Due to a lack of self-discipline, some of us may struggle to save money for a rainy day.
For vulnerable communities, the problem is not one of motivation, but rather their financial inability to do so. Too often, their earnings can barely cover their basic needs.
This is Elfitra’s situation—a single mother who is always looking out for the well-being of her only child, Kenny. In an attempt to improve her financial situation, Elfira signed up to participate in the MWS Family Development Programme (FDP). The FDP is a proprietary debt clearance and savings matching programme that aims to alleviate poverty by getting people out of debt and into asset building and saving. This programme is for low income families living on a per capita income of less than $850. For every dollar of debt that a client clears on their own, MWS will match their debt repayment with $2 to enable families to get out of debt faster. For every dollar a client saves on their own, MWS will match their savings with $2 to help families build their assets and plan for the future.
Elfitra shared: "I was thinking about how, at that moment, we had no savings. What would happen to Kenny if anything happened to me? How is he going to survive? Therefore, I needed to save some money in case of an emergency."
"The first time I was approached by a social worker regarding FDP, I was certain that I would not join. I was concerned that I wouldn't be able to save every month. After a while, when I increased my shifts, it resulted in an increase in my earnings and savings through the programme.”
Elfitra has served three years in the FDP and is about to graduate. It did not, however, dim her zeal for continuing to save.
It just so happened to be raining the day we interviewed Elfitra. As she narrated her story, the weather reminded us of her tenacity, maternal instincts, and prudence in wanting to save for a rainy day.
Due to a lack of self-discipline, some of us may struggle to save money for a rainy day. 
