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In these groups, women, men, and youth gather weekly to save, lend, and support one another. However, the traditional system, which is reliant on handwritten records and physical cash, came with numerous challenges. Inefficient record-keeping often led to errors and conflicts, a lack of transparency eroded trust among members, and limited financial literacy hampered effective decision-making. Such challenges undermined the potential of VSLAs to fully empower their members.
“Using paperwork for record keeping led to inaccuracies and was time-consuming. Sometimes it could take between two to three hours to record members’ information. Some members could also disappear with borrowed money without being traced,” explains Gatangaza Sallyxe, ForAfrika’s Digital Technology Officer in Rwanda.
The introduction of Amatsinda.rw, an innovative Rural Finance Digitalisation platform, developed by ForAfrika, has transformed how VSLAs in Rwanda operate. In Rwanda, ForAfrika is working with 90 VSLA groups.
Since July 2024, the organisation has onboarded 35 VSLA groups in Rukoma and Rugari sectors in Kamonyi District, and Mushishiro and Rugendabari sectors in Muhanga District. The target is to onboard all 90 groups by the end of 2025. Each group has received a smartphone, managed by the group secretary who also serves as the Amatsinda administrator.
“We began by training eight groups; four from each of the two districts, as Amatsinda Platform Champions and Trainers of Trainers (ToTs). These trained groups then supported the training of a further 27 groups in March 2025,” says Sallyxe.
The Amatsinda digitalisation initiative offers many benefits, including real-time tracking of savings and loans, automated record-keeping that eliminates human error, smartphone access in the local language to ensure localisation of financial services, and secure data storage that minimises the risk of loss or theft.
“We are grateful for this innovative platform which uses our native language, making it more accessible even for members who are illiterate,” says Nyirahabumukiza Francine, Chairperson of the Abanyamurava VSLA group in Ngundo village.
She adds, “We previously struggled with trust issues, and member contributions were dropping. Today, members who once feared losing their savings now carry their financial records in their pockets. There is far more transparency. We also keep a manual backup, so if there’s a power outage, we can still refer to the records. The platform has brought new hope to our group—we can now save confidently without fear of losing our records.”
Through the platform, ForAfrika collaborates with community groups to bridge the digital divide, ensuring rural communities engage in the digital economy, empowering them to take control of their economic future, and promoting local leadership and entrepreneurship.
"We are co-creating these innovative solutions with the communities themselves because, as an organisation, we want communities to have the autonomy and resilience to meet their needs without relying on external support,” emphasises Ronnie Murungu, ForAfrika Rwanda’s Country Director.
In addition to saving time, the platform has enabled groups to come together and manage their savings and loan activities more efficiently. “Groups that used to spend up to three hours on manual record-keeping now need just 30 minutes. The integration of Amatsinda with mobile service providers like MTN adds an extra layer of security. If someone takes a mobile loan and defaults, the Amatsinda platform can trace them,” Sallyxe explains.
The rollout of this technology comes with its own unique challenges. “Getting older women to adapt to using smartphones for savings is very challenging. Additionally, some rural groups lack access to electricity, which makes charging their phones difficult. For the initiative to be sustainable and scalable, we need more funding to support the women and expand to other rural areas,” emphasises Ronnie Murungu.
Today, groups that once struggled are now reaping the benefits of digitising their services. Uwimana Francoise, treasure of Gishyeshye VSLA group from Rukoma Sector, was previously facing financial difficulties. She joined the group when it was still relying on paperwork for record keeping. She vividly recalls the challenges at that time, including mistrust, which discouraged new members from joining and saving.
“Digitising our VSLA group has motivated us to save money, knowing that it is very secure. Today, more members of the community are showing interest in joining our group because we are very transparent and organised,” she says.
After months of saving, Uwimana borrowed from the group and purchased a sewing machine enabling her to start a tailoring business, which now provides her family with additional income. She also used part of the loan to establish a kitchen garden, which not only feeds her family but also generates extra income through the sale of surplus produce, thanks to the training she received from ForAfrika.
Following the successful piloting and implementation of the platform, there is growing interest in its wider adoption, not only among community members, but also by the government and other non-state actors in Rwanda.
“The Amatsinda digital platform is a game-changer that has revolutionised how VSLAs operate. We’re in discussions with Rwanda’s Ministry of Information Communication Technology (ICT) to explore nation-wide rollout. We recently held talks with MTN, a mobile service provider, on linking Amatsinda to mobile money for broader financial inclusion. The National Intellectual Property Agency is also keen to collaborate with us on data and privacy protection to safeguard users,” shares Sallyxe.
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