S1 EP4 - The Transformative Power of Saving Groups with Jeff Ashe

From Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) to ROSCAs and Cuchubales, community-based financial groups have a long history of empowering individuals. Whether it’s for personal development or economic resilience, saving groups have been a cornerstone of financial inclusion for centuries. In this episode, we met with Jeff Ashe, a financial inclusion expert, author and lecturer with over 45 years experience in the sector. Jeff was previously a Senior Associate Director at Accion International, Executive Director at Working Capital, Director of Community Finance at Oxfam America and is now both the Executive Director at Grassroots Finance Action and an Adjunct Associate Professor lecturing on microfinance and financial inclusion at the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University.The episode covered:Overview and History of Saving GroupsJeff's transition from working in microfinance to saving groupsImpact of Oxfam America's Save for Change programme9 Principles for a Saving Group InitiaitiveDigitisation of Saving GroupsBackyard Bankers in the USAFeaturing Cindy, Saving Group LeaderFinancial Inclusion Unlocked is a podcast on a journey to learn how we can unlock the potential of financial inclusion as an enabler for the 17 UN SDGs. This show is produced by SIJ Media, and Series 1 is sponsored by SCBF.Join our community and access exclusive content for this episode on Linkedin.Connect with host Jack Farren on Linkedin or [email protected]