Savings-Led Working Group Newsletter
April - June 2018
Request for Expressions of Interest:
The Long-term Performance and Evolution of Savings Groups 
Submission deadline: May 25, 2018

Research grant of up to USD 100,000 to examine the financial performance, institutional performance, institutional relationships and activities of Savings Groups at least five years of age, based on primary research in three countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
Haven't Registered for SG2018 Yet?
Join over 400 participants from 50 countries at SG2018, including funders, government representatives, NGOs, financial service providers and technology firms. The agenda includes 35 exciting sessions, four pre-conference field visits on May 21 and two post-conference events on May 25, including the Savings Groups Technology Fair and CARE International’s POWER Africa Learning Event (register here).
Learn with SEEP: Resource Spotlight
Applying a Market Systems Approach to Savings Groups
For Savings Groups to reach significant numbers of poor people in a sustainable manner, it is necessary to develop a vision for the future where Savings Groups are formed and continue to operate without development agency assistance. This learning brief proposes the application of the market systems approach to support the development of a well-functioning system where Savings Groups effectively reach all those who seek participation.

Typologie des relations entre Groupes d'Épargne et prestataires de services financiers
Cette note éducative propose une typologie pour décrire les types de relations entre les Groupes d'Épargne et les prestataires de services financiers, afin de faciliter les discussions politiques et la recherche, améliorer les comparaisons entre études, et renforcer le langage dans les contrats et autres accords.


What We’re Working On in 2018

State of Practice: Savings Groups and the Dynamics of Inclusion (July)
The State of Practice report provides a comprehensive overview of the participation of vulnerable populations in Savings Groups, barriers and enablers of inclusion, and approaches and tools to increase and measure the outreach of SGs to vulnerable populations.  

A Risk Assessment of Savings Groups (July)
The risk assessment – undertaken in collaboration with the Aga Khan Foundation, Catholic Relief Services and World Relief – will identify and assess negative outcomes associated with participation in Savings Groups. This evidence-based assessment – based on a survey of over 500 Savings Groups and key informants in Burkina Faso, Madagascar, Rwanda and Tanzania – aims to inform the development of targeted consumer protection initiatives for Savings Groups. Preliminary findings will be presented at the SLWG mid-year meeting at SG2018, in Kigali on May 24.

Grant Awarded to Nathan Associates:
Savings Groups and Women’s Empowerment (2018-2019)
In response to the request for proposals issued by the SEEP Network in February for a learning partner on Savings Groups and Women’s Empowerment, we received 24 proposals from a diverse range of organizations.

SEEP is delighted to announce that the evidence and learning grant has been awarded to Nathan Associates, in partnership with CARE International. Based on primary and secondary research in sub-Saharan Africa over the next 12 months, Nathan and its partners will develop: 1) a learning brief on good practices in the design and monitoring of Savings Groups programs for women’s empowerment outcomes; and 2) a monitoring tool for the measurement of women’s empowerment in Savings Groups.

Please join us at the SLWG mid-year meeting at SG2018 to learn more about this learning partnership, and for an exciting track on Savings Groups and Gender-Transformative Initiatives.
Webinars on Demand
What We’re Reading

by OXFORD POLICY MANAGEMENT

The objective of the research was to identify the potential for linkages of SGs to formal financial service providers (FSPs) based on the needs, preferences, and usage of SGs in Tanzania, and to explore the potential for sustainable commercial relationships between FSPs and SGs. The study's mixed methods approach, incorporating insights on the research design and findings from key stakeholders, has produced a set of findings which will contribute to the growing evidence base on how best to develop mutually beneficial relationships between FSPs and SGs.

This case study explores the experience of integrating client protection principles into the initial design and roll-out of a digital savings product designed for Savings Groups in Burkina Faso. The authors identify the following challenges and risks: (1) limited client knowledge; (2) high costs; (3) network downtime; (4) potential misuse of client information by mobile money agents; (5) insufficient agent liquidity; (6) lack of client dispute mechanisms; and (7) various cultural and technical barriers.

Upcoming Events

May 22 – May 24 | Conference | Kigali, Rwanda | The SEEP Network

Savings Groups and the Role of Government
May 24 | Meeting | Kigali, Rwanda | The SEEP Network
In partnership with FSD Africa, UNCDF, Itad and the Mastercard Foundation, the SEEP Network is hosting a policymakers meeting on Savings Groups and the role of government. The meeting includes over 30 representatives from diverse government ministries across Sub-Saharan Africa, directly responsible for the implementation of policies and programs related to Savings Groups.

May 24 | Meeting | Kigali, Rwanda | The SEEP Network
Please join us for a public meeting of SEEP's Savings-Led Working Group (SLWG) where we will review progress on this year's ambitious learning agenda. Working group members will share updates and solicit feedback on three initiatives – the state of practice report on Savings Groups and the dynamics of inclusion; preliminary findings from a multi-country risk assessment of Savings Groups; and a new learning partnership on Savings Groups and women's empowerment. Whether a long-time participant in the SLWG, a new member, or just interested to check out our work, all are welcome.

May 25 | Post-Conference Event | Kigali, Rwanda | The SEEP Network

May 25 | Post-Conference Event | Kigali, Rwanda | CARE

May 28 – June 8 | Course | Kigali, Rwanda | Carsey School of Public Policy, University of New Hampshire