The Innovation Fund, implemented by the SEEP Network with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, aims to improve the resilience of Savings Groups and their members in times of crisis and the capacity of sector stakeholders to engage them in emergency response efforts. In particular, this Innovation Fund is to be used to support the Women Savings for Resilience programs globally.

The COVID-19 pandemic has added an additional barrier to women’s groups and the ability to meet in person for support and community. Through this fund, World Renew will continue our response to support these groups in ways that are gender intentional and improve the resilience of members and stakeholders to respond to emergencies.

With support from the SEEP Network, World Renew will build and strengthen 13 Cluster Level Associations (CLAs) in Uganda in order to enhance the capacity of Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs) to respond to the gendered impacts of COVID-19. These impacts are related to gender-based violence, voice and leadership, and access to markets. These CLAs will advocate for the prevention of gender-based violence through the Stepping Stones methodology, improve women’s access to and control over resources, and expand members’ access to public and private service providers in the region. Learning will be consolidated into a practical, gender intentional, facilitation toolkit for CLAs.

The award is an 18 month grant for the implementation of the “Women Resilience in Teso (WRT) Uganda” project. This project’s partner is PAG Teso North and West. Work with the Innovation Fund began on April 1, 2021 and will continue until September 2022.