ICMC and Project Enterprise Bosnia and Herzegovina

This paper reports the findings and implications of the impact survey carried out by ICMC and Mercy Corps Scottish European Aid (MC/SEA) in Bosnia and Herzegovina. With the purpose of improving the program, the survey measured the impact of the microlending program - Project Enterprise (PE) against the following expected hypotheses:

• The program strategy is effective in reaching its target group;
• There is an increase in the household wellbeing;
• There is an improvement in the business.

The paper further describes the survey methodology and the sampling scheme. The survey reports findings on the following parameters:

• Program perception by clients;
• Descriptor information;
• Impacts resulting from the project in terms of incomes, expenditures, savings, household well-being and improvement in business.

Finally the document makes the following key recommendations to improve the program:

• Replicate the survey in other project areas;
• Re-examine outreach and parameters of PE;
• Pair the survey with a more qualitative tool;
• Explore the issue of loan fungibility for development of newer products or services;
• Reinforce monitoring of loan use after loan disbursement;
• Introduce loan officer training on monitoring;
• Monitor closely the products and services for further improvements.