Mr. Yatesh Yadev
Board of Director, Manjari Foundation
Yatesh is a founding Director of the Manjari Foundation, he is a rural development professional, having an extensive experience of more than 27 years in India and abroad largely in Afghanistan and Kenya on the strengthening livelihoods of the poor communities that include community-led microfinance (Self Help Groups), community institutions (Federations, Producers Organisation), agriculture and livestock-based livelihoods, integrated natural resource management, and watershed development, rural enterprises among others. He has been a Pool of National Resource Persons of the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), and in a pool of National Resource Persons for IPPE 2 (Intensive Participatory Planning Exercise), MG NAREGA, Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), New Delhi. He has worked with teams comprised of nationals and internationals, on projects funded by the World Bank, UNDP, and Government, and other donors at various difficult locations hit with strife.
He holds a degree in Agricultural Engineering from G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttrakhand (1992) and Post Graduate Diploma (Project Management) and a Master's in Business Administration in Project Management (2016). Currently, he is working as Head of Financial Inclusion, at Aga Khan Foundation Afghanistan (AKF (Afg)) (An International NGO) based in Kabul since April 2018 and also leading a project on Women Economic Empowerment of AKF (Afg) from the World Bank (funded by Japanese Social Development Fund-JSDF) and from Ministry of Women Affairs, Afghanistan (funded by the World Bank). Before moving to Afghanistan (second inning), he worked with Techno Serve from November 16, 2016, to March 2018. He led a pilot based in Nairobi, Kenya for an initial period to augment fodder availability and improve cattle rearing practices (using a 5% model for harvesting rainwater), for enhancing milk yield to improve the Dairy Enterprise of Maasai Women Dairy in Kajiado County. After completion of a pilot in Kenya, he moved to India with Techno Serve and led Sustainable Guar Initiative in rain-fed conditions in Bikaner Rajasthan (Arid region) till March 2018.
He headed the Centre for Microfinance (CmF), Jaipur, an NGO that works for community-led microfinance & livelihoods; as Executive Director during 2013-15. Before CmF, He has worked for 3 and half years with AKF (Afg) as Advisor (Micro Finance and SHGs) from 2008 to mid of 2011, and about two years as an International Advisor (middle of 2011 to the beginning of 2013), with Afghanistan Rural Enterprise Development Programme (AREDP) of Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation (MRRD), Government of Afghanistan; a World Bank Project. Before moving to Afghanistan. He has worked in various positions for 14 years in Rajasthan, from 1994 to 2007 with PRADAN (Professional Assistance for Development Action), a premier NGO that works on strengthening livelihoods in India.
He worked/visited various counties in his professional carrier including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Canada, Germany, Tajikistan, UAE, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Nepal and Uzbekistan.
He is also a Board member in Ibtada, Alwar, Rajasthan and associated with Ibtada since its inception.
He has worked with the Aga Khan Foundation Kabul and the Government of Afghanistan to support the community-led microfinance program across Afghanistan. He was the key person who formulated, designed and streamline the community institutions and microfinance work in Afghanistan.
He has also worked as an Executive Director of the Centre for Micro Finance based in Jaipur. His area of expertise is integrated natural resource management-based livelihood promotion and development of community-led microfinance. Mr Yadav has also actively worked with many bilateral funding agencies that include Tata Trust, World Bank, Government of India, NABARD and many other well-known organizations.
Currently, Mr Yadav is based in Kabul Afghanistan and supports a community-led microfinance program with Aga Khan Foundation.