This learning brief examines the design options and essential tradeoffs in solution development based on a survey of 12 digital savings group (DSG) solution providers. The findings are outlined in six sections: 1) Introduction; 2) The benefits of savings groups; 3) User experience; 4) The business of DSGs; 5) Consumer protection, and 6) What will […]

This report provides some of the first insights into how savings groups can successfully transition from paper to digital ledgers and examines some key hypotheses about digitizing savings groups. Specifically, the report presents findings from an evaluation of a pilot test of DreamSave—a digital savings ledger—conducted by Project Concern International (PCI)—A Global Communities Partner, DreamStart […]

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, […]

This article shares key findings from qualitative research conducted by UNCDF Tanzania and CARE International on the digital financial services (DFS) that are most appropriate for informal savings groups. The authors outline two key findings. First, while mobile money is appropriate for individual accounts, there are difficulties around the validation of group accounts. Also, agent […]

Developed by the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF), this online course discusses key concepts in digital savings groups (DSGs) and provides a detailed orientation to AKF’s DSG platform. The course is designed for those who wish to support the implementation of DSGs, including project managers, trainers, and village agents. The course consists of 49 short videos. […]