Consultant- Village Savings and Loan Associations - SSA L10

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BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

WFP Zambia in collaboration with the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services (MCDSS) and partners through the United Nations Joint Programme on Social Protection (UNJPSP) III recognise that community-based savings mechanisms, particularly Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) offer a valuable pathway for financial inclusion, resilience, insurance uptake, livelihoods strengthening and graduation. It is further acknowledged that multiple organisations including Non-Governmental Organisation (NGOs), Financial Service Providers (FSPs), United Nations agencies, and government programmes are currently implementing varying VSLA models across the country. However, there is limited consolidated information on: 

·       the range of VSLA methodologies used 

·       geographic coverage

·       linkages to financial service providers

·       digitalisation levels

·       integration with social protection, agriculture, and market systems 

·       Data base on VSLAs with persons with disabilities and associated linkages

·       maturity, governance, and performance outcomes 

WFP in partnership with MCDSS intends to engage a consultant to conduct a comprehensive mapping of the different VSLA models and approaches currently being implemented by various actors across sectors, and to document the most appropriate VSLA models that can contribute to improving Social Protection households’ access to economic empowerment.

Social Protection households are households receiving support through government social assistance, social insurance, or livelihood support programmes designed to reduce poverty, improve resilience, and protect vulnerable populations from economic and climate-related shocks. These households are typically among the poorest and most vulnerable populations and may include elderly-headed households, households with persons with disabilities, female-headed households, households caring for orphans and vulnerable children, and households affected by climate-related shocks and disasters. In Zambia, Social Protection programmes include Social Cash Transfers (SCT), Food Security Pack (FSP), Public Welfare Assistance Scheme (PWAS), Keeping Girls in School (KGS) and others, implemented by the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services (MCDSS).

OBJECTIVE OF THE CONSULTANCY

The purpose of this consultancy is to map, assess, and compare community-based savings and financial inclusion models and recommend those most suitable for strengthening household resilience, enhancing financial inclusion, and promoting sustainable income diversification among social protection beneficiaries. The consultancy will undertake a comprehensive assessment of existing community-based savings and lending structures, including Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), Savings and Internal Lending Communities (SILCs), self-help groups, cooperatives, and other formal and informal community savings and financial inclusion initiatives operating in districts where social protection programmes are implemented. The assessment will examine the effectiveness, sustainability, inclusiveness, and scalability of these models, with a particular focus on their capacity to improve financial resilience, livelihoods, and economic empowerment among vulnerable households.

The consultancy will identify and analyse key actors, implementation approaches, geographic coverage, governance structures, strengths, challenges, and opportunities associated with different savings models. Particular attention will be given to opportunities for integrating financial inclusion services, insurance products, and resilience-building interventions within community savings structures to enhance outcomes for social protection households.

An explicit urban-rural comparative lens will be applied throughout the assessment to evaluate contextual differences in programme performance, participation, financial inclusion pathways, adoption of digital financial services, market access, and value-chain integration. The analysis will generate evidence on the factors that influence the success and sustainability of community savings groups in different contexts and identify tailored approaches that respond to the distinct needs and opportunities of urban and rural social protection beneficiaries.

While maintaining a primary focus on models that can strengthen resilience and economic empowerment pathways for social protection households, the consultancy will also document innovations, best practices, and lessons learned from community savings initiatives operating outside social protection programmes. This broader analysis will help identify scalable and sustainable approaches that can be adopted, adapted or scaled up for integration within social protection systems.

The findings and recommendations will provide Government and United Nations partners with evidence-based guidance on standardized and context-appropriate community savings and financial inclusion models for integration into social protection programmes under the United Nations Joint Programme on Social Protection Phase III (UNJSPIII) and future social protection investments. The consultancy will contribute to the development of a coherent framework for linking social protection beneficiaries to sustainable savings, credit, insurance, and livelihood-enhancing opportunities that support long-term resilience and graduation pathways.

REPORTING:

Under the overall guidance and supervision of the WFP Programme Policy Officer – Financial Services and Insurance, with technical oversight from the Heads of the Social Protection unit, Smallholder Support Unit and Nutrition Unit as well as other relevant stakeholders, the consultant will conduct the mapping of VSLA models in Zambia and recommend suitable model (s) for uptake by social protection households through undertaking the activities listed below.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

The consultant will undertake the following activities:

1.  Desk Review 

• Review existing documentation, policies, and studies on savings groups/financial inclusion in Zambia. 

• Compile a list of organisations currently implementing Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), Savings and Internal Lending Communities (SILC), Savings Groups (SGs), Self Help Groups and related methodologies.  

• Map relevant existing/planned WFP interventions across social protection, livelihoods, resilience, food systems, financial inclusion and economic empowerment.

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2.  Stakeholder Mapping & Engagement 

• Identify and engage key VSLA implementing entities (Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Financial Service Providers (FSPs), Microfinance Finance Institutions (MFIs), Organisations for Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), Government (relevant wing or departments), United Nation (UN) agencies, Cooperatives). 

• Conduct interviews/Focus Group Discussions with selected stakeholders. 

3.  Mapping of VSLA Models 

Document for each organisation: 

• VSLA methodology/model used 

• Target groups (youth, women, farmers, social protection households, Persons with Disabilities, refugees, SMEs) 

• Group formation processes 

• Governance and recordkeeping practices 

• Savings, lending, shareout mechanisms 

• Linkages to banks, MFIs, mobile money, insurance 

• Use of digital tools (apps, tablets, mobile platforms) 

• Embedded training packages (financial literacy, business skills, agricultural training) 

• Integration with social protection, agriculture, climate resilience, or market platforms (e.g. ZIAMIS, MAANO and other platforms) 

• Scale and geographic coverage 

• Performance indicators (loan repayment, savings volume, sustainability) 

The Draft VSLA Mapping Report will include a dedicated chapter and comparative analysis matrix examining differences between urban and rural community savings models in terms of:

·       Access to financial services and service providers

·       VSLA performance, sustainability, and maturity levels

·       Adoption of digital financial tools

·       Linkages to markets and value chains

·       Socio-economic dynamics influencing savings and lending behaviours

4. Gap Analysis and Opportunities 

• Analyse the strengths, weaknesses, risks, barriers and opportunities associated with existing community savings and financial inclusion models, adopting a beneficiary-centred perspective that examines the needs, aspirations, constraints and economic empowerment pathways of different population groups.

• Assess the effectiveness, sustainability and inclusiveness of savings models in supporting resilience, livelihoods diversification, financial inclusion and graduation outcomes for women, youth, persons with disabilities, farmers, refugees and vulnerable households.

• Review and analyse lessons, complementarities, gaps and opportunities arising from relevant government and partner-supported initiatives, including the Girls' Education and Women's Empowerment and Livelihoods (GEWEL) Programme and other community savings, financial inclusion and economic empowerment interventions.

• Identify overlaps, complementarities, potential duplication and opportunities for convergence between UNJPSP III, existing WFP interventions, Government programmes and other partner-supported initiatives.

• Identify opportunities for strengthening linkages between community savings models, financial services, digital financial solutions, market systems, livelihoods interventions and microinsurance products (crop, livestock, Hospicash, health insurance and mutual insurance).

• Recommend context-specific, scalable and sustainable community savings models suitable for adoption, adaptation, linkage, or scale-up by social protection households in rural, urban and peri-urban Zambia, including beneficiaries of the Social Cash Transfer (SCT), Food Security Pack (FSP), Supporting Women's Livelihoods (SWL), Keeping Girls in School (KGS) and related programmes. The assessment should identify design adaptations required for different implementation contexts and target groups, taking into account variations in livelihoods, vulnerability, gender, age, disability, market access, and readiness for economic inclusion/graduation pathways. Recommendations should draw on lessons from VSLAs, self-help groups, cooperatives and other community savings initiatives operating both within and beyond social protection programmes, with particular attention to pathways for economic inclusion, resilience building, and sustainable graduation from poverty.

5. Validation Workshop 

• Facilitate a stakeholder validation meeting to present findings and collect feedback. 

6. Final Report and Datasets

Produce a final Mapping Report that includes: 

·                Executive summary 

·                Comprehensive VSLA landscape analysis 

·                Mapping matrix and GIS based coverage map 

·                Comparative analysis of models 

·                Context specific recommendations for government and partners 

·                A clear convergence and implementation roadmap, setting out institutional roles, recommended delivery pathways, scalability considerations and linkages to existing Government, WFP and partner-supported interventions.

·                Annexes with tools, stakeholders consulted, datasets 

KEY DELIVERABLES

1. Inception Report and work Plan with projected timelines.

2. Stakeholder mapping report

3. Draft VLSA mapping report

4. Validation workshop

5. Final report and datasets

DELIVERABLES

1. Inception Report (5 days):

This report will outline the consultant’s understanding of the assignment, approach, methodology and analytical framework, data collection tools and approach, sampling strategy, Risk management plan. It will include a comprehensive Work Plan with timelines and milestones.

2. Stakeholder mapping report (5 days): This report will provide a comprehensive mapping of relevant stakeholders including:

• Government ministries, departments, and agencies engaged in social protection

• Implementing partners (UN, NGOs, CSOs, OPDs, Cooperatives)

• Community-level structures (VSLAs, savings groups, self help groups, youth groups, women’s associations)

• Financial service providers (banks, MFIs, insurers, mobile money operators)

It will include an analysis of each stakeholder’s role, interests, and influence and a geo-spatial/sectoral distribution overview.

3. Draft VSLA Mapping Report (15 days): This deliverable will include a draft report highlighting:

• Existing VSLA/SILC/Self help groups/Community savings group landscape

• Coverage by district/ward

• Group maturity, membership, governance, and financial performance

• Linkages to social protection households (SCT, FSP, SWL, KGS)

• Gaps, barriers, complementarities, and opportunities at both programmatic and beneficiary perspective. Gap analysis to include relevant government and partner led initiatives such as GEWEL and other community savings, financial inclusion and economic empowerment interventions. An alignment/convergence matrix differentiating existing WFP, Government, UNJPSP III and partner-supported interventions. 

• A dedicated chapter and a structured comparative analysis matrix examining differences between urban and rural community savings models with respect to access to financial services and service providers; VSLA performance, sustainability, and maturity levels; adoption and utilisation of digital financial tools; linkages to markets and value chains; and the socio‑economic dynamics influencing savings and lending behaviors.

• Preliminary, context differentiated recommendations for integrating VSLA models into social protection programming, clearly distinguishing between urban and rural implementation considerations.

4. Validation Workshop: The consultant will facilitate a validation workshop to present key findings to key stakeholders including government, partners, and community representatives and document feedback, inputs, and agreed/recommended refinements to the VSLA mapping report.

5. Final Report and Datasets (15 days)

This deliverable will involve submission of a comprehensive Final Report integrating all feedback from stakeholders and include a refined and expanded urban–rural comparative analysis, final set of context‑specific, scalable, and operationally feasible recommended models for adoption within SCT, FSP, SWL, and KGS households, clear convergence and implementation roadmap, setting out institutional roles, recommended delivery pathways, scalability considerations and linkages to existing Government, WFP and partner-supported interventions, as well as policy implications.   Annexes (tools, stakeholder lists, maps, analysis tables) and clean and well-organized datasets (Excel/CSV/SPSS)

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Education: Advanced degree in Economics, Agricultural Economics, Development Studies, Finance, or related field

Experience: At least seven (7) years’ experience in financial inclusion, VSLAs, microfinance, or resilience programming including demonstrated experience in social protection/economic or productive inclusion and understanding of the intersection between social protection, livelihoods, resilience and financial inclusion. Experience undertaking similar assignments will be an added advantage.  

Knowledge & Skills:

·       Proven experience conducting research, assessments, or market mappings

·       Application of life-cycle model approach

·       Strong analytical and report writing skills

·       Familiarity with Zambia’s rural finance landscape desirable

·       Experience with GIS mapping is an added advantage

Languages:

Fluency (level C) in English

Qualified female applicants and Persons with disabilities are especially encouraged to apply.

DEDELINE FOR APPLICATIONS:
23:59hours Zambian Time on 12th October 2026

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