Program Overview

FIRST+II creates and improves youth jobs and enhances Ghanaian organizations’ effectiveness for long-term impact.

With a focus on youth and women, FIRST+II unlocks the potential of smallholder farmers, MSMEs and people with disabilities to increase their incomes, create and improve youth jobs through business development services and access to finance.

FIRST+II delivers what small businesses need most to thrive – greater access to finance. FIRST+II addresses financial institutions’ constraints, launching new loan products, mobilizing lower-cost capital, and building their employees’ skills throughout;

FIRST+II exchanges methods, systems, tools, and expertise with its Ghanaian partner organizations.

307K

youth jobs enabled (70% held by women)

6,200

persons with Disabilities Increase Capacity

160K

enterprises receive loans (70% received by women)

$124M

in financial institution financing unlocked (50% for women)

255K

smallholders or MSMEs receive business development services or loans to increase their incomes

80%

of financial institution partners increase agriculture/MSME lending

75%

of young women in jobs impacted by FIRST+II who find their jobs dignified and fulfilling

180K

smallholder businesses, rural enterprises and MSMEs that increased their revenues

10 NBFIs

financial institutions that deploy or expand (from Phase 1) one or more new or revamped products

3,600

financial institution staff gain skills to financerural smallholder farmers and MSMEs (including PWDs)

Why CapPlus?

CapPlus equips financial institutions in emerging economies to deliver finance profitably for social impact, with a focus in Africa where we have assisted over 50 financial institutions in 13 countries. Expertise areas include:

•  Capital adequacy and investor readiness
•  Expanding MSME market share: the A to Z of    MSME finance
•  Digital financial services
•  Innovative solutions to expand profitably to    high impact sectors (women, youth,    healthcare, edufinance, etc.)
•  Governance and risk management
•  Peer exchange and trainings

‍Established in 2004 in tandem with the ShoreCap I equity fund, CapPlus also partners with impact investment funds to provide technical assistance alongside the funds' capital investments in financial institutions.
The result: sustainable solutions that generate economic opportunity, job creation, asset building for social enterprises and women-owned businesses, and poverty alleviation.