Since COVID-19, CARE has undertaken concerted efforts to listen to women and girls and learn the impacts of the pandemic on women's lives, their greatest needs, and how they are responding. A segment of women and girls CARE engaged in these conversations have been members of VSLAs. This case study features the story of 45-year-old VSLA leader, Christine Sibomana from Burundi. Christine was interviewed in December 2021 as part of CARE's Women Respond initiative.
Yolande Ebah Kouassi, from the Marahoue region in Côte d’Ivoire, is the President of her Village Savings & Loan Association. She is 41 years old, married with four children, and cares for her three nephews whose father passed away. She runs her own small business by selling 'attieké', a local food that she makes from the cassava she grows. Yolande's VSLA group started three years ago and has 30 members; its name is Abôkon, meaning unity. She is a VSLA pioneer and has set up new groups and mobilized and inspired 150 women to join groups in her community. She advocates for children's education and educates her community to prioritize children's education and fight child labor. Read More
Each year, the Water Team tributes CARE's Annual WASH Systems award to a team that has done exceptional work to strengthen local capacities and conditions for equitable and sustainable WASH services and lasting water security. On World Water Day 2024, we are proud to present the WASH Systems Award to the USAID-Hamzari WASH team in Niger for their hard work to strengthen the capacities of commune government and demonstrate new models to increase access to WASH services and strengthen water security in Niger. Read More
The AMAL Initiative, locally developed and globally scaled, addresses the SRH needs of pregnant adolescents and first-time mothers in different crisis-hit countries. Launched in March 2020, it involves activities like the Young Mothers' Club to bridge the gap in SRH services and challenge gender norms, aiming to contribute to global discussions on adolescent responsive SRH and GBV programming. Read More