Over the past ten years, the South-South Facility has supported knowledge exchanges among World Bank client countries and tracked early results shortly after these exchanges were completed. The Facility’s long-term impact, however, can only be assessed several years after the peer learning activities took place, and it had not been documented before.

In 2017, the SSF Secretariat started to reach out to selected past beneficiaries of SSF grants to take stock of long-term effects of South-South knowledge exchanges that were carried out four to seven years ago. This exercise generated strong evidence of the development impact of South-South peer learning, showing how it can inspire local decision makers to take action. Insights gained during South-South knowledge exchanges were adapted, tested and often adopted into ongoing and new development projects. As such, SSF grants are leveraging billions of dollars of World Bank’s investment lending in client countries.

These short stories show that South-South knowledge exchanges can have important long-term impact towards improved policy making and implementation. 

Energy Efficiency in Thailand (2011 – 2017)

Sustainable Coffee Farming in Burundi (2013 – 2017)

Reducing Stunting in Madagascar (2014 – 2017)

Greening Transport in Vietnam (2010 –2018) 

Better Nutrition for Malawian Children (2011 – 2018) 

Indigenous Land Rights in Honduras (2011 –2018)

SME Finance for Women in Ethiopia (2013 – 2019)