By Kadijatu Bangura
FREETOWN — In a major boost to women’s economic empowerment, the Women Advocacy and Agriculture Development Organization (WAADO) has trained women from seven communities in the Western Rural District in Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) and provided NLe10,000 to each community as start-up capital.
The training, held on Saturday, 24th October 2026, was funded by the Embassy of Iceland in Sierra Leone through WAADO, with a total disbursement of NLe70,000 to the seven beneficiary communities.
According to WAADO’s Executive Director, Doris, the initiative will be rolled out in five districts — Western Rural, Kambia, Port Loko, Bonthe and Moyamba — as part of efforts to expand women’s access to financial services and strengthen small-scale businesses.
The programme is designed to help women organize their economic activities, improve their businesses and build financial resilience through collective savings and locally managed lending, particularly in communities with limited access to formal banking services.
During the intensive training, participants were taken through the operations of VSLAs, including savings procedures, loan management, financial record-keeping, group leadership and safeguards for members’ contributions.
Lead Trainer, Michaela Finoh, explained that VSLAs are community-based groups where members contribute savings regularly and lend money to one another under agreed rules. She noted that at the end of a savings cycle — typically 9 to 12 months — members share accumulated savings and profits.
She emphasized transparency, democratic leadership and accountability, noting that groups must adopt a constitution, elect a management committee, maintain accurate records and count money publicly during meetings. The training also covered social welfare funds for emergencies, loan application procedures and end-of-cycle sharing.
Speaking at the event, the Director of Gender in the Western Rural District at the Ministry of Gender, Foday Mohamed Sesay, urged participants to report cases of exploitation, abuse and other gender-related violations. He cautioned beneficiaries against involving vulnerable children in risky trading activities that could compromise their safety and education.
Sesay warned of dangers such as road accidents, kidnapping and sexual abuse, and encouraged communities to prioritize children’s safety and schooling.
Under the VSLA model, members set their own rules, manage their funds and make collective decisions, while trainers provide initial guidance and gradually step back as groups become self-reliant.
WAADO says the initiative will extend financial management skills to women across the five targeted districts, with the goal of promoting financial inclusion, growing small businesses and creating sustainable economic opportunities for women and their communities.
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