The savings program currently targets mothers and grandmothers. These women are often the heads of the household due to the loss of a fathers and mothers from the HIV / Aids pandemic. Mothers and grandmothers are also more likely to pass on economic benefits to their children and grandchildren, which make them the natural for our savings program.

The Savings Group Self-Help approach involves 3 phases based on social, economic and political empowerment of the targeted communities. This approach provides an environment of growth and enables the participants to step up from an empoverished surrounding towards a life of dignity. The Zimele staff provides training, guidance and continual mentoring throughout each of the following 3 phases:

Phase 1. Savings Program

A Savings Training Class Conducted by Zimele Community Trainers

Through participation in the program the women not only develop life changing savings habits, but through their participation in meetings develop a sense of social empowerment as they learn to trust non family community members, learn decision making skills, and become financial contributors to their families.

Phases 2 and 3 Cluster Level Association and Federation

Once a number of savings group within a community have achieved a sufficient level of self sufficiency and maturity, the group members are ready to move into Cluster Level Association or CLAs.

Every 10 groups come together to form a CLA. Each group elects 2 representatives from their group to represent them at their respective CLA. The CLA provides a forum for the mostly women community members to establish community networks, share savings group best practices, work together to address larger community needs, and provide women a collective voice within the community.

As a sufficient number of CLAs have been established and operating for a period of time, every 10 CLA will be combined to establish a Federation.