February 22, 2023
Tools for Field Staff›Learning Briefs
CRS and Savings-led Microfinance: Our Approach and Strategy
CRS’ Savings and Internal Lending Communities (SILC) methodology is a holistic, savings-led microfinance approach that provides a safe place for poor households to save and borrow...More
December 22, 2021
Research›Papers/Reports
Understanding Farmers' Needs Project - Final Endline Research Report
The CRS Understanding Farmers' Needs (UFN) project, implemented in Senegal, sought to identify the value added for farmers of improved last-mile service delivery by Private...More
December 8, 2021
Tools for Field Staff›Learning Briefs
SILC Pro-Poor Strategy
The SILC Pro-Poor Strategy seeks to promote the inclusion of poorer community members in SILC. The strategy comprises promotional approaches, new group savings policies and SILC...More
June 25, 2020
Research›Papers/Reports
Results from a multi-project survey of Savings and Internal Lending Community members
This study examines the views of members of CRS’ Savings and Internal Lending Communities (SILC) and Mercy Corps’ Youth Savings and Lending Associations (YSLA) in Guatemala,...More
August 5, 2019
Research›Evaluations/Assessments
Savings Groups and Consumer Protection: Risk Mitigation through Community-Based Structures
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Savings and Internal Lending Communities, or SILC, model is based on an innovative fee-for-service delivery channel that trains and certifies...More
August 5, 2019
Research›Evaluations/Assessments
Savings Groups and Consumer Protection: How Savings Groups Responded to Insecurity and Theft in Madagascar
For millions of financially excluded individuals worldwide, Savings Groups offer the opportunity to save and borrow small amounts of cash in a convenient, accessible and generally...More
July 11, 2019
Research›Evaluations/Assessments
Earning a living from SILC: PSPs in Madagascar
This study was conducted to evaluate the sustainability of CRS’ Savings and Internal Lending Communities (SILC), fee-for-service, Private Service Provider (PSP) model in...More
June 11, 2019
Research›Evaluations/Assessments
Ex-post evaluation: Expanding Financial Inclusion in Africa - Final Report
This report describes the findings of an ex-post evaluation of the Expanding Financial Inclusion (EFI) program, delivered by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and implementing...More
March 26, 2019
Research›Papers/Reports
Effectiveness of CRS' Financial Education Curriculum in Savings and Internal Lending Communities (SILC) | Efectividad del currículum de educación financiera de CRS en los grupos de autoahorro y préstamo (GAAP)
This report presents the results from a three-country, multi-method study of the effectiveness of CRS’ Financial Education (FE) lessons delivered in the context of Savings and...More
January 8, 2019
Research›Case Studies
Making a Living from Teaching Communities to Save
This study reports results from research carried out by the Expanding Financial Inclusion in Africa project (EFI) to find out how working as an independent trainer of savings...More
