This report shares case studies from six countries that detail how advocacy, partnerships, and tailored regulatory frameworks have fostered supportive legal environments for Savings Groups (SGs), promoting their growth, sustainability, and integration into formal financial systems while preserving their essential informality.

The report highlights CARE’s commitment to supporting women’s economic power, market systems change, and scaling proven models, all while fostering local partnerships for sustainable progress. 

This learning report focuses on the role of savings groups in addressing systemic gender inequities in markets.

The conference highlighted the need for a national regulatory framework for savings groups and the establishment of an Apex organization to support them.

By joining, CARE commits to championing women-led businesses and working to eliminate financing gaps for women entrepreneurs.

The investment, brokered by CARE Social Ventures, will significantly expand efforts to ensure women and girls have the digital and financial access they need to thrive in today’s world.

Based on 3,822 (majority women) VSLA member interviews, this brief represents quantitative data from Burundi, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Mali, Niger, and Vietnam.

Wellington Pak and Kim Brearley join CARE USA Women’s Economic Justice (WEJ) team, furthering its mission to help women save, earn and invest.

A member guest blog by Rathi Mani-Kandt, Head of Women’s Entrepreneurship and Financial Inclusion, CARE and Emma Langbridge, Entrepreneurship Communications Advisor, CARE.

The experiences of Haitian savings groups during COVID-19