Encouraging Long-Term Savings by Informal Sector Workers in Rwanda

In this project, the SIPA workshop team worked with they Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB) to identify innovative strategies for the EjoHeza long-term savings scheme, with a focus on increasing voluntary participation among Rwandan informal sector workers, especially young women and men.

The SIPA team’s analyses combined qualitative and quantitative research methods, including extensive literature review, interviews and focus groups with more than 100 key stakeholders during fieldwork in Rwanda, detailed analyses of EjoHeza contributions data provided by RSSB, and benchmarking against international case studies.

Key findings included the identification of EjoHeza’s strengths and challenges based on data-backed patterns in savings behavior, experiences of informal sector workers, relationships with user aggregators, potential partnerships for scheme implementation, effective mobilization strategies, and barriers to saving.

To address these challenges, the SIPA team recommended targeted strategies to engage low-performing groups in the EjoHeza scheme, suggesting that addressing both systemic and individual barriers could significantly advance financial security for Rwanda’s informal sector workers. Specifically, recommendations include strategies to enhance data management, mobilization, communications, partnerships, funds management, and products in development.