Financial Sector Deepening – Kenya

The Financial Sector Deepening (FSD) Trust was established in early 2005 to support the development of financial markets in Kenya as a means to stimulate wealth creation and reduce poverty. It operates as an independent Trust under the supervision of professional trustees, with policy guidance from a program investment committee. Finance is provided by a number of development partners working with the Government of Kenya. Current donors include the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) the Ministry of Trade & Industry/World Bank and Swedish SIDA.

Working in partnership with the financial services industry the goal of the Trust is to significantly expand access to services among lower income households and smaller scale enterprises. FSD’s primary focus is developing the capacity of the financial services industry, working directly with a diverse range of financial institutions (at the micro level), business service providers and support institutions (at the meso level). In doing so it compliments other initiatives – such as the Government’s reforms of the enabling environment (at the macro level) and wholesale lending programs supporting emergent micro-finance institutions (MFIs).Projects and activities of FSD are grouped in themes, namely Core Financial System, Rural Finance, Finance for growth – GrowthFin.