Since COVID-19, CARE has undertaken concerted efforts to listen to women and girls and learn the impacts of the pandemic on women's lives, their greatest needs, and how they are responding. A segment of women and girls CARE engaged in these conversations have been members of VSLAs. This case study features the story of 15-year-old Mahlet Gulilat from West Hararghe, Ethiopia, the leader of her VSLA group. Mahlet was interviewed in April 2021 as part of CARE's Women Respond initiative.
The Sanchay Sathi mobile application represents a significant advancement in the digital empowerment of Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) in Bangladesh. Focused on the challenging environments of the char and haor regions, the app supports over 2000 VSLA groups, aiding in financial inclusion and economic enhancement through digital record-keeping and management. Read More
This brief discusses the Commonlands initiative in Uganda, which aims to modernize land rights and financial accessibility for rural communities. By leveraging digital tools and community-based verification systems, the program seeks to enhance land security and provide access to credit, empowering marginalized groups, particularly women. Read More
This brief highlights CARE Sierra Leone's partnership with MiKashBoks to enhance the efficiency and security of Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) through digital tools. The initiative focuses on improving financial management, digital literacy, and secure transactions, particularly benefiting women in rural communities by transitioning from manual to digital financial practices. Read More