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Background: Rural populations in Uganda have limited access to formal financial Institutions, but a growing majority belong to saving groups. These saving groups could have the potential to improve household income and access to health services. Objective: To understand organizational characteristics, benefits and challenges, of savings groups in rural Uganda. Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study that employed both quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques. Data on the characteristics of community-based savings groups (CBSGs) were collected from 247 CBSG leaders in the districts of Kamuli, Kibukuand Pallisa using self-administered open-ended questionnaires. To triangulate the findings, we conducted in-depth interviews with seven CBSG leaders. Descriptive quantitative and content analysis for qualitative data was undertaken respectively. Results: Almost a quarter of the savings groups had 5-14 members and slightly more than half of the saving groups had 15-30 members. Ninety-three percent of the CBSGs indicated electing their management committees democratically to select the group leaders and held meetings at least once a week. Eighty-nine percent of the CBSGs had used metallic boxes to keep their money, while 10% of the CBSGs kept their money using mobile money and banks, respectively. The main reasons for the formation of CBSGs were to increase household income, developing the community and saving for emergencies. The most common challenges associated with CBSG management included high illiteracy (35%) among the leaders, irregular attendance of meetings (22%), and lack of training on management and leadership (19%). The qualitative findings agreed with the quantitative findings and served to triangulate the main results. Conclusions: Saving groups in Uganda have the basic required structures; however, challenges exist in relation to training and management of the groups and their assets. The government and development partners should work together to provide technical support to the groups.
This study was conducted in the districts of Kamuli, Pallisa and Kibuku in Eastern Uganda in 2013. At least 60% of the population in the Eastern region are illiterate and the majority (95%) are subsistence farmers [19]. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study that employed both qualitative and quantitative techniques using a semi-structured questionnaire. Data used in this article were part of the baseline information that was collected to inform the design of demand–creation strategies for the MANIFEST project, which was implemented between 2013 and 2015. To explore the potential of using saving groups to increase access to maternal health services, the MANIFEST project worked in the selected groups in the intervention areas. Among other objectives, the MANIFEST project was implemented to increase birth preparedness and to increase access to household financing for maternal health and access to transport among pregnant women in the intervention area [20]. Strategies for increasing birth preparedness were encouraging people to join savings groups and working with saving groups on how they should save for maternal and newborn health [20]. The saving groups were also asked to make agreements with transporters so that the transporters could provide transport services to the women who were pregnant. Community development officers, who are government employees, provided technical support to the saving groups to strengthen their capacity to manage the saving groups. Data for this paper were obtained from a baseline survey that was done among 247 CBSGs. It included all the groups that were represented at the orientation training that was done for CBSG leaders at the start of the MANIFEST project. The community development officers at district and subcounty levels in each district purposively selected the CBSGs that were active at the time of the study. The study respondents were chairpersons and secretaries of savings groups, whom we believed had enough information on the operations of the CBSG. After consenting by signing or using thumbprint for those who could not sign, they were asked to complete self-administered questionnaires. To gain more insight on the characteristics, challenges and management of savings groups, seven in-depth interviews were purposively conducted with chairpersons of the four registered and the three non-registered CBSGs. An interview guide was developed to guide the process of interviewing study participants and all interviews were audio-recorded. To analyse the characteristics of the savings groups we collected data on the size of the groups, criteria for joining savings groups, frequency of meetings and savings, selection of the management committee, safety of savings funds and loan management (amount of money lent, pay back periods and interest rates). In addition, we collected information on the challenges faced by the CBSGs, as well as solutions. The quantitative data management and analysis was performed using SPSS version 20. The first author, with support from other team members, coded the open-ended questions after going through the questionnaire and having consensus on the codes for each question. Descriptive analysis was done to determine frequencies of different parameters. For qualitative data, a few leaders were purposively selected given their roles and experience in managing CBSGs and written consent was sought before interviewing and recording their responses, although some could not sign and used a thumbprint. During data analysis, research assistants transcribed the audio recordings. To start the analysis, the first author read and re-read all seven transcripts. Next, identification of relevant sections, also referred to as meaning units in content analysis, was undertaken [21,22]. These sections described the organizational characteristics of the CBSGS. Thereafter, open coding was undertaken to the meaning units and a list of 80 open codes was generated. We grouped and re-grouped through iterative process, from which five main categories that describe the savings groups emerged. This process involved reviewing of the codes, subcategorizing and categorizing by MT, RMK and EEK to increase the credibility of the process. The main categories that are described in the results included: reasons and benefits for starting CBSGs; organizational profile of existing CBSGs; operations mechanisms of existing CBSGs; benefits of CBSGs to their members; challenges and solutions. Table 1 shows an example of how the qualitative analysis was carried out. In the results section, the qualitative results are used to illustrate and triangulate the quantitative findings. Therefore, both the quantitative and qualitative results are presented side by side in the results section. Example of the analysis process. This study is part of the MANIFEST research protocol that was registered with Makerere University School of Public Health Research Ethics Committee (reference number HDREC 152) and the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (reference number HS 1399). All participants provided written informed consent by signing consent forms or using a thumbprint for the few cases that could not write, and confidentiality and voluntary participation were assured.
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