The State of the Linkage Report: The First Global Mapping of Savings Group Linkage

The State of Linkage Report provides, for the first time, a global mapping of linkage activity – the process through which informal savings groups are able to access products and services from formal financial service providers (FSPs). This report was commissioned to identify where linkage is taking place, the organizations that are currently linking to savings groups and the kind of products being offered.

This research underlined how challenging it can be to identify organizations participating in linkage, or to acquire up-to-date, detailed information on the products they offer to groups. This brings into perspective the difficulty savings groups face when trying to access and compare linkage products and make informed decisions about which are most suited to their needs. It is equally difficult for organizations participating in linkage – financial institutions, mobile operators, nonprofits and donors – to understand the scale of this activity, compare products with their competition, or identify opportunities for collaboration. This report acts as a starting point for addressing this knowledge gap.