General Information

Watch Videos on Savings Mobilization

• Training video: Little Money, Big Vision
  This is a training video on development and marketing strategies for savings products developed/published by FAO, GTZ and Bankakademie.
• Safeguarding Deposits
  This video introduces the fundamental nature of savings and explains the importance people attach to ensuring the safety of their deposits
• Story about Cantilan Bank
  Low resolution (for modem 56 kb/s or less)
  High Resolution (for broadband, 150 kb/s or more)
  This video is produced by MABS (The Microenterprise Access to Banking Services)

Overviews of Small Balance Savings Mobilization:

• Bass, J. and Henderson, K, The Microfinance Experience with Savings Mobilization, 2000
• Breaking the Savings Barrier: How the Federal Government Can Build an Inclusive Financial System, 2005
• Campion, A., Microfinance Institutions' Experience With Offering Savings Products, 2001
• Fiebig, M., Elser, L., Hannig, A. and Wisniwski, S., Savings in the Context of Microfinance - State of Knowledge, 1999
• Gardiol, I., Mobilizing Savings - Key Issues and Good Practices in Savings Promotion, 2004
• Harper, M. and Vogel, R. The Role of Savings as a form of MFI Funding: Debate, Malcolm Harper and Robert Vogel, pages 5-9
• Helms, B. and Koenigsfest, K. Crossfire, MFIs Would Do Better to Mobilize Savings to Finance Their Loan Programmes Rather than Relying on Debt, 2005
• Honohan, P., Measuring Microfinance Access: Building on Existing Cross-Country Data, 2004.
• Jansson, T., Financing Microfinance: Exploring the Funding Side of Microfinance Institutions, 2003. 
• Mavrotas, G. & Kelly, R., Savings Mobilisation and Financial Sector Development: The Nexus, 2001
• Peachey, S. & Roe, A., Access to Finance - A study for the WSBI, 2004.This paper is not available on line. Please see instructions how to receive a free PDF copy of the report.
• Robinson, M. & Wright, G., MicroSave Briefing Note # 3: Mobilising Savings, 2001
• Robinson, M., Voluntary Saving Mobilization as a Service for the Poor and a Source of Funds for Regulated MFIs, 2001
• Robinson, M., Mobilizing Savings from the Public : Basic Principles and Practices, 2004
• Robinson, M., The Microfinance Revolution: Sustainable Finance for the Poor (vol. 1), 2001
• Rutherford, S., The Poor and Their Money, 2001
• Wiedmaier-Pfister, M. & Rodriguez, R. B., Savings Mobilisation in Micro-finance Institutions, 2001
• Wright, G. & Kaplan, M., Savings in Africa: Remembering the Forgotten Half of Microfinance, 2002

Donors' Role

• CGAP, Savings are as Important as Credit (Donor Brief No. 04), 2002
• Hirschland, M., Developing Savings Services for the Poor: Preliminary Guidance for Donors, 2001
• Parker, J. & Pearce, D., Microfinance, Grants, and Non-financial Responses to Poverty Reduction: Where Does Microcredit Fit? (Focus Note No. 20), 2001

Institutional Experiences

• Elser, L., Hannig, A. and Wisniwski, S., A Comparative Analysis of Savings Mobilization Strategies, 1999
• Hannig, A. and S. Wisniwski, The Challenge of Microsavings Mobilization: Concepts and Views from the Field, 1999
• Hirschland, M., Serving Small Depositors: Overcoming the Obstacles, Recognizing the Tradeoffs, 2003
• Hirschland, M., Voluntary Savings Services: A Closer Look, 2001

Savings and Poverty

• Honohan, P., Financial Sector Policy and the Poor, 2004.
• Quinones, B., Microfinance as an Instrument of Poverty Alleviation: An Overview, 2001
• Porteous, D., Making Financial Markets Work for the Poor, 2004.
• Rutherford, S., The Poor and Their Money, 2001
• Wright, G., Kasente, D., Ssemogerere, G. & Mutesasira, L., Vulnerability, Risks, Assets Empowerment-The Impact of Microfinance on Poverty Alleviation, 2000

Savings Products and Services

• Dauner Gardiol, I., Mobilizing Savings - Key Issues and Good Practices in Savings Promotion, 2004
• Facet, Savings Mobilization, 2000
• Seidman, E. & Tescher, J., From Unbanked to Homeowner: Improving the Supply of Financial Services for Low-Income, Low-Asset Customers, 2003
• Wright, G., A Critical Review of Savings Services in Africa and Elsewhere, 2000

Surveys and Data

• Banking on the Poor: Unleashing the Benefits of Microfinance. IFPRI, 2002
• Chamberlain, D., Comparison of Supply-Side Study and Results from FinScope 2003 for BLNS Countries, 2004
• Christen, R.P., Rosenberg, R.& Jayadeva, V., Financial Institutions with a "Double Bottom Line": Implications for the Future of Microfinance (Occassional Paper No. 08), 2004
• Matthews, B., Towards Safety and Self-Reliance, 2005  
• Schreiner, M., Beverly, S. & Moore, A., Measuring Savings, 2001
• Wright, G., A Critical Review of Savings Services in Africa and Elsewhere, 2000