The social fund

Mothers’ Union in Tanzania has more than 815,000 members and a big vision: to see spiritual, social and economic transformation among themselves, in the church and in the wider community.

With support from Anglican agency Five Talents, one of the tools they are using to pursue this vision is savings and credit groups.

The aim of these groups is to not only break down the barriers and challenges faced by women when dealing with money and finances, but also to encourage them to use their collective resources to become agents of change in their communities.

Love and care

Over time, participants use their savings and loans to start small enterprises. They become more independent, and are able to use their new budgeting and savings skills to improve the wellbeing of their families.

As participation in the groups raises the social and economic status of members, they are increasingly able to support others in their community, and also contribute to the sustainability of the Mothers’ Union and the church.

The social fund provides a practical way of doing this. Typically, social funds sit alongside group savings as a secondary fund that allows the group to give financial support to individual members during emergencies, life events (births, marriages, deaths) and major illnesses. 

Like many savings and credit groups, Mothers’ Union groups in Tanzania see this fund as an important way to show love and care to each other during difficult times. And they have decided to use money from their social funds to extend this love and care to other community members as well.

Using the mindset of ‘as we receive from God, so we share with others’, the groups use the following questions to guide them:

• What financial resources from the group will we use to support people in the wider community?
• What non-financial resources (time, prayer, love) will we give to practically support and encourage those who are unwell or experiencing other difficulties? 
• What financial resources from the group will we use to support the church and Mothers’ Union, recognising their role in establishing the group and providing pastoral care to its members?
• What non-financial resources will we give to practically support the church and Mothers’ Union?

Each group discusses these questions and then updates their group constitution (set of agreed rules) to reflect the decisions they have made.

Hope and help

In the Njombe region of Tanzania, Mothers’ Union savings groups have used money from their social funds to contribute to renovating the local Anglican church, buying a car for the parish, starting an orphanage and supporting the diocese to start a secondary school. Each year they also pay the school fees for orphans in the community who otherwise would not be able to go to school.

Several savings groups in the Tanga region of Tanzania have started two community projects, financed partly through their social funds: fish farming and agricultural irrigation. Group and community members work alongside each other in these projects, sharing the benefits and developing strong friendships. 

One of the group members reflects, ‘Before, different groups would establish projects in the community. They improved people’s lives but drew people away from the church. At that time, we Christians did not do anything. We did not feel we had anything to offer to those who needed help. 

‘But now, through what we already have in our group, we are able to offer the community hope and practical help. We work together with them. We are able to show love to everyone in the community.’

Consistent care

By incorporating group ministry commitments into the constitution, and having a practical way of giving in the form of the social fund, the savings groups can be consistent in their chosen ministry activities.

Three quarters of Mothers' Union savings groups in Tanzania are now using a percentage of their social funds or interest earned on loans to support their wider communities. And nearly 90 per cent of groups are giving their time to support neighbours and community members who are experiencing difficulties. 

In addition, more than 90 per cent are giving money to Mothers' Union and the church to help ensure the long-term success of their work.