Self-help groups: How to empower rural women and make financial services accessible to them

• by Elisabeth Kibitek and Adama Diaby
• Nov 22, 2023
• 1 min
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Empowering rural women in Mali through savings groups. We are excited to share a compelling case study that sheds light on the transformative effects of savings groups on rural women in Mali. Their resilience and determination inspire us! Discover the impact on economic empowerment. Learn how these groups drive financial inclusion. Explore the data and success stories in this case study.

Yeredeme Group (GYD), which means “self-help groups” (SHG) in Bambara, is an innovative methodology for rural women’s empowerment based on self-management and peer-learning activities. Its implementation was possible thanks to a technical partnership between an Indian NGO, the Manjari Foundation, and the Malian NGO, CAMIDE. The model integrates livelihood activities development, financial intermediation, women’s empowerment, and community development.

With the Yeredeme methodology, more than 2,500 women from 19 villages in the Logo municipality in Mali have been organized into 189 SHGs. These women were granted microcredits regularly in the SHGs. In addition, they also benefited from larger refinancing loans disbursed by Benso Jamanu, the financial branch of CAMIDE.

SCBF, the Swiss Capacity Building Facility, is an organization that provides technical assistance to financial services providers to help them build the expertise needed to develop client-centric financial products. With SCBF’s support, Benso et CAMIDE has extended the Yeredeme methodology in two additional rural municipalities (Sero Diamanou and Liberte Dembaya).

The goal is to reach 5,000 women (households) with the Yeredeme groups methodology by creating the following grassroots women’s institutions: 320 SHGs in 40 village organizations and two federations. As Yeredeme groups are rooted in self-management, peer-learning activities will focus on building the capacity of women whose role will be to support the setup, management, and development of 60 CRPs (community resource persons), 320 Sebennikela (group accounting secretaries) and 40 control officers.

The SCBF commissioned this study to understand the Yeredeme methodology’s effects on clients.