Mali Poverty Outreach Study of the Kafo Jiginew and Nyesigiso Credit and Savings with Education Programs

This study aims to determine whether the "Credit and Savings with Education" (CEE) strategy improves the depth of outreach of the Kafo Jiginew credit union networks.

The study employs the following methodologies to answer the following three types of questions:

• A basic needs survey to answer the question: Is CEE better at reaching relatively poorer households than the credit unions' other financial products?
• A wealth-ranking exercise to answer the question: What proportion of the CEE clients come from the relatively poorer versus the relatively better-off households?
• Focus-group discussions to answer the question: Why is it that some women from the poorest households overcome obstacles and join CEE?

The study finds that:

• CEE clients are the relatively poorest client category for both credit union networks;
• CEE improves the credit unions' outreach to a significantly poorer clientele;
• The wealth distribution of CEE members mirrors the wealth distribution in the communities;
• A cross-section of socio-economic groups participate in the CEE program;
• A certain number of women from better-off households join CEE;
• Despite their extreme poverty, a number of women from the poorest households also join CEE.