The SILC Road

Photo by Philip Laubner/CRS

Private service providers: A new approach for savings groups promotion

CRS has developed a new way to help people interested in savings groups to support themselves. First, we identify appropriate entrepreneurial people, who then go through an intensive certification-based training program on the Savings and Internal Lending Communities (SILC) model. After successful completion of the training they undergo a test to determine if they have the skills to offer their SILC support service to communities for a fee. If successful, the are then certified as Private Service Providers (PSP).

Then these PSPs help interested community members to form and manage savings groups. In return, savings groups pay the PSPs a reasonable fee for their services.

Learn more about CRS' SILC programming in Eldoret, Kenya. The Private Service Provider approach is a new development model for savings groups that redefines sustainability by allowing market forces to take over from subsidies, moving from free to fee, to empower the poor to take charge of their own development.