The Economics Association of Malawi (ECAMA), with support from IPA Malawi and the International Food Poverty Research Institute (IFPRI), held a research symposium in Lilongwe.The European Union funded the symposium, the first of its kind for ECAMA.Mr.Henry Kachaje (President, ECAMA) and Thandika Mkandawire (London School of Economics) delivered the welcome and keynote addresses to more than 100 participants.Various researchers presented 33 papers on issues related to poverty alleviation.

Pooja Wagh (Financial Inclusion Program Coordinator, IPA) participated in a panel on the value of savings accounts for young people.Panelists discussed implementation lessons and results from rigorous impact evaluations of programs offering bank accounts to youth.The panel discussion was part of the 2014 Global Youth Economic Opportunities Summit organized by Making Cents International.

The SME Initiative held its fifth Working Group meeting at the MIT Sloan School of Management on September 19, 2014 in Boston, Massachusetts.