Financial inclusion and economic empowerment of low-income populations in Benin, Mali and Togo

A report has been compiled to provide a comprehensive contextual analysis of financial inclusion in West Africa and highlights SCBF's engagements across the region. It aims to provide valuable insights and learnings from SCBF’s interventions, showcasing the effectiveness of its approach in addressing financial challenges in West Africa. Additionally, the report includes a summary of all projects implemented in the region, demonstrating the impact SCBF has had in expanding financial access and fostering economic growth in the region.

A study was commissioned by Oxfam Novib Fund to be done by HEDERA and was managed by Triple Jump, explores how financial service providers in Sub Saharan Africa are integrating green finance to tackle climate risks. The study also evaluates the enabling environment and identifies challenges and opportunities for advancement of green finance.

SCBF-supported interventions in West Africa have played a pivotal role in advancing financial inclusion across the region. The initiatives in Togo and Benin focused on digitalizing financial services, complemented by financial education to enhance adoption, while the project in Mali centered on empowering rural women through the Women’s Self-Help Group methodology. The global summary of these case studies highlights key insights, lessons learned, and client experiences, showcasing the impact of these projects on underserved communities.

This blog delves into the impact of the project in Benin with FECECAM, highlighting how it has enhanced clients' access to and utilization of financial services. It showcases the project's role in expanding outreach and delivering secure, accessible financial solutions, with a particular focus on empowering women and youth.

SCBF’s grant to FECECAM in Benin, in collaboration with CFI, played a crucial role in scaling up the digital Planned Saving program. This initiative helped in expanding outreach, providing secure and accessible financial services, particularly to women and youth. By empowering these groups economically, the program contributed to improved living conditions. Additionally, a financial education program was integrated to support the scaling of financial products and foster a culture of financial discipline. To assess the impact, a study was commissioned by SCBF to evaluate how the project has influenced clients' access to and usage of financial services, their living conditions, and the achievement of institutional objectives.

This blog explores how ASSILASSIME Solidarité’s personalized approach, integrating non-financial services and technology, empowers clients by improving access to credit and financial management resources.

A study on ASSILASSIME’s project with SCBF in Togo to ease its clients’ access to their accounts, available services, and financial education illustrates how digitalization can improve financial inclusion, customer experience, and operational efficiency for low-income populations and financial institutions.

Nigeria has the largest number of informal micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in sub-Saharan Africa, with 41.5 million MSMEs, most of them being micro entrepreneurs (Nigerian National Bureau of Statistics, 2017).

More than 64% of women were living under the poverty line in Mali in 2018.

The agricultural sector in Rwanda accounts for a quarter of the national GDP and plays an essential role in the country’s economy. However, farming is

As a small business owner and mobile money agent in Tanzania, Maria Francis Kihanga experienced an unprecedented level of uncertainty when the Government started to

In November 2021, SCBF brought together a select group of its members, donors, and partners to celebrate its 10th anniversary and to discuss how to

by Jitendra Balani and Chrissy Martin Meier “[With my loan, I] improved the security condition and ventilation of my house because of using the loan

by Jitendra Balani and Chrissy Martin Meier  “After [the] renovation, our lives have changed. We now sleep well because our bedrooms are comfortable. We are

As consumers, we rely on a sometimes bewildering array of certifications and quality assurance standards from fair trade to organic, from ethical fashion to sustainable

By Chrissy Martin Meier and Sitara Merchant Blockchain. It’s not exactly new. And yet its popularity seems to have re-emerged in recent months, perhaps because

Read the full report Click here Environmental, Social and Governance (or ESG) frameworks are intended to provide standards and guidance for how companies should integrate

In Mozambique — as in other parts of the world — microentrepreneurship is an especially risky endeavor. It is fraught with high-impact, disruptive economic events,

This post originally appeared on Cenfri website on 31 January 2023. Gakere is a 49 year old mechanic From Nairobi, and like 77% of adults in

By Sitara Merchant and Yekbun Gurgoz “In the last few years, international and government funds to mitigate and adapt to climate change have increased; however,

In Mali, SCBF supported a project on implementing and scaling “Yeredeme group methodology or Self-Help Group (SHG) methodology” (also known as Yereta Methodology)  that aimed

For the past seven years, VisionFund has been actively designing microinsurance products tailored to meet the needs of the clients they serve and they believe

In Mozambique, SCBF supported a project with Accion (technical assistance provider) and Socremo MicroBanco, SA (‘Socremo’) that worked to expand financial inclusion of low-income individuals

In India, two-thirds of the country’s population is under the age of 35 and experiences a high rate of unemployment and underemployment. Many take work

Digital transformation was on-going prior to COVID-19 but the pandemic led to accelerated efforts both by end-users and financial institutions to adapt to digital communications

A study on the Yeredeme methodology in Mali was conducted to understand how it enables women to access credit and develop income-generating activities that contribute to their empowerment and give them access to microcredit.

At the COP28 climate summit in Dubai, governments must commit to stronger ambition and implementation in this critical decade to significantly cut emissions by 2030.

To further enhance inclusive finance for low-income clients, SCBF recently launched a new strategy, which includes the use of Impact-linked Finance (ILF) to support high-impact

Women form a large part of the world’s unbanked population more so in the low-income segment. Gender inequality in financial inclusion is a deterrent for

Swiss Re has been a valuable partner in our journey from the beginning, initially as a member and eventually in 2021 Swiss Re Foundation became

At SCBF, we take pride in the unique structure of our organisation, featuring a blend of public and private members. These individuals bring diverse expertise

The health insurance system in Egypt is complex and does not include the informal / unorganized sector. This indicates gaps in the penetration and effectiveness

Most Malians are unbanked. Four out of five rural Malians do not have access to financial capital to develop economic activities. The lack of data

Agent networks in Africa have increasingly become the delivery channel of choice for MFIs as they represent a low-cost alternative to brick-and-mortar branches. However, the

Ecuador has the 4th largest housing deficit in Latin America. More than 1.7M houses are considered inadequate (unsafe conditions, inadequate construction materials, lack of basic

World Vision and VisionFund International have been awarded grant funding from SCBF to pilot the provision of insurance services to underserved populations in Ghana and

Financial education is an essential part of smallholder empowerment. Education is a door-opener to financial inclusion, an important aspect of agricultural development. The Syngenta Foundation

AwanTunai’s collaboration with Sayurbox, a sister company with similar visions to help micro-SMEs prosper, aims to digitize and optimize the agricultural supply chain and provide access to affordable financing for the 19 million MSME farmers in Indonesia, even to those without bank accounts.

The frequency and intensity of extreme weather events are increasing, becoming a recurring reality faced by communities worldwide. The urgency of this challenge is underscored by the United Nations Secretary General’s Call to Action on Extreme Heat. On 1st October, SCBF, in collaboration with its members CelsiusPro, BlueMarble, and project partner IBISA Network, hosted a webinar exploring innovations in Heat Index Insurance for women’s worker associations and dairy farmers. The recording of the webinar is now available.

SCBF, in collaboration with the Accion organised a webinar to deep-dive into the digital adoption of financial services of the low-income population across Asia and to gain insights from the experiences of the microfinance industry leaders. Recording of the webinar is available now.

VisionFund International is addressing health inequities with its “Savings Linked” insurance model across Ghana, Malawi and Rwanda. On 30th September, SCBF, in collaboration with its partners VisionFund International, VisionFund Rwanda and SanlamAllianz, hosted a webinar exploring strategies for creating sustainable solutions that enhance health equity and access. The recording of the webinar is now available.

With support from SCBF, VisionFund along with World Vision and Allianz Ghana piloted the provision of accident, sickness and health insurance for World Vision Savings groups in Ghana and Malawi in order to expand their outreach. On 29 March 2023, SCBF, in collaboration with the VisionFund International, World Vision International, Allianz Ghana organised a webinar – to understand the experience and learnings from the pilots in Ghana and Malawi and how it compares to the loans and savings-bundled insurance product in Uganda. Webinar recording is available now.

SCBF supported PHB Consultants, WSBI (Scale2Save initiative) to support FINCA Uganda on developing a business case for low-balance savings mobilization and usage for low-income savers in Uganda. FINCA Uganda launched a Mobile banking platform and also deployed and activated Digital Field Automation (DFA), which allows customers to open accounts remotely. On 13 April 2023, SCBF, in collaboration with FINCA Uganda, PHB Consultants and WSBI organised a webinar that aimed to understand the learnings and insights gathered from this project in Uganda. Webinar recording is available now.

SCBF is co-funding a project by Saathealth – a digital health platform with Swiss Re Foundation to help address some of the key challenges that India has been facing in building financial resilience related to health, particularly for the “missing middle”. The Saathealth family health intervention reaches low-income customers with preventive health content in local languages using visual and interactive formats. On 4 May 2023, SCBF, in collaboration with Saathealth, organised a webinar to discuss on “Digital health platform for increased financial inclusion in India: Insights and findings”. Webinar recording is available now.

On June 2, 2020, Boubacar Diallo, our Financial Inclusion / Education Specialist West Africa, participated in the FinDev Gateway webinar on the impact of Covid-19 n financial inclusion in West Africa.

A recorded conversation between our Learning and Insights Manager, Yekbun Gurgoz, and Maurice Iwunze, Co-founder, SympliFi discussed on “Unlocking Financial Inclusion: Harnessing AI and Blockchain for a Better Future” aired during the Financial Inclusion Week 2023. Check the conversation recording here.

On 6 December 2023, a joint webinar was organised by SCBF and ILO’s Impact Insurance Facility to discuss and gain insights from industry experts on the strategies that can help expand inclusive property insurance towards building a more inclusive and secure financial future. Webinar recording is available now.

On 8 November 2023, SCBF, in collaboration with MicroSave Consulting, hosted a webinar featuring an in-depth analysis of the digitalisation of financial products and solutions. The session also focused on scaling up the self-help group methodology to enhance rural women’s access to finance. The recording of the webinar is now available.

On 21 January 2021 and 28 January 2021, MicroSave Consulting (MSC) and SCBF hosted these webinars to share the interesting insights from a research conducted by MSC, with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Metlife Foundation, Mastercard Foundation, and SCBF to to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on MSMEs, farmers and CICO agents in Asia and Africa. Webinar recordings are available.

Business & Finance Consulting (BFC), a SCBF member, hosted a series of webinars focused on digitizing MSME finance. Recording of the webinar is available.

On June 18, 2020, a webinar was organised by Financial Inclusion Forum UK and Opportunity International to discuss to examine the financial lives of refugees and IDPs during the COVID-19 crisis. Recording of the webinar is available.

On 18th June 2020, a webinar presented a case study of a joint project between Women’s World Banking and Lead Foundation in Egypt, funded by SCBF. The project aimed to improve the turnaround time (TAT) of insurance claims payment process with specific focus on making the fraud investigation process more efficient using new age technology tools. Recording of the webinar is available.

On 14 December 2022, SCBF, in collaboration with the ILO’s Social Finance Programme and Habitat for Humanity organised a webinar to unpack the relevance of and need for property insurance for boosting financial inclusion. The session brought together a diverse group of experts and two Kenya insurers presented their initial research into and experiences in serving emerging consumers with inclusive property insurance. Recording for the webinar is available now.

Although the economic impacts of Covid-19 continue to evolve, recent evidence shows that inclusive fintech startups are adapting through new channels and cost-saving measures to meet users' changing needs. However, the data also suggests that users are struggling, with significant income drops and low savings levels. A webinar discussing these findings was held on 16 October 2020, and the recording is now available.

Published Annual Report of 2023, sharing the milestones and outreach achieved by SCBF over these years since inception in 2011. It also shares it's future outlook and strategy for creating outsized impact.

MSD, known as Merck & Co., Inc., in the United States and Canada joined SCBF as its 32nd member in April 2024

SCBF is pleased to welcome its newest and 31st member – the Novartis Foundation.

The IF50 Investors Circle is a global network of investors that provides members with visibility into promising early-stage inclusive fintechs. SCBF is delighted to be a new member of the IF50 Investor Circle and is looking forward to interact with innovative inclusive fintech start-ups.

MicroSave Consulting and SCBF are co-funding research to understand the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the needs, attitudes, perceptions, and behaviour of micro and small enterprises in Asia and Africa. SCBF has co-funded the study

SCBF is very excited to announce two new members CelsiusPro and Habitat for Humanity International Association.

The fintech sector holds great promise and potential to move the needle on financial resilience and financial health for underserved populations

Apply now! Call for proposals for outcome study on insurance, gender equity, and health outcomes for women in Morocco and Egypt is now open. SCBF

After 10 years of successfully improving financial systems to be inclusive and responsive to the needs of low-income clients, SCBF aims at making a strategic

SCBF is very excited to announce four new members 1to4 Foundation, Clarmondial, iGravity, and Seedstars to the SCBF family. Please join us in welcoming our

Join us in congratulating Akiba on being selected for the 2020 Inclusive Fintech 50 cohort. Last year, Stonestep was selected for 2019 Inclusive Fintech 50

SCBF is proud to announce a new strategic partnership with Swiss Re Foundation to help realise the Sustainable Development Goals and contribute to build resilient

SCBF is super pleased to announce our continued strategic partnership with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) until the end of 2024. The

SCBF is very excited to announce a new member to the SCBF family: BASE (Basel Agency for Sustainable Energy) Established in 2001, BASE is a

We have just published our 2020 Annual Report here. Read a co-message from our Chairwoman and CEO, see our impact in 2020 and since inception,

SCBF and the Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND) are very happy to announce that the strategic partnership has been extended with additional funding. “As

With our continued strategic partnership with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and funding for 2021 to 2024, SCBF has updated its project

The AXA Group is a worldwide leader in insurance and asset management, serving 105 million clients in 54 countries. As one of the largest global

SCBF is pleased to share that our member-base has been steadily growing as we welcome our newest member – MPower Ventures. MPower is a climate

The COVID-19 pandemic brought with it unprecedented challenges for society – beyond the imminent threat to people’s health and lives. Small businesses, in particular those

Designing digitally-enabled agriculture insurance that works for smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe By 2030, 100 million people – who are currently economically self-sufficient – will stumble

We are happy to announce that SCBF has joined the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) as a member. The GIIN is the leading nonprofit dedicated to

2021 was a challenging year on many fronts, with the enduring COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and ensuing global crises on social, political and economic fronts

As thousands of delegates from all over the world gather in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt for COP27 to take action towards achieving the world’s collective climate

Aligned with SCBF’s strategic pivot and vision for 2030, SCBF is looking for creative agencies or consultants to support the website and branding refresh. This

SCBF, through its innovative public-private platform with support from its 30 strong members, promotes financial inclusion of low-income clients, especially women, smallholder farmers, and MSMEs,

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of people whose out-of-pocket health expenses exceeded 10% of their household budget was on the rise, according to

The SCBF team is pleased to introduce the two new Board Members who were elected by members during the 2022 Annual General Meeting in Zurich.

The African continent is growing in prominence due to its immense potential across all spheres. While the region still lags compared to other regions in

SCBF is pleased to welcome its newest and 30th member – Blue Marble. Blue Marble is an insurtech with a mission to create socially impactful,

In 2022, the world continued to face a multitude of challenges, with each of them leading to a widening inequality gap and increasing global poverty.