Savings Clubs That Inspire: Rare Visits Guatemala’s Pacific Coast

ICIAAD – Guatemala

In the fishing communities of Guatemala’s Pacific coast, access to formal financial services remains an unmet need. For many families, saving money safely or accessing credit in times of need is nearly impossible. Community savings clubs offer a concrete response to that reality: small organized groups that support each other, pool resources collectively, and build a network of support that goes far beyond money.

ICIAAD has been implementing this model along the Pacific coast for years, and the results have reached the ears of those best positioned to evaluate them.

On June 16 and 17, the director and technical team of Rare Centro América — an international NGO specializing in community conservation and a key promoter of this methodology in the region — visited the three active clubs ICIAAD has established: Los Viñecos de Corazón in Caserío La Viña del Señor (18 savers, in their first cycle), Nuestro Futuro in Barra El Jiote-Pasaco (15 savers, in their fourth cycle), and Lindo Atardecer in Aldea Las Lisas (45 savers — 93% women — in their second cycle).

What they found satisfied them. The methodology has not only been implemented — it has been adapted intelligently to the particular realities of each community, and the clubs operate with solidity and commitment. The visit was not just an evaluation; it was the start of a deeper collaboration. Rare Centro América and ICIAAD have committed to expanding the network of clubs along the Guatemalan Pacific coast, bringing this community savings model to more families who deserve a safe place to keep what they work for.