Project assistance completion report : business management extension program (BMEP)/LULOTE [luhlelo lolunotsisa temabhizinisi (program for business development)]

Because there were substantial grant funds remaining at the original PACD (11/94), a no-cost extension was approved, with a new PACD of 11/95. In June 1995, BMEP was reborn as LULOTE, which is an acronym for Program for Business Development. LULOTE's aim is to help clients to transform their income-generating activities into small enterprises, by providing training, consultancies, and small loans. LULOTE/BMEP developed a long-term strategic and marketing plan which has been instrumental in attracting new finance and creating a long-term vision for the organization. In addition, BMEP received an E3.6 million grant from the Government of Swaziland. As a result of these two events, LULOTE/BMEP is now a sustainable local organization that has the capacity to market its services and also has vast potential for moving into regional small enterprise training. It should be noted that no expatriate long-term TA was employed in the BMEP project. It has been managed throughout by Swazis, so there has been no crisis in management at the end of the project. The principal lesson learned is this: Management of a micro-lending operation -- a difficult task -- can be made easier if the organization has a strongly motivated Board to assist the director in defining the long-term direction of the organization, and in other key areas such as fundraising.