Savings Groups: Building Scale and Impact through Adaptation and Experimentation

Savings Groups: Building Scale and Impact through Adaptation and Experimentation

DRAFT COURSE SYLLABUS

COURSE TITLE: / Savings Groups: Building Scale and Impact through Adaptation and Experimentation
ONLINE PORTION: / June 15,- Oct. 23, 2015 / FACE to FACE PORTION / Nov. 2-6, 2015
OFFERED BY: / The Carsey School of Public Policy’sSustainable Microfinance and Development Program (SMDP)
WEBSITE: /

Instructor

Nanci Lee

E-mail:

Skype: nancilee

Webpage:

I. Description

Savings groups (SGs) have gained wide acceptance as a valuable complement to formal and other informal financial services where people can save, borrow, build assets and receive social supports, even social services.

Several models and methods have emerged to support SGs. Drivers of scale and impact are becoming clearer. The course will review these and other key technical aspects of managing strong SGs including strategies for scale and outreach, double-bottom line reporting and benchmarking and market research. Innovative cases will be shared including the varied agent models, clustering/ networking, bank linkages, branchless banking and using SGs as a platform for other interventions.

Unfortunately, technical solutions are usually not enough. Groups and their members often live with unpredictable risks and shocks. It is becoming widely accepted that since change is not linear, our strategies to address them must also use more complexity and adaptation. This course will be grounded in systems thinking and practice. Students will not only understand how to analyze systems and measure for complexity. A peer-supported action research assignment running the length of the online program will allow students to practice adaptive systems thinking. Taking a key SG issue students will learn, experiment and adapt in real time in their organizations and communities.

The final portion of the course will take place in Zambia to coincide with a Global Savings Group Conference. This face-to-face week will be both an advanced intensive for learners to deepen analysis and application combined with an opportunity to visit and assess Savings Group programs in Zambia.

II. Prerequisites

  • At least 2 years of work experience working with savings groups

III. Learning Outcomes

By the completion of this course, students will have:

  1. Contributed to a constructive online peer-learning community
  2. Understood and applied adaptive systems analysis
  3. Improved action research skills (field assignment)
  4. Understood the role of finance in households and groups within the formal and informal financial system
  5. Obtained a sound understanding of the various drivers of outreach and scale
  6. Refined their understanding and practiced financial and social performance/impact reporting
  7. Practiced environmental analysis to understand how savings groups can both complement and be supported by other interventions, policies and supports
  8. Reviewed relevant and innovative global case-studies that have achieved impressive scale and impact

IV. Monitoring and Evaluation

Each learner will be rigorously assessed on the outcomes according to the following:

  • Contributed to a constructive online peer-learning community [20]
  • Demonstrated understanding of key theory and skills in modules [20]

Understood and applied adaptive systems thinking and improved action research skills [60]

Organizations sending staff to this course can be assured that there will be a detailed assessment of the learner’s improved capacities as well as an institutional-level action research assignment that will be completed throughout the course. Learners will also have opportunities throughout the course to provide feedback.

V. Modules

Each module will include an introduction, objectives, discussions, readings, webinars and small group peer exercises to deepen and apply what has been covered in the module. There is one month to complete the learning modules before another is introduced. In this way, distance learning allows learners the flexibility to go at their own pace and to customize the learning. Provided learners meet the requirements of participation in discussions and exercises, they are free to do the modules in the order that suits them and their work schedules. The expected level of effort is roughly 7-10 hours per week but there is flexibility how that is done.

VI. Course Outline

Module 1: Introduction to Course and Online Learning (June 1-15, 2015). Introductions, expectations, contributions. Exercises in online learning.

Module 2: Savings Groups and Systems Analysis (June 15- July 15, 2015). Introduction to systems analysis. Role of savings groups, finance. Locating SGs within various systems and stakeholders. Webinar: systems analysis.

Module 3: Models of Outreach and Scale (July 15 - Aug. 15, 2015). Various drivers of outreach and scale. Global case-studies. Webinar: Panel of experts from programs that have achieved broad scale and impact. Asking strategic questions.

Module 4: Double Bottom-Line Monitoring and Impact (Aug. 15 - Sep. 15, 2015). Combining financial and social reporting. Outcome-mapping. Benchmarking our programs. Matching methods to our questions.Webinar: SAVIX savings groups database.

Module 5: Scanning the Environment and Savings Groups as Platforms (Sep. 15 - Oct. 15, 2015). Environmental analysis. Considerations for using SGs as platforms. Sound data analysis.Webinar: Using SGs as social platforms.

Module 6: Wrap-Up, Evaluation, Preparation for Zambia (Oct. 15-23, 2015)

Module 7: Zambia Face-to-face Portion. Field intensive advanced practitioner seminar. (Nov. 2-6, 2015)

VII. Readings (Mandatory and Optional)

Case-Studies (Papers and Webinars)

Allen, Hugh and David Panetta. (2010). Savings groups: What are they? Washington, DC, United States: SEEP Network

Asia Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO. How to Form a Savings Group. Accessed April 2, 2015.

Fowler, Ben and David Panetta. (2011). Beyond Financial Services: Improving Access to Basic Financial Services and Agricultural Input and Output Markets by Smallholder Farmers in Zimbabwe. Ottawa, Canada: Aga Khan Foundation. Accessed March 17, 2015

[Linkages with local agro-dealers]

Asombobillah, R. (2011). Harnessing the Power of Savings and Lending Communities to Drive Agroenterprise Development in Ghana. Accra, Ghana: Catholic Relief Services.

Microsave review of CRS-PSP program (good for showing methodology)

Beijuka, John and Samson Odele. (2007). Savings and Internal Lending Communities (SILC) in Uganda: Program Review. [Good example for showing different research methods]

CARE. (2013). New Models for Linking Informal Savings Groups to Formal Financial Services. London, United Kingdom: CARE UK.

CARE. (December 2014). Savings Groups and Mobile Banking: Care’s Experience in Kenya and Tanzania. Webinar.

Fowler, Ben and Candace Nelson. (2011). Beyond Financial Services: Combining Savings Groups with Agricultural Marketing in Tanzania. Ottawa, Canada: Aga Khan Foundation. Accessed March 17, 2015. [Federating SG into collective marketing structures]

FSD Kenya. (?) Post-Project Replication of Groups in COSALO. Nairobi, Kenya: Digital Data Divide. [Shows group replication vs. village agent vs. field agent]

Jahns, Elke. (2012). A Study conducted in Association with Catholic Relief Services and the Agriculture for Basic Needs Project. Medford, United States: The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University. [Uses poverty score-cards]

Lee, Nanci. (2008). Savings Groups and Women’s Rights. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Farm Africa Ethiopia.

Levai, D, Paul Rippey and Elizabeth Rhyne. (2011). Microfinance and Energy Poverty: Findings from the Energy Links Project. Boston, United States: ACCION International.

Mendoza, Guijovanny and Carlos Caceres. (June 2014) Partnering with Government: Savings Groups in Colombia. IED Vital. SMDP Webinar. [SG linkage with government]

Mutamuliza, Claudine, Paul Rippey and Charlotte Usanase. (2012). Consultancy for Community Managed Savings and Loan Groups: Best Practice Development and Market Linkage Assessment/Pilot Project.

O’Dell, Marcia. (2011). Beyond Financial Services: WORTH Nepal- Assessing the Value added and Sustainability of a Holistic Approach to Women’s Empowerment. Accessed March 17, 2015

Oxfam America, World Food Programme. (April 2014). Building Resilience: Harnessing Community Savings Groups for Integrated Risk Management. Webinar.

Panetta, David and Kate Conroy. (2011). Beyond Financial Services: The DFID Chars Livelihood Programme in Northern Bangladesh: The Promotion of Village Savings and Loan Associations in a Multi-Input, Rural Livelihoods Programme. Accessed March 17, 2015. [asset transfer safety net program]

Parrot, Lisa. (2008). Kibara Mission Hospital HIV Project, Tanzania- Phase II Savings and Internal Lending Communities. Washington, DC, United States: SEEP, Catholic Relief Services.

Rippey, Paul and Candace Nelson (2011). Marketing Solar Lamps through Savings Groups” Emerging Lessons from Uganda. Accessed March 17, 2015

Wolfe, Jason and Dionisio Matos. (2014). Saving Money, Saving Lives: Savings Groups in HIV/AIDS Affected Populations. Maputo, Mozambique: USAID. Webinar.

Zollmann, Julie. (2010). Waiting for Rain, Reaching for Mangoes: Savings groups in Swaziland.

Conceptual Papers and Webinars

Association for Women’s Rights in Development. (2005) How Does Change Happen? Bangkok, Thailand: AWID FORUM.

Allen, Hugh. (2007). Savings-led Financial Services Working Group: Ratios Sub Group. Washington, DC, United States: The SEEP Network.

Cassar, Alessandra and Bruce Wydick. (2009). Does Social Capital Matter? Evidence from a Five-Country Group Lending Experiment. San Francisco, United States: Department of Economics, University of San Francisco.

Catholic Relief Services (2010). PSP Network Development- An Update from Uganda. Baltimore, United States.

Ferguson, Michael. (2012). Group Performance in Fee-for-Service Savings Groups. Baltimore, United States: Catholic Relief Services.

Ferguson, Michael (2012). Agent Productivity in Fee-for-Service Savings Groups. Baltimore, United States: Catholic Relief Services.

Gash, Megan and Kathleen Odell. (2013). The Evidence-Based Story of Savings Groups. Washington, DC, United States: The SEEP Network.

Gibson, Susan & Associates. The Power of Strategic Questions. Accessed April 6, 2015

Hallie Preskill, Srik Gopal, Katelyn Mack, Joelle Cook. Evaluating Complexity: Propositions for Improving Practice. FSG. Accessed April 12, 2015.

Johnson, Susan. (2015) Informal Financial Practices and Social Networks: Transaction Genealogies. Nairobi, Kenya: FSD Kenya

Johnson, Susan and J Boulton. (2014). Impact Assessment of Financial Market Development Through the Lens of Complexity Theory. Nairobi, Kenya: Financial Sector Deepening Kenya.

Lee, Nanci. (2013). Group Rating Tool (for cooperatives and savings groups). Nampula, Mozambique.

Lee, Nanci (2009). Complex enough to Capture, Simple Enough to Use: FDES’ Early Lessons from a Multi-Country Social Performance Monitoring System. Fribourg, Switzerland: FIDES Ltd.

Loupeda, Christian, Aly Ouedraogo and Megan Gash (2015). Pilot Project Report: Using Mobile Money to link Savings Groups to Financial Institutions. Davis, California, United States: Freedom from Hunger. Accessed April 2, 2015.

Maddocks, William, Hugh Allen and John Schiller. (May 2014). The Importance of Monitoring Savings Groups: An Inside Look at the SAVIX. Webinar.

Rippey, Paul. (2010). More, better, cheaper: Savings Groups as Commodities.

Rippey, Paul and Ben Fowler (2011). A Synthesis of Studies on the Integration of Savings Groups and other Development Activities. Ottawa, Canada: Aga Khan Foundation. Accessed March 17, 2015.

Senge, Peter, Hal Hamilton and John Kania. (2015). The Dawn of System Leadership in Stanford Social Innovation Review. Accessed April 7, 2015.

Stanford Social Innovation Review Editors. (2014). Leading Systems. Accessed April 7, 2015

Systems thinking – A Cautionary Tale. Cats in Borneo. Accessed April 3, 2015.

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