Celestine is one of the 3.2 million women in West Africa who are benefiting from VSLA. Her passion and vision capture the unique spark of VSLA, the centerpiece of CARE’s work in West Africa. Women on the Move is a CARE regional strategy for West Africa that runs from 2016-2020, and aims to help 8 million women and girls become economically empowered.
“When I joined the group, I was young and shy. But I was supported and encouraged to participate, to take on roles of responsibility in the group. The group changed my life and I told some friends about it, we created another group where I am the secretary, because I have learned to write basic numbers. Before I never dared make a decision about my children or others, now I have the courage to tell my husband my ideas at home and be involved in decision-making in the savings groups. I hope one day to create and lead more and more savings groups and create a network, like the women we met from Niger."
What have we accomplished so far?
- More women have access to finance: 652,633 additional women got access to informal financial services, and 11,630 connected to formal banks.
- Governments are promoting VSLA: Niger, Cote d’Ivoire, and Mali have all adopted formal policies to promote VSLA groups as a key strategy for women’s economic empowerment. Niger has also included an action plan for implementation to help them advance the agenda.
- Banks are spreading the model: Ecobank in Cote d’Ivoire and the Bank of Sierra Leone are adopting VSLA. Ecobank is adopting the Village Agents to work as mobile banking agents, and Sierra Leone has committed to working with savings groups in its financial inclusion strategy.
- Women are participating in more decisions: 28,565 women are now participating in financial decisions at home.
- Women can assert their rights: 166,652 women are participating in groups that help them assert their rights and collectively negotiate.
How did we get there?
- Work with coalitions: Women on the Move has 7 active partnership platforms across West Africa that include other NGOs, governments, banks, and women in groups to focus on scaling VSLA.
- Build evidence: CARE Benin participated in releasing a study with Finscope to influence policy makers.
- Work with local women: Benin, Togo, and Cote d’Ivoire have all adopted models where women in VSLAs themselves scale the model to others so that more women can benefit from the savings, financial inclusion, and social solidarity that comes with VSLA.
Want to learn more?
Check out the 2018 Impact Report