A circle that holds: what VSLA truly means
VSLA—Village Saving and Loan Association. These letters are often heard in the non-profit world in Burundi. Their familiarity can almost hide the ingenuity behind the method. What is remarkable is how something that may seem complex from a distance works efficiently with communities where formal education levels are low. It is simple and practical.
On the first Sunday of February, the group “Gato karakura” (“the small will grow”) gathers for its regular weekly meeting. This time, a visiting couple has come to see VHB’s work. In the midst of a busy hour, the women pause for a few moments to share what VSLA truly means to them—how it reaches far beyond the small box of savings placed in their midst.
Fighting the quiet weight of loneliness
Loneliness is an invisible pest, a quiet enemy that slowly consumes the heart. For these women, the VSLA is first a place of connection. They meet, they laugh, they check on one another. When one is sick, or when illness strikes a family member, the others come—present and often carrying a small something in their hands. No one is left to struggle alone.
Lightening the burden of daily needs
While one child’s education may be covered by VHB, these mothers care for several children. They must feed them, send them to school, take them to the hospital when they fall ill. Many have been abandoned by their partners, and the weight of the household rests heavily on their shoulders. In their darkest moments, the group becomes a lifeline. A small loan can help bridge a difficult week, a medical need, a school expense.
Supporting their income-generating activities
Most of these women survive through small food-selling activities—work marked by uncertainty and the rhythm of the seasons. One day everything sells; the next, nothing moves, and the goods begin to spoil. For families living day to day, such losses are devastating. In those moments, the VSLA becomes a second chance: a small loan to restart, to buy again, to stand back up. It is also a path to growth, allowing them to slowly increase their capital and strengthen their small businesses.
More than savings, a shared strength
The next time you hear the word VSLA, you may hear it differently.
You may sense the weight it carries.
You may picture hands held together.
You may hear the laughter of women who were once alone.
You may see a simple, effective system—one that holds you when you fall and gently pushes you forward when you stand.
And you will understand what it truly means to the women who live it every week.
