Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLA)
Curiosity Collective II : Are VSLA feminist platforms for gender transformation?
CARE has worked with Village Savings and Loans Associations (VLSAs) since 1991. Their success has been primarily measured, since then, in terms of women’s economic agency. However, there is evidence that VSLAs have broader impacts, particularly in relation to gender equality for women and
girls. To date, there has still been little consistent investment in capturing these gender transformational impacts such as how VSLAs have promoted women’s dignity, women’s voice, challenged gender stereotypes and dismantled patriarchal power dynamics; all of which are changes CARE seeks in its gender equality framework.
This paper focuses on the gender transformative aspects of the VSLAs. It explores how VSLAs can be a platform to challenge patriarchal structures that discriminate against and normalize violence against women and girls. It builds on a Meta Evaluation, Curiosity Collective I carried out by the West Africa region Read More...
girls. To date, there has still been little consistent investment in capturing these gender transformational impacts such as how VSLAs have promoted women’s dignity, women’s voice, challenged gender stereotypes and dismantled patriarchal power dynamics; all of which are changes CARE seeks in its gender equality framework.
This paper focuses on the gender transformative aspects of the VSLAs. It explores how VSLAs can be a platform to challenge patriarchal structures that discriminate against and normalize violence against women and girls. It builds on a Meta Evaluation, Curiosity Collective I carried out by the West Africa region Read More...
Curiosity Collective : Evidence of Social Changes for Women in Savings Groups
CARE has been working with Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLA) since it first launched the model in Niger in 1991. Over the years, VSLAs have reached more 7.6 MILLION members to form 357,000 groups in 51 countries. 81% of these members are women.
The economic impacts of the groups are well documented. Women and men in VSLA groups save between an estimated $400 and $700 million each year. In West Africa, 3.2 million women participate in VSLA. The savings and credit can be transformational, helping women start businesses, pay school fees, and access emergency loans when they have a crisis in the family. A randomized controlled trial of VSLAs conducted by Innovations for Poverty Action showed that VSLAs substantially increased women’s access to financial services, income, and ability to start businesses.
Perhaps more important, but less formally documented, is the impact that VSLAs have on women themselves, and the social fabric of their communities. Anecdotally, women themselves often point to increases in self-confidence, independence, and a greater belief in their own ability to change things in their lives, as the VSLA impacts that are most important to them. For example, one woman in Niger says, “[VSLA]1 has opened my eyes
and now I do not hide anymore and I speak a lot.”
Read More...
The economic impacts of the groups are well documented. Women and men in VSLA groups save between an estimated $400 and $700 million each year. In West Africa, 3.2 million women participate in VSLA. The savings and credit can be transformational, helping women start businesses, pay school fees, and access emergency loans when they have a crisis in the family. A randomized controlled trial of VSLAs conducted by Innovations for Poverty Action showed that VSLAs substantially increased women’s access to financial services, income, and ability to start businesses.
Perhaps more important, but less formally documented, is the impact that VSLAs have on women themselves, and the social fabric of their communities. Anecdotally, women themselves often point to increases in self-confidence, independence, and a greater belief in their own ability to change things in their lives, as the VSLA impacts that are most important to them. For example, one woman in Niger says, “[VSLA]1 has opened my eyes
and now I do not hide anymore and I speak a lot.”
Read More...
Rapid Gender Analysis VSLA in Emergencies Group Investment Phase
Since (2020), CARE Türkiye has supported community members in Northwest Syria, predominantly women, through VSLAs to facilitate women’s access to finance, support their economic empowerment, build resilience and social and economic solidarity. To enhance the sustainability of VSLA groups in Northwest (NW) Syria, CARE launched the new investment approach in December 2023. The collective investment supported 39 VSLA groups out of 98 groups consisting of 720 members (627 women) to engage in group investment to expand their business activities and income. To understand the gendered dimension of the investment approach to assess gender power dynamics, community perceptions, constraints, opportunities, and needs, CARE conducted its Rapid Gender Analysis (RGA) in May 2024. The RGA targeted VSLA members in the collective investment activities and VSLAs who have not yet been targeted in the activities to assess the different outcomes among the two groups. Seventy-four female respondents participated in the Focus Group Discussions and interviews. Read More...