In this short interview, Tamrat Abera explains how Mercy Corps is piloting an app from Jamii.one to digitize the record-keeping in savings groups in Ethiopia. He explains the pilot objectives, the current status of the pilot, key challenges and lessons, and plans for the next 12 months. This is the first in a short series […]

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 resource is designed to help development actors increase the effectiveness of digital tools and data, while reducing the risks and the potential for harm. We often assume that data protection is the job of informational technology (IT) specialists. IT has a role to play, but so does operations staff. Operations staff determine what data […]

This case study examines two digital savings group solutions – Mvend and SAVE – promoted within UNCDF’s REFAD program in Rwanda. These solutions were adopted by REFAD partners to expand financial inclusion and improve resilience in refugee camps and host communities in Rwanda. The case study discusses some of the successes, enablers, and impediments on […]

This learning brief examines the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on women’s savings groups in diverse African contexts and explores how the shift to digitization impacted these groups and their members. Conclusions indicate that women’s savings groups contributed to resilience to economic challenges associated with the pandemic. For example, households with a female member in […]

This article explores the gender gap in mobile phone ownership and efforts to get phones into the hands of more women at the last mile. While these efforts have undeniably increased women’s access to phones, it is less clear if and how women are using phones to improve their lives. The article concludes that handset […]