The Idea of a Symposium on Livelihood Financing

ALC India has started this platform by organising a symposium as the flagship event. A symposium was conceptualised to address financial needs of the marginalized for enhancing their livelihoods. The concept and framework of the symposium are based on answers to three fundamental questions:

• "Who are the economically marginalized?"
• "What does livelihood for the economically marginalized mean?", and
• "What does financing the livelihoods of the eco-nomically marginalized mean?"

Besides, the symposium also facilitated discussions on the modes, sources and roles of institutions in financing livelihoods of the economically marginalized. The first symposium, held in 2009, was titled 'Financing Livelihoods of the Poor'. In the second edition, the symposium was renamed 'Financing the Economically Marginalized'

The Design

The two-day symposium comprised of sessions by speakers, panel discussions, research presentations and debates on key financial challenges facing the livelihood sector such as - Financing Livelihoods at Households Level, Financing Livelihoods at Collectives Level, Managing Risks and Vulnerabilities of Livelihoods, Institutional Financing and Emerging Initiatives. Speakers and panel members from diverse settings were exclusively selected for making presentations on each of the above themes, as much as facilitating dialogue and discussion.

The Stakeholders

The symposium was organised by ALC India in 2009 with support from the Ford Foundation, NABARD and contribution from the participants. The first of its kind of initiative for ALC India brought different stakeholders together including bankers, NG0s, Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs), funding agencies, government agencies as well as other support organisations and, most importantly, the poor and their representatives to a common platform.
The second symposium was organised in 2010 by ALC India with its own resources.

Themes Covered

The 2009 symposium covered perspectives, financing livelihoods at individual level, financial livelihoods at collective level, financing green businesses, risk management in livelihoods, institutional financing and innovations in financing. Case studies - focusing on non-farm sector, dairy collective and the tribal community, were presented.
The 2010 symposium covered lifecycle and financing needs, short and long-term finance (equity, debt and grant), legal forms of producer institutions and financing, role of large financial institutions and alternative mechanisms of financing.

Invest

If you are a financing organization, be it Government, Private or Individual, you can help the seed of this idea grow into a tree and a forest. Invest in the form of grants or low-interest loans and see the idea sustain and scale. Contact us at: reimaginefinance@alcindia.org

Implement

If you are an organisation working in the area of improving livelihoods of the poor, you can learn and use our models and platforms to create greater impact.
Contact us at: reimagineimpact@alcindia.org

Volunteer/Consult

If you are a professional wanting to use your skills to change the world, you can help us in building this livelihood transformation ecosystem.
Contact us at: reimaginework@alcindia.org