Peer Learning Group: The Role of Savings Groups in Supporting Graduation from Social Safety Nets

In a recent state of practice report, the SEEP Network identifies that Savings Groups have been incorporated into social protection policies and programming across 15 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Savings Groups are increasingly promoted as a graduation pathway to support beneficiaries of national safety nets to save, build resilience, access formal financial services, and ultimately reduce dependency on public support.

Governments across the region have piloted various approaches to incorporate Savings Groups in cash transfer programs, with encouraging results. Nevertheless, the experience remains fragmented and public officials often lack facilitated spaces for mutual learning with counterparts from other countries.  

What We Achieved

The Peer Learning Group (PLG) aimed to mobilize knowledge that is actionable, empower members through a self-designed learning process and peer-to-peer support, and improve the potential to integrate and expand the coverage of Savings Groups within social protection policy and programming.

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Facilitators

Aisha Rahamatali, CARE International

As Regional Advocacy Coordinator in West Africa, Aisha supports the implementation of Women on the Move, a regional initiative focused on the economic, social and political empowerment of women through their participation in Saving Groups, with a key component being scale up through partnerships and advocacy with governments. Aisha works closely with CARE Country Offices and other stakeholders to advance the adoption and implementation of SGs by governments in the region through financial inclusion, gender and social protection policies. She also co-authored the recent state of practice report on Savings Groups and the Role of Government in Sub-Saharan Africa. Previously, Aisha worked as a child rights and women’s rights advocate with several NGOs and the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women.

George Muruka, CARE International UK

George is a senior advisor on financial inclusion with CARE International UK. He supports advocacy and policy on women economic empowerment focusing on financial inclusion, gender and access to markets especially for excluded women and girls. He co-facilitates the SEEP’s Peer Learning Group on the role of savings groups as a graduation tool for beneficiaries of social safety nets programs. In the past 15 years, George has worked with financial institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa to understand market segments, design solutions and scale interventions.

Members

The Peer Learning Group was composed of influential government representatives from five countries and two partner NGOs, responsible for development, design or implementation of Savings Groups for the beneficiaries of social safety nets in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Active Learning Period

Group members met in person in April to define the PLG learning agenda, workplan and outputs, and held a monthly videoconference between April and October.

This initiative was facilitated by The SEEP Network as part of The Mastercard Foundation Savings Learning Lab — implemented by Itad in partnership with SEEP.