The Impact of Savings Groups on Children’s Wellbeing: A Review of the Literature

This review presents a comprehensive overview of the literature on the impact of community-based Savings Group (SG) interventions on children’s wellbeing in resource-poor environments. This topic is of particular interest to FHI 360 as it relates to the organization’s USAID (United States Agency for International Development)-funded project, STRIVE, and is of interest to the greater international development community as savings interventions are increasingly used to reach the world’s rural poor.

There is a significant amount of research on economic strengthening activities and their impact on various populations, most often women. Few studies, however, explicitly examine the specific impact of these activities on children. This report reviews the literature and summarizes the effects of one economic strengthening activity in particular—Savings Groups (SGs)—on the wellbeing of children and youth. The results of this review are intended to inform the development of future SG interventions focused on benefiting children.