These slides are Alexis Morcrette’s take on one of MaFI’s most popular discussions over the last 18 months: “Do systemic interventions reach the poorest of the poor?” (by Marcus Jenal) It brings together the learning and key insights of this discussion in a simple visual representation: the Bermuda Triangle. Thanks to Alexis (a MaFI member, of course, for putting these ideas together and furthering the learning discussions that are taking place in MaFI)

1. The ‘Bermuda Triangle’ of economic empowerment programs A synthesis and analysis of MaFI’s“Do systemic interventions reach the poorest of the poor?” A background resource for the SEEP Annual Conference workshop: ‘A rising tide won’t lift all boats’: from differential needs of the extreme poor to market participation A working document: comments, reaction, feedback, criticisms welcome, email alexis.morcrette@practicalaction.org.uk Alexis Morcrette (Practical Action)

3. How to read the diagram (1) Getting two of the three points of the triangle is always challenging, but best practice out there knows how to do, and there are resources to help us Graduation programs hit the points: extreme poor and sustainability But they struggle to hit scale cost effectively Mkt dv / VC programs hit the points: scale and sustainability But they struggle to reach the extreme poor

4. How to read the diagram (2) The challenge is to move away from the edge of the triangle to its middle, which would represent hitting all three points Either by ‘pushing up’ with graduation programs (getting better on scale) Or by ‘reaching down’ with market development (getting better at reaching the extreme poor)

5. On reaching down Marcus Jenal: Building social, human and financial capital at community level for inclusion More work around service contract Socially responsible enterprises Jim Hochschwender, EkanathKhatiwada and others Enabling environment (inc. socio-cultural and legal: land and water) = systems beyond market systems Linda Jones, Kamran Niazi and others: Employment/Labour (both demand and supply side) (not so relevant in rural settings – Anuj Jain) Jan Maes and others: Partnerships! (especially partnerships based on contrast and complementation) Time and patience

6. On pushing up ??? ?? Mainstreaming/institutionalising social safety nets through means tested targeting mechanisms ?? Huge corruption issues

7. An couple thoughts on the fly Since producing that diagram week’s ago I realise that ‘scale’ is short hand for ‘cost effective scale’ Some kind of scale on each dimension and then create polygons (triangles)? With indicators? Or just illustrative power? To define the overall space, and profile organisations/programs to make it easier to seek partnerships – resources for identifying complementary partnerships? See next and final slide