Virtual Roundtable: Promoting Women's Entrepreneurship through Savings Groups

Oct 12, 2021 | by The SEEP Network

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This was not your average webinar! The SEEP Network and the Savings Learning Lab had a lively and interactive discussion on promoting and supporting women’s entrepreneurship through Savings Groups. Expert panelists shared insights from seven countries, featuring topics from financial literacy and business training to promoting climate smart agriculture to addressing harmful gender norms, and more.

We then jumped into breakout discussions hosted by each panelist, allowing participants to share and discuss their initiatives and what they have learned with fellow attendees.

Moderator

Jenny Morgan
Savings Learning Lab

Jenny is a learning and knowledge management specialist with over 15 years of experience in program management working on inclusive financial growth, entrepreneurship and small business development, women’s economic empowerment, and resilience.

Panelists

Charles Achor Atem Adolo
African Community Agency for Development and Relief

Charles Achor Atem Adolo, South Sudanese by Nationality and the founder of African Community Agency for Development and Relief (AFRICAN – CDR). He established the foundation of AFRICAN – CDR in 2016 and before it, In 2014 , he managed to establish St. Charles Primary School based in South Sudan where Children needs Education learn free of charge with additional learning materials offering to children living with disability and street children identified with possibilities to learn. His current roles include overseeing project’s implementation by AFRICAN – CDR’s team with extra – ordinary programming of women empowerment programs in South Sudan.

Charlotte Rønje
Jamii.one

In 2018, Charlotte founded Jamii.one with the mission to solve the issue of financial inclusion. As a past management consultant for PwC and microfinance practitioner, she recognized the need and opportunity for a community platform that would enable underserved people to access financial services. Born from this recognition, Jamii.one is a for-profit social enterprise that offers a free, app- based accounting system to informal community finance groups. They use data from the app to link these groups to financial services and also provide groups with vital business and financial skills to holistically address financial inclusion and further the UN’s SDG to end poverty.

Courtney Purvis
World Relief

Courtney is World Relief’s Savings Group specialist since 2011. She is the author of their unique faith-based curriculum and methodology, Savings for Life, and has written many other curricula and training modules for World Relief such as Deciding Together, a couple’s financial decision-making training, Financial Literacy and Business Development training, and a Smart Spending guide for guiding savings group members in wise financial investments. She has a Masters of Arts from Eastern University and over a decade of experience living and working in Sub-Saharan Africa. When she’s not working, Courtney enjoys hiking, running, and biking with her husband.

Edwin Ocharo
Postbank Kenya

Edwin, works as a Senior Projects Officer at Postbank – Kenya, where he coordinates various business and ICT projects. He has 14years’ experience in banking industry, 7 of which have been with Savings Groups. He has actively participated in building business models on how banks can reach the unbanked and underbanked, with specific focus on women and youth. He has deep understanding on the role of savings groups in local communities’ economic and social empowerment. He has a hands-on experience in partnerships management, agency banking and the role mobile technology plays in service delivery. He is a graduate in Entrepreneurship and Public Relations

Rebecca Chirenga
WICO Zimbabwe

Rebecca is an educationist, trainer, community developer and women's rights activist, keen to empower women. She is also a mother and grandmother. Rebecca has spent the last decade trying to change the well being of women that she has interacted with and influence a positive change. Her desire is to continue impacting women and girls and whole communities for positive change inspite of the many challenges.

Nathan Barigye
JOGO Community Fund Limited

This webinar was organized by the SEEP Network as part of The Mastercard Foundation Savings Learning Lab — implemented by Itad in collaboration with the SEEP Network.