Nachingwea, a district in the uniquely biodiverse Ruvuma landscape, is one of Tanzania’s poorest regions. Its communities rely largely on subsistence farming and are increasingly subject to the impacts of climate change, such as erratic rainfall resulting in droughts and floods. Women are especially vulnerable to these events due to the gender roles and socioeconomic marginalization that reduce their access to information, resources, and decision-making power— and thus, their ability to contribute to climate change resilience. This brief presents key impacts and lessons drawn from various monitoring, evaluation, and learning methods implemented through the project. After a mixed-methods baseline quantitative household survey of 30 clusters randomly selected from 126 villages, including all six project villages, an independent endline survey evaluated households from three project villages regarding changes in natural resource management agricultural practices, and their well-being, among other things.
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