Empowerment for Life (E4L) an NGO has organized a sensitization on the adoption of savings culture among the Timtooni Youth Group of Dabogshee, within the Yoggu Area Council of the Tolon District.
The essence of the sensitization was to educate the members of the group on the importance of joining a Village Savings and Loans Association (VSLA) in order to reap the benefits when in need.
Although the group is already aware of VLSA activities within the district, E4L however, took it a step further to educate and to encourage the youth on the need to form or join a VLSA in order for it to be beneficial for them as a group.
VLSA is a group in most rural communities where the members mobilize their financial resources together as savings. Members can borrow from the kitty or box to pay their children’s school fees and return it with minimal interest rate. One will not have to borrow money from relatives, if you are a member of the group and this can be a high sense of security.
A field facilitator of E4L, Amin Awal who addressed the gathering took the youth through the importance of VLSA, strategies, and who qualifies to be a member of the group.
He also added that, Empowerment for Life will be organizing entrepreneurship boot camp training for members of the VSLA(s). The boot camp will help train them on how to start their own businesses.
The Timtooni Youth group members were excited and expressed their desire to work with the NGO to inaugurating a VSLA soon saying “this will be beneficial to us and our community as a whole.”
Story By: Ziblim Zeinab, Community Journalist, Tolon
