DSG Hub Blog

What works when linking financial institutions and savings groups? Practitioners from VisionFund, FINCA Uganda, Turame Community Finance, and Imbita Women's Finance Trust share practical lessons on digitization, group readiness, partnerships, payment systems, and sustainable models for serving savings groups.

Financial institutions often view savings groups as highly promising clients, but serving them sustainably is not always straightforward. In this webinar recap, practitioners from VisionFund, FINCA Uganda, Turame Community Finance, and Imbita Women's Finance Trust share candid lessons on regulation, digitization, group readiness, operating costs, and what they wish they had known earlier.

CRS’ SILC Pro-Poor Strategy promotes more inclusive savings groups by removing barriers that exclude the poorest. Through flexible policies, inclusive messaging, and equitable pricing, the approach helps ensure all community members—regardless of income—can benefit from group membership.

This brief from CRS explores how Sharia-compliant savings groups can expand financial inclusion in Muslim communities. By replacing interest with fixed fees, voluntary repayments, and group purchasing (Murabaha), these groups align with Islamic finance principles while still generating modest profit and fostering community trust. The model—successfully scaled in Niger—has seen strong acceptance from both members and religious leaders.