Samenvatting

This Graduation Research was conducted in Woord en Daad to appraise the potential role that micro-equity finance can play in developing sustainable SMEs in Zambia.
It focuses on the challenges currently facing SMEs as deciphered from the operations of Woord en Daad's Agribusiness and Enterprise development department as well as other leading literature of SME financing challenges.
A snapshot of the current situation indicates that the potential of the SME sector in most emerging economies, including Zambia, has been undermined by a palpable lack of access to financial services. SMEs' stalled growth is evidenced by their paltry contribution to GDP. Even in cases where financial services are present, their offering has fallen short of stimulating growth in terms of employment, higher income levels, innovation, development of local markets and supply chains from the sector.
This Research, therefore, presents micro-equity's potential to bridge the financial gap faced by SMEs. Not only that it also addresses the challenge of lack of expertise and proper business management skills at the SME level.