This evidence review synthesizes rigorous evidence on the impacts of savings groups on women's financial inclusion and economic activity in developing economies.

This study explores the role of informal savings mechanisms, such as the group-based savings system called Ajo or Esusu in the south-west of Nigeria, in promoting financial inclusion in Nigeria, and particularly among women.

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.

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

This paper presents findings from a comprehensive qualitative research study, including focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and an extensive literature review. It offers practical recommendations for stakeholders working in rural finance and gender empowerment.

This research was commissioned by CGAP and carried out by DeepRoot Consulting to understand efforts by Yemen's Social Fund for Development, to leverage savings groups as an entry point for formal providers to reach underserved, rural, and female segments in Yemen amidst conflict and a contracting microfinance sector.

Based on interviews with 46 practitioners across various sectors, this report delineates the contemporary landscape of linkages between informal savings groups and formal financial services.

This learning brief describes three models that USAID-funded Feed the Future Rural Resilience Activity utilized to provide formal financial services, in particular credit and savings, to previously excluded populations in Northeast Nigeria.

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.

This study examines the the consequences of universal basic income in the context of a unique field experiment in rural Kenya.