. The project also highlighted the importance of women’s entrepreneurship, digital financial services, and evidence-based borrower assessment in strengthening microenterprise resilience.

The successful completion of RAISE has provided SNF with valuable experience and practical models for designing future livelihood and enterprise development initiatives that promote inclusive, resilient, and sustainable economic growth.

Scroll to Top