With slow economic growth and increasing unemployment in South Africa, more and more South Africans are relying on informal mechanisms to create wealth and access to credit.

To better understand these mechanisms, the FinMark Trust partnered with SaveAct to perform a qualitative study on the long-term impact of participation in these informal savings groups and stokvels. The research has shown significant improvements in how savings group members take financial decisions and use their money, as well as in their financial stability and household socio-economic situation.

This forum  further unpacks the results of the research study and the role of savings arrangements in financial inclusion. FinScope (2017) shows a proliferation of informal financial services, including stokvels, in South Africa.

Speakers:

• Professor Gerhard Coetzee, CGAP, World Bank
• Professor Adrian Saville, GIBS
• Lumkile Mondi, Wits Business School
• Silvia Storchi, PhD candidate and researcher
• Brendan Pearce, CEO Fin Mark Trust

Additional Info:

Registration: 17:45

Starts: 18:00

Ends: 19:30

A light buffet will be served after the event

Want to attend but can't afford to? Email nkawus@gibs.co.za for one of the limited free seats available.

Please note that GIBS forums are recorded for City Press and BDTV and for further distribution to the GIBS database