Microfinance Focus, January 26, 2012: Global development organization Oxfam in collaboration with impact investment group Symbiotics has created a Small Enterprise Impact Investment Fund (SEIIF) to target small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries.

The target size of the SEIIF is $100 million after three years, which will be invested in a portfolio of debt and equity instruments, targeting those with low risk, high impact profiles. A significant proportion of SMEs targeted by the SEIIF will be in the vital agricultural and food sectors.

In its role as 'impact adviser' for the fund, Oxfam’s primary focus will be activities which build women's empowerment, job creation and food security in low income economies.  The fund aims to directly create 100,000 good quality jobs in its first five years.