Countries
Benin, Madagascar, Zambia, Togo

Local Project Partner
Post, Postbank, Postsparkasse

German Project Partner
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Donor
BMZ

Duration
01.11.2016 - 30.04.2019

Although access to formal financial services has improved significantly for people in sub-Saharan Africa, a large proportion of the population is still excluded. Only just under a quarter of adults have a bank account. Banks are predominantly present in urban areas and economic centres. People who live outside these centres are severely restricted in their access to financial services due to the inadequate branch infrastructure in rural areas. Poorer, older and poorly educated sections of the population are particularly affected. Unrealised economic potential, continued poverty and low social participation are the consequences of this situation.

The branch network of post offices is completely different to that of banks: most post offices are located outside urban centres. They are therefore at the centre of the project work: through them, or by strengthening their distribution network (postal savings bank), access to financial services is to be made easier for broad sections of the population outside of economic centres, thereby effectively improving the situation for local people.