Poverty Outreach in Fee-for-Service Savings Groups

This research paper shares findings from a large-scale Randomized Control Trial conducted in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The paper describes the poverty profile of community members that participate in CRS' Savings and Internal Lending Communities and shows that CRS is reaching the very poor. Additionally, communities that paid for SILC services through Private Service Providers achieved greater resilience than those that received subsidized support through the traditional field agent approach.

Download the PDF (1.82 MB)
Read online

Click to read more ...

Savings and Internal Lending Communities (SILC) – Voices from Africa

Savings and Internal Lending Communities (SILC) – Voices from Africa draws on the insights and field experience of many CRS microfinance practitioners, and captures promising practices in the emerging area of savings-led microfinance. The publication provides interesting highlights on the work of SILC as it links with other sectors in improving financial access to poor and marginalized households.  

Download the PDF
Read online

Click to read more ...

MUSO Plus

Kisa MUSO Plus la ye? Li yon fason nan yon kominote ka travay ansamn pou fe plis ekonomi, jwenn posiblite fe kredi, epi pemet kominote sila-yo gen tet kole ansamn.

Download the PDF

Click to read more ...

Harnessing the Power of Savings and Lending Communities to Drive Agroenterprise Development in Ghana

Cracking the Nut Conference: Overcoming Obstacles to Rural and Agricultural Finances

For smallholder farmers in Ghana, limited access to agricultural finance and quality agriculture extension support are the two most binding constraints to achieving increased production and productivity. They also struggle to find reliable and qualified agricultural extension support. This paper highlights an innovative strategy used by CRS to mobilize partners into small groups in order to improve their access to finance for agricultural investment through savings and internal lending communities (SILC) and enhance the outreach of extension officers without increasing their workload.  

Download the PDF
Read online

Click to read more ...

Saving and Internal Lending Communities: An Approach for Improving Life and Wellbeing of PLWHA and OVC

CRS/Rwanda has integrated SILC across programming in projects such as agriculture, health, nutrition and HIV & AIDS since 2005. Recently, 942 SILC groups saved a total of $128,473 and provided $34,463 in loans to help members meet household and productive needs.

Download the PDF

Click to read more ...