Participation in VSLAs or similar financial collective

The purpose of the original VSLA model is to increase vulnerable women's economic empowerment, while serving as a platform for increasing awareness on different human rights related topics as well as increasing self-esteem and confidence. Building on this, the VSLA+ Model, developed in 2013, facilitates the creation of VSLA networks at higher levels up to the national arena, while providing different kinds of support to women based on their specific demands (leadership training, institution building, conflict resolution, etc.). Each level is enabled to become the natural counterpart of the local, district, provincial and national authorities to foster women's social and political participation. In the POWER project in Cote D'Ivoire, CARE has added gender action groups in each village, made up of village leaders, women and men, etc. to discuss generally all things gender and to act on village issues as identified. This leaves the VSLAs to still discuss some gender issues and to focus on savings, loan and business, while the process of community change is done in the gender action groups, similar to Ethiopia where VSLAs and Social Analysis and Action groups run in parallel.

Specifically, VSLAs that are focused on Food, Water, and Nutrition security often engage women through household businesses such as farming, creation and expansion of small businesses, and improving supply chains and collective marketing for households reliant on agriculture.