Savings Groups reach those rarely served by mainstream financial institutions. At weekly meetings, members deposit savings and take loans, and in the process build commitment, discipline and mutual assistance. Maximum transparency, a profitable structure for saving, access to small loans and an annual lump sum of capital are the hallmarks of the Savings Group methodology. The outcome: empowered groups, made up mostly of women, who manage themselves as tiny financial institutions. Today there are Savings Groups in 60 countries with more than 6 million members, the result of initiatives carried...

The instant New York Times bestseller
Cupcake favorites and dessert classics from the pastry chef and creator of Sprinkles Cupcakes and judge on Food Network's Cupcake Wars.
When Candace Nelson started Sprinkles, America's first cupcakes-only bakery, in 2005, people thought she was crazy. "What else do you sell?" they'd ask. But Sprinkles sold out on opening day . . . and hasn't slowed down since Now, in her first cookbook, Candace opens up her recipe vault to bring you 100 irresistible desserts she can't live without. You'll learn all the...