This learning brief offers critical reflections on whether a savings group in the Uganda refugee response is ready to go digital, on the objectives for pursuing digitisation/digitalisation, and on key challenges in making the shift. The brief was developed by Uganda Learning, Evidence, Accountability, and Research Network (U-Learn) in collaboration with the Uganda Inter-Agency Cash […]

This special report, by AFI’s Digital Financial Services Working Group, examines the role of digital financial services (DFS) in enhancing and sustaining the access, use, and overall quality of financial services for women. The report includes a comprehensive analysis of the current body of knowledge and case studies of countries that have accelerated DFS policy […]

This article discusses the main findings from a qualitative assessment of Savings at the Frontier (SatF) projects in Ghana, Tanzania, and Zambia, implemented in 2015-2022 and funded by the Mastercard Foundation. The program sought to bridge the gap between formal financial services and informal savings groups, enabling members to access the financial services that best […]

World Relief created this tool to help country offices decide if transitioning to a digital savings group (DSG) program would be helpful for the participants. After understanding the local context and current savings group program, field staff can ask themselves the questions in the decision tree to determine if and what type of a DSG […]

This article explores evidence which shows that women are more likely to experience most risks identified in CGAP’s typology of 66 DFS consumer risks than men. CGAP observes that long-standing digital financial service (DFS) risks are not only getting worse, but new risks are emerging every year, and women are more vulnerable to DFS risks than […]

This blog series looks at the most common mistakes that microfinance institutions (MFIs) make when digitizing so that other MFIs can avoid them. The articles examine the common pitfalls of not getting the business case right, not listening to the customer, getting bogged down in technology, underestimating change management, and overlooking the regulatory environment.   […]

This article explores digital financial capability (DFC) as a critical component of the digital transformation journey, especially for women. Financial capability must evolve to include DFC, so low-income women are not left behind. Research by CFI reveals that traditional financial literacy approaches are ineffective and women are particularly affected by social norms. In the same […]

This toolkit offers practical guidance to financial service providers (FSP) which are already providing or intend to provide formal financial services, including digital financial services (DFS), to savings groups. Insights and lessons offered in this toolkit are based on the experiences of six FSPs, which are UNCDF’s MicroLead partners in Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Malawi, […]