Overcoming distance

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 banking is more appropriate than mobile money for linking informal savings groups to banks. Second, information is key in providing pathways for digitizing informal savings groups. Despite agent banking and mobile money being commonplace, savings groups are often reluctant to use them to interact with banks if they do not have the required knowledge.

Leave a Reply

View all comments

Related Resources

Read
Research
digital divide Digital Inclusion Digital Transformation Digitization Benefits
DSG Study Brief Impact of Gender 1 Page 1
Research
digital divide Digital Inclusion Digital Transformation Digitization Benefits

The Impact of Gender in Digital Solutions for Savings Groups

International Center for Research on Women
2020

The Impact of Gender in Digital Solutions for Savings Groups

This document is one of three research briefs that highlight key insights from a study of digital savings groups (DSGs) conducted in rural Tanzania from August 2019 through February 2020. The research was conducted by the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) working with savings groups supported by PCI, a Global Communities Partner, and […]
Read
Brief
Consumer Protection Data Privacy & Security Digital Payments Digital Recordkeeping
2a. SEEP LearningBrief COVER
Brief
Consumer Protection Data Privacy & Security Digital Payments Digital Recordkeeping

Digital Savings Groups

By Mark Staehle
SEEP Network
2020

Digital Savings Groups

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 […]