The World Bank Report No: ISR15004 Implementation Status & Results Yemen, Republic of SME Revitalization and Employment Pilot Project (P143715) Public Disclosure Copy Operation Name: SME Revitalization and Employment Pilot Project (P143715) Project Stage: Implementation Seq.No: 2 Status: ARCHIVED Archive Date: 07-Jul-2014 Country: Yemen, Republic of Approval FY: 2013 Product Line: Recipient Executed Activities Region: MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Lending Instrument: Specific Investment Loan Implementing Agency(ies): Key Dates Board Approval Date 08-Jun-2013 Original Closing Date 31-Dec-2015 Planned Mid Term Review Date 31-Jul-2014 Last Archived ISR Date 07-Jan-2014 Effectiveness Date 19-Jun-2013 Revised Closing Date 31-Dec-2015 Actual Mid Term Review Date Project Development Objectives Project Development Objective (from Project Appraisal Document) To improve the individual employability of graduates and the business capabilities of firms participating in a pilot scheme and to inform related policies and programs. Has the Project Development Objective been changed since Board Approval of the Project? Yes No Component(s) Component Name Component Cost Component 1A: Internship Pilot 0.00 Component 1B: Business development matching grants pilot 0.00 Component 1C: Project management 0.00 Overall Ratings Previous Rating Current Rating Satisfactory Satisfactory Public Disclosure Copy Progress towards achievement of PDO Overall Implementation Progress (IP) Satisfactory Satisfactory Overall Risk Rating High High Implementation Status Overview The project's progress towards achieving objectives and implementation progress are rated as Satisfactory. The Wathba project team has moved both the internship and business development components of the project forward from inception to implementation, 481 graduates completed a two day basic skills training program, 300 have completed interviews for placement in internship opportunities, 161 interns have been placed in firms and begun their internships. For the business upgrading activities, 200 business development plans submitted by participating firms have already been reviewed and approved by the project management team. A total of 107 firms have signed grant agreements with a total commitment of $1.472 million (above projections for this first round of grants) and the remaining firms are expected to sign agreements by June 30 once they complete the process of the procurement of business services. Disbursement against the grants, which can only take place on a reimbursable basis (for fiduciary reasons), has already begun for 12 firms. Page 1 of 5 The World Bank Report No: ISR15004 Locations Country First Administrative Division Location Planned Actual Yemen Sanaa Sanaa ✔ Public Disclosure Copy Yemen Aden Muhafazat `Adan ✔ Results Project Development Objective Indicators Indicator Name Core Unit of Measure Baseline Current End Target Direct project beneficiaries Number Value 0.00 639.00 1900.00 Date 20-Jun-2013 29-May-2014 Comments The percent women baseline Target for direct project is based on the2011 Yemen beneficiaries counted as total Investment Climate update graduates receiving at least which found less than 2% basic training (1000 receiving participation among labor basic skills) plus total force in small firms, and 11% estimated employees of women ownership among participating firms (assuming small firms. (Small firms were average firm size 3 workers, used as they are the most 300 firms receiving services). likely beneficiaries). Female beneficiaries Percentage Value 2.50 21.00 3.00 Sub Type Supplemental Participating youth employed Percentage Value 0.00 1.00 50.00 Date 20-Jun-2013 10-Jun-2014 Comments Percent female from participating youth Percentage Value 0.00 5.00 Public Disclosure Copy employed Sub Type Supplemental Participating firms with improved capabilities Percentage Value 0.00 0.00 65.00 after completion of services Date 20-Jun-2013 19-Dec-2013 Comments Policies and programs utilizing the outcomes of Number Value 0.00 0.00 3.00 the pilot project Date 20-Jun-2013 19-Dec-2013 Comments Page 2 of 5 The World Bank Report No: ISR15004 Intermediate Results Indicators Indicator Name Core Unit of Measure Baseline Current End Target Number of firms requesting business services Number Value 0.00 821.00 600.00 Public Disclosure Copy Date 20-Jun-2013 02-Apr-2014 Comments Number of firms participating in BDS program Number Value 0.00 189.00 400.00 Date 20-Jun-2013 29-May-2014 Comments Number of firms procuring business services Number Value 0.00 107.00 300.00 Date 20-Jun-2013 10-Jun-2014 Comments 107 represents the number of firms that have begun procurement process (presented quotes), and therefore have signed sub- grant agreements. Percentage women owned or managed firms Percentage Value 0.00 11.00 from firms procuring business services Sub Type Supplemental Number of youth applying to internships Number Value 0.00 3371.00 1000.00 Date 20-Jun-2013 02-Apr-2014 Comments Percentage female from number of youth Percentage Value 0.00 22.00 applying for internships Sub Type Supplemental Number of youth selected for interviews but not Number Value 0.00 0.00 200.00 placed Date 20-Jun-2013 19-Dec-2013 Comments Public Disclosure Copy Percentage female from number of youth Percentage Value 0.00 selected for interviews but not placed Sub Type Supplemental Number of youth placed in internships Number Value 0.00 161.00 400.00 Date 20-Jun-2013 10-Jun-2014 Comments Page 3 of 5 The World Bank Report No: ISR15004 Percentage female from number of youth Percentage Value 0.00 28.00 placed in internships Sub Type Supplemental Public Disclosure Copy Number of youth completing internships Number Value 0.00 0.00 360.00 Date 20-Jun-2013 19-Dec-2013 Comments Percentage female from number of youth Percentage Value 0.00 completing internships Sub Type Supplemental Percent participating youth with improved Percentage Value 0.00 0.00 75.00 employability upon completion of the internship Date 20-Jun-2013 19-Dec-2013 Comments As measured by assessments from employing firms Percent female from participating youth with Percentage Value 0.00 improved employability upon completion of Sub Type internship Supplemental Data on Financial Performance (as of 28-Apr-2014) Financial Agreement(s) Key Dates Project Ln/Cr/Tf Status Approval Date Signing Date Effectiveness Date Original Closing Date Revised Closing Date P143715 TF-14977 Effective 19-Jun-2013 19-Jun-2013 19-Jun-2013 31-Dec-2015 31-Dec-2015 Disbursements (in Millions) Project Ln/Cr/Tf Status Currency Original Revised Cancelled Disbursed Undisbursed % Disbursed P143715 TF-14977 Effective USD 3.72 3.72 0.00 0.63 3.09 17.00 Public Disclosure Copy Disbursement Graph Page 4 of 5 The World Bank Report No: ISR15004 Public Disclosure Copy Key Decisions Regarding Implementation Implementation progress is currently estimated to be two months behind the original schedule, with no additional slippage since the last implementation support mission in November 2013. This, along with business disruptions associated with the fuel crisis and continued electricity shortages, has affected the speed of disbursements, particularly to the firms on the business development grants. The Wathba team intends to make up this time during the second round by compressing the time period between beginning of receipt of applications for internships to the end of matchmaking from four months (in the first round) to a target of two months. This was deemed an important target by the Wathba team since some of the firms that dropped their requests for interns stated the reason was that the wait time was too long. The timeline for the remainder of the project was discussed and the launch of the second round is planned for September, 2014 which would imply completion in August 2015. Some firm withdrawals have also occurred for reasons related to the business climate and related to the project; lessons learns are being extracted for the second round and for the planned scale up. Restructuring History There has been no restructuring to date. Public Disclosure Copy Related Projects There are no related projects. Page 5 of 5