One of the key initiatives implemented by CARE Jordan is the Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), which helps to create savings groups in vulnerable communities to build economic resilience and empowerment. VSLAs are an effective way to save money in a safe space, access small loans and obtain emergency insurance. Rawan Matar, Economic Empowerment and Women Justice Project Officer, and Hazar Badran, Program Coordinator for the Economic Empowerment and VSLA program, have shared their experiences of helping to implement VSLAs in Jordan.
Rawan Matar has been working with CARE Jordan since 2018, as an Economic Empowerment and Women Justice Project Officer.
For Rawan, every woman who is engaged in the VSLA is a success story. “I get impressed and overwhelmed every day when I hear the stories. It’s so inspiring.” One of the most touching stories to her is one of the participants who used to get beaten and insulted by her husband every day. He used to humiliate her and treat her with disrespect. When she started with VSLA, she managed to take a loan from the project and along with the savings, she started her own business. With the success she achieved, she became more independent and gained strength. “She once told me; my husband no longer hit me or disrespect me. I am much stronger now and if he even thinks of doing any wrong, I will speak up for myself and will not allow it.”
Rawan encourages each woman in this world to keep fighting for her life. “Be strong and look for opportunities that will change your life for the better. You deserve it.”
Hazar Badran has been working with CARE Jordan since 2018, as a Program Coordinator for the Economic Empowerment and VSLA program. When Hazar began working for the VSLA program, she was not fully convinced that such an idea can have a great impact on women. She could not imagine how the concept of savings can be a life-changing experience for someone. “Women are the most vulnerable when it comes to the financial resources and literacy in our region, they are not involved nor able to access financials and loans through any source, because they don’t have a constant income.” CARE International launched the VSLA program long time ago, it aims to involve and educate women in financials and create self-managed and self-capitalized savings groups, where women support and lend to each other.
The benefits of this program are numerous; Hazar has listed some below:
-
It provides access to finances and empowers women.
-
It addresses Gender-Based Violence, as women become more confident and independent.
-
It enhances their decision-making skills.
-
It creates a positive changing behavior towards one another.
After two years of working in the VSLA, Hazar met with a program participant who changed her thoughts about VSLA completely. “She told me, before I joined VSLA, my husband humiliated me and hit me every time I asked for money. Now, he completely depends on me. I give him money whenever I want, and I do not need him anymore. For Hazar, this was the turning point that made her believe more in the importance of this program. It also made her believe that women can move mountains when they are given opportunities. Hazar hopes that CARE Jordan can include hundreds and thousands of women in this program in the near future.
“I have only one message to women all around; I encourage you to believe in yourself. Love yourself and look for opportunities always.”