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

Quick information guide

Importance of VSLAs

      Village Savings and Loans Associations play an important role by:

  • Providing a nearby trustworthy financial institution that allows members to save and borrow money for their small businesses
  • Helping women entrepreneurs to learn from peers when it comes to doing business
  • Allowing members to instantly respond to emergencies

How can VSLAs be leveraged on for economic growth?

For VSLAs to be profitable, members need to:

  • Invest in capacity building such in financial literacy, mentorship, etc
  • Ensure good leadership for financial and behaviour control
  • Explore and invest into profitable income generating activities

Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs) in Tanzania

Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs) are groups of people (maximum 30) commonly formed by poor target communities to provide sustainable and profitable micro finance services such as micro servings, micro-credits, micro insurance and many others.

In Tanzania, the VSLAs started in 2000 and ever since they have been evolving. To date the VSLAs have become popular in the remote areas of Tanzania where they constitute alternatives to formal financial services.

Small Industries Development Organization (SIDO)

SIDO runs capacity building programmes aiming to enhance women's capacity in a number of areas

World Vision International Tanzania (WVT)

WVIT provides capacity building in different areas that include VSLAs formation, record keeping, entrepreneurship etc...

MILELE FOUNDATION

provides training on Financial Management, Savings, Leadership and Soft skills and technical skills

Small and Medium Industrial Development Agency (SMIDA)

offers capacity building to VSLAs especially on entrepreneurship