Hive COVER
Research
Digital Inclusion Digital Transformation Digitization Benefits Digitization Planning Financial Inclusion FinTech Program Quality Project Design Research Technology Solutions

Digitizing Savings Groups: Rethinking Financial Inclusion for the Poor

Published by
Latif Amars, Sofie Blakstad & Anaïs Ndjavé
2021
hiveonline
View Resource

This white paper, from hiveonline, explores the case for digitizing savings groups. The paper examines the challenges of reaching remote, poor populations and provides a brief introduction to the history, scope, and basic elements of the Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) methodology.

The paper notes that digitization of savings groups can result in the rapid acceleration of financial inclusion in developing countries. It can help solve challenges related to liquidity and access to formal financial services, develop a thorough financial history for groups and members, expand access to other services and support, connect savings groups to each other, address challenges related to low levels of literacy, improve inclusivity and trust, and strengthen remote monitoring.

Leave a Reply

View all comments

Related Resources

Read
article
Change Management Digital Transformation Digitization Costs Digitization Risks & Barriers
Pitfalls Cover
article
Change Management Digital Transformation Digitization Costs Digitization Risks & Barriers

Pitfalls in MFI Digitization: What They Are and How to Avoid Them

By Stefan Staschen, Estelle Darie-Rousseaux, Mark Flaming & Gerhard Coetzee
Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP)
2022

Pitfalls in MFI Digitization: What They Are and How to Avoid Them

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.   […]
Read
article
Digital Inclusion Digital Payments Digital Recordkeeping Digital Transformation
Next Billion Cover image
article
Digital Inclusion Digital Payments Digital Recordkeeping Digital Transformation

Reaching Informal Savings Groups with Formal Financial Products: A Study’s Unexpected Findings Reveal the Challenges of Digitizing Transactions

By Raksha Vasudevan
NextBillion
2022

Reaching Informal Savings Groups with Formal Financial Products: A Study’s Unexpected Findings Reveal the Challenges of Digitizing Transactions

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 […]