This granny is caring for five of her grandchildren. Without Kufusa Mari she does not know how they would survive184

ASAP has been implementing Internal Savings and Lending (IS&L) activities in eastern Zimbabwe since 2001, when ASAP contracted CARE Zimbabwe to train ASAP's two field officers for the two-year IS&L pilot project, funded by the McKnight Foundation. The project target, to improve the household security of 3,025 families, was surpassed by over 2,000. Field Officer Joseph Miti, now Program Manager, reported at the time, "There are so many people that want savings club training; there is not enough of us to go around!" To read the external project impact report click here.

After two years, 85 percent of savings club members continued to meet regularly

In 2005, two years after ASAP's first pilot project ended,the McKnight Foundation funded ASAP to implement a second project in the same area. The first activity was to conduct a sustainability survey - to go back and discover how many of the savings clubs that were active in 2003 continued to operate in 2005. The survey revealed 85% of clubs were still active after two years. To read the survey click here.

In ASAP's Joint Initiative partnership wth CARE, urban women in savings clubs are realizing great profits

By working together with partners, ASAP is helping to improve the household security of over 24,000 under-privileged families in Zimbabwe today. Please click on each of ASAP's project partners, CARE , Plan International , CRS, and Concern World Wide, to learn more about each of these projects.

In 2009 ASAP replicated the IS&L project model in the southern region of Malawi. The 'Chimvano Pa Chuma' (Unity for Economic Growth) project will enhance the household and food security of over 7,000 families. Cordaid has invested in ASAP's pilot project in Malawi and ASAP has established a partnership with Total Land Care, a Malawi based organization affiliated to Washington State University, for the Agricultural Component of the project.

ASAP's Joseph Miti takes NCA delegation from Darfur out to the field to gain experience

In July 2009 ASAP's Zimbabwe team was delighted to share their insight and experience with a delegation from the Norwegian Church Aid-Darfur Program (NCA-DP). Through the expertise gained from ASAP Africa in Zimbabwe, the NCA-DP returned home to Sudan and is working to build the income and food security of internally displaced persons in the South and West Darfur region today. ASAP is proud to be a part of such a positive humanitarian effort.