| Abstract: |
This paper presents short-term results from an experiment randomizing the
promotion and registration of a mobile savings account among women
microentrepreneurs in Tanzania, with and without business training. Six months
post-intervention, the results show that women save substantially more through
the mobile account, and that the business training bolstered this effect.
Women also obtain more microloans through the mobile account, an additional
service provided by the product. The business training further led to an
increase in the business practices of the women. We find no significant
evidence that these impacts translate into greater investment, sales, and
profits, but we see some evidence of increased business expansion through the
creation of profitable secondary businesses, as well as improvements in
women’s empowerment and subjective well-being. |