• Tanzania
  • Resources
  • Access to Finance
  • VSLAS (Village Saving & Loan Associations)
  • 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.
angle-left Small Industries Development Organization (SIDO)

Small Industries Development Organization (SIDO)

  1. Small Industries Development Organization (SIDO)

SIDO is a government funded institution which aims to support entrepreneurs in accessing new simple technologies including financial services. The organisation offers training to the VSLAs under its outreach services. The training can be done in groups or individuals. The topic depends on needs and interest of the VSLAs. The courses are advertised during SIDOs workshops and meetings.

Areas of Training

  • VSLAs group formation and group dynamics.                                        
 
  • Book keeping
 
  • Financial Management
 
  • Credit Management
 
  • Women Networking

Enrollment criteria

When is the training done?

  • It is done routinely during outreach services

How much does it cost?

  • It is free for SIDO beneficiaries

  • Fees applies for non-SIDO beneficiaries and depends on location, course title and duration and size of the group

Additional services

  • Loans to VSLAs

Events organized

  •  ‘’Women and Entrepreneurship’’ in all regions with SIDO offices

 

Contact details

The Director General,

SIDO Headquarter,

Mfaume/Fire Road, Upanga

P. O. Box. 2476,

Dar es Salaam.

Tel: +255 222 151 948

E-mail: dg@sido.go.tz

Website: http://www.sido.go.tz.

 

 

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