NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Built on a foundation of commitment savings, Savings Groups (SGs) provide basic financial services, social support, and a platform for learning and testing new ideas to poor people worldwide. With nearly ten million people—mostly women and young people—participating in some form of Savings Group, it is a highly effective, scalable, and sustainable instrument for engaging the ‘unbanked’ poor. Savings Groups are also proven to serve as an entry point for other development efforts, including food security, health, and women’s economic empowerment. As Savings Groups have grown in popularity, the community is broadening to include practitioners that employ Savings Groups as part of coordinated development activities. SG2015 will welcome a diversity of new actors, including private entities, commercial banks, mobile service providers, and practitioners from other allied sectors such as health. SG2015 represents a community of stakeholders committed to accelerating innovations through knowledge sharing and collaboration. With support from a number of the leading organizations that have championed Savings Groups, this community has come together twice before (in 2011 and 2013) to collaborate, share best practices, and increase the impact of Savings Groups worldwide. The community convenes again for SG2015: The Power of Savings Groups, taking place in Lusaka, Zambia.