Three months into the vsla.online roll out in Zambia, we are delighted to share how the savings group platform, vsla.online, is currently being used by communities in the Self Help Africa network.
Twelve groups have been successfully onboarded onto the platform, and continue to record their group and individual transactions digitally on a regular basis. The group secretaries have done a stellar job in registering members and transactions midway through the savings cycle, thanks to the excellent digital literacy training delivered by the SHA field officers.
The field officer team has also recently received training on using the data dashboards designed by hiveonline, that displays the group data and insights for easy visualisation and analysis. By using the dashboards, the field officers can better monitor and support the groups under their wing.
Nonetheless, the field team has also faced challenges as a result of the local restrictions for mobilisation and gathering together during the ongoing pandemic. However, they have overcome these challenges and continue to conduct meetings in a COVID-safe manner through the adaptability of VSLA.online, which has allowed the groups to be split into smaller groups, where meetings can be held more safely outdoors.
With this live project, the hiveonline team is producing research and guiding best practices for further adoption of digital VSLA solutions in other regions. In the last month, hiveonline has also welcomed our new intern, Josephine Krieber, to support the project coordination and communications with the Zambian team.
We look forward to continuing working with the groups in Zambia and gaining further insights on how vsla.online is helping the communities.