• Rwanda
  • Resources
  • Access to Finance
  • VSLAS (Village Saving & Loan Associations)
  • VSLAS (Village Saving & Loan Associations)

Quick information guide

According to Care International report 2017,

  • 77% of VSLAs groups members in Rwanda are women

Training needs for VSLAs identified by development supporters

  • VSLA formation
  • Financial literacy
  • Entreprise management/entrepreneurship
  • Business mentorship
  • Good and viable agriculture practices

 

Village Savings and loans associations in Rwanda

Village savings and loans associations (VSLAs) approach is a micro credit model under which 25-30 members meet in a self-managed group once a week to save and borrow money. 

This approach has played a key role in providing access to financial services for women who don't have bank accounts. 

This programme is improving family members' well-being as they can borrow small loans to invest in income generating activities, or respond to emergencies instantly.

After years of engaging in weekly savings and loans, members become empowered and are able to engage formal financial institutions for bank account creation. Their savings become more secure and these women can access bigger loans for bigger businesses.

The Rwandan government in partnership with different stakeholders is investing in empowerment of these grassroots organisations to promote financial inclusion.  

angle-left CARE INTERNATIONAL RWANDA

CARE INTERNATIONAL RWANDA

About CARE

Founded in 1945, CARE is a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty and providing lifesaving assistance in emergencies. In Rwanda, CARE has over 35 years of experience supporting women and girls in rural communities, while working with the Government to effect lasting change, and strengthening civil society for localized impact.

The VSLA model was globally introduced by CARE. In Rwanda the model was first introduced in 1999.

The model targets lower income earners who self-select, get together to save and lend on a weekly basis, and eventually to start income generating activities. Normally the group is made up on up to 30 people. In Rwanda the majority of group members are women and girls (80%).

To date,  have formed up to 18,553 VSLA groups with 524,377 members.

 

     1.    VSLA formation

 

 

Kind of support provided

       2.    Book keeping

 

 

3.    Financial literacy

 

 

 

4.    Enterprise management/entrepreneurship

 

 

5.    Business mentorship

Good and viable agriculture practices

 

enrollment criteria/requirements

The person has to be financially excluded, as a lower income earner or from a low income family, or belonging to any category of vulnerability for women or girls (eg violence against women and girls, female headed household, living with disability, etc).

 

additional services

●      These are linkages to market for their products

●      Build their capacity to be business mentors for other women who are not part of CARE programs

●      Able to join to the chamber for women entrepreneurs (CWE)

 

events organized

●      International women’s day

●      International savings day and Rwanda savings week

●      Women participate in district open days

●      Women spaces run and led by women

 

Online training resources

N/A

 

 

Contact details

P.O. Box 550, KN8 Ave, Plot 720, Kigali City
Telephone: +250788306241/+250788304454

Website: www.care.org.rw; twitter: @careinrwanda

 

Contact person

Glycerie Niyibizi Glycerie.Niyibizi@care.org (technical advisory for financial inclusion)

Elizabeth Carriere Elizabeth.Carriere@care.org  (country director)

 
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