A little push from my friends: VSLA groups promote economic empowerment among women

A little push from my friends: VSLA groups promote economic empowerment among women

Ghana - 13 March, 2023

Climate change is threatening the livelihoods of smallholders in the Juabeso-Bia and Sefwi-Wiawso landscapes in the Western North Region of Ghana. Most of these farmers depend on only one crop — cocoa — which makes them particularly vulnerable to changing and ever more extreme weather conditions. To increase their resilience in the face of climate change, farmers must invest in climate-smart practices; for example, by diversifying their income sources. However, such investments typically require more cash than they have on hand.

To help farmers have more access to finance, Tropenbos Ghana has been developing Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) in the Juabeso-Bia and Sefwi-Wiawso landscapes. This has allowed farmers to invest in climate-smart practices.

The following video shows what VSLAs are, how they have been setup by Tropenbos Ghana and the benefits that it has brought to the villages, specially to women.