How SILCs in Africa and Latin America have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic: One year later

This study presents the results of focus group discussions with 110 CRS SILCs and individual interviews with 415 SILC members administered in seven countries in Africa and two in Latin America from August to October 2021, to understand how SILC groups have responded to the public health and economic crises after more than a year of living with the COVID-19 pandemic. This study follows up an initial 2020 study of how SILCs in Africa and Latin America responded to COVID-19, and identifies trends in SILC savings, lending, social fund use and share-out; as well as SILCs' relationships with their Private Service Providers (PSPs) and members' judgment of the benefits and costs of SILC membership during the pandemic.