ASAP FO, Nellie Chisale sensitizing communities at Kabwatika in Chikwawa

This micro-finance project puts money in the hands of women in rural Africa. When a woman has her own funds she has a voice in the home - the power to make decisions. This small change has a phenomenal impact. In Zimbabwe and Malawi ASAP is currently working to enhance the quality of life for over 31,000 families using this simple, effective methodology.

Bookeeping is an important part of rural savings clubs

Here's how it works: VS&L self-selected savings groups of 5-20 people agree to come together regularly. They agree on by-laws, a savings amount plus loan terms and interest rates.  Each member contributes the agreed amount into the savings pot.  One or more members borrow from the pooled savings and it is usually repaid at the next meeting, with interest.  Loan interest and the regular savings contributions accumulate with each meeting until most or all members are borrowing each month.  Groups agree on the length of their club's operating cycle. At the end, the accumulated amount is divided equally among the group members. Groups are free to wait before starting again, to add more members, to change members or to dissolve the group completely.

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These women will share the pride of self reliance and success through ASAP's IS&L projects in rural Africa

Local ownership is the key to the project success. In eastern Zimbabwe, participants named their project Kufusa Mari which means "Save for the Future" in the Shona language. In the Chichewa language, widely spoken in southern Malawi, the project has been given the name Chimvano Pa Chuma "Unity for Economic Growth".

To read more about ASAP's VS&L projects since 2001 Click here.

Training is sometimes held in unused classrooms

By meeting regularly for savings club activities, VS&L strengthens communities. ASAP adds value to these regular meetings by introducing new skills and knowledge. For example, during the deadly Cholera outbreak in 2008 in Zimbabwe, ASAP helped save lives, sharing knowledge on how to identify the disease, prevent transmission, and the steps to take. It is very cost effective for ASAP to share knowledge and skills with savings clubs and this knowledge cascades deeply into the community, reaching the most remote, neediest families.

Market gardening, or buying and selling produce, is a popular way to raise funds