The purpose of this field survey was to establish the reasons why men and youth shun Savings Groups (SGs) in Zambia’s rural areas. This is important as SGs have become an important alternative source of financial services and inclusion for the unserved populations in rural Africa. Evidence also suggest that unlike traditional financial services, SGs are have flexible savings policies and loan terms, and tend to eliminate minimum savings requirements and penalties. In this regard, they better accommodate the more irregular income of vulnerable populations, as well as their increased vulnerability to economic and non-economic shocks. The survey reveals interesting issues that form a good basis for strengthening SGs as alternative financial service providers for rural Zambia and a key aspect in poverty alleviation among the vulnerable.
