Ophavela started as an offshoot of one of the CARE credit programmes in Mozambique. It was established in 2001 as a pilot project based on a model of Accumulating Savings and Credit Association (ASCA). The Model was so successful in the first few months of operation that CARE decided to continue with it. After a two year extension, a local NGO has now been set up to take over the running of the programme. The objectives of Ophavela is to create a facility through which the rural population can save and access credit.