Reflection: Mobile Money for the Unbanked-Storytelling

Challenge & Selection

I’m working on a project that increases economic development in rural areas with little or null  access to banking services. The current solutions focus only on two things: the funds to be  intended to social programs and the way they are delivered.

What is this about? Well, they define the problem in a context that eliminates the opportunities  for innovation. They attack the problem in a general way, assuming total certainty and prediction  based on statistical data without exploring the details and characteristics of the persons In these  communities, for example, giving money cards in areas where there is not access to services  where they can be used, and providing food or money in areas far awy from these communities,  ignoring the transportation, time and security challenges faced by these people when receiving  support.

The person who helps one of my partners cleaning his house has shared with us the long and  complicated process that her mom faces triyng to receive these socials programs. With the history  of her mom plus histories shared by other persons that have knowledge of this situation we have  design a solution to develop an economic growth, and bring closer financial services into these  zones.

Application    The first time we presented the solution we were focusing presenting the problem, the proposed  solution and the impact of this in the lives of these people. Altought we did’t communicate a story,  we empathically connected the board members with the problem using an ethnographic  categorization and theorizing the results based on a similar solution applied in Africa where is a  success.

On the other hand, during the last presentation that we had with executives of another company  the results were different. We repeated the same formula that had previously given us success,  but we failed to communicate the problem and therefore the impact of the solution.

When we explained the scheme operation, they argued the use of electronic wallets that requires  a card to operate as a better solution. The presentation has turned into a debate looking for  defend their ideas rather than a business/solution presentation.

We tried to make them see the problem with a focus on the needs of the person and problems of  infrastructure and lack of banking services that they experienced in their communities, to which  they argued with statistical and market data, for example the extension of cellular LTE Coverage to  National level, among others. In this way all his answers and arguments to the problem were  based on "big ideas" and market research data of the current situation.

After all this, we have seen the need to create a story that communicates emphatic the situation  of the people and the problems they face.     Insight & Approach    Applying the storytelling tool, the team has managed to create a story based on the experience  shared by Paolina, the girl who helps my partner cleaning his home, to see the challenges that her  mom faces when using these social programs.    We have tried to build a StoryTelling based on the following points:

  Non-articulated needs of people.

  Using statistical information+results information from our investigation of the problem  (interviews, visualizing the problem) and then connect them with with the protagonist.

  Explain the current situation / problem based in  the emotional connection (empathy)

  Create moments of reflection through questions and suspense between them.

  The stresses that ignore the problem implies for the company.

  Communicate the strategy involved in the situation.

  The HardFact of the story is based on the challenges of the protagonist of the story and  not just in fixed data provides by reports/ market research.

“She is Maria, a housewife with two small children who lives in the town of Zilacayotl, Municipality  of Acatepec, Guerrero, Mexico.    Zilacayotl is a town far away from the big cities, where there is not internet, there is not 4G data,  not many institutions or banking services.    Maria receives social programs support from the government, such as food and money ....  However, making use of them is not an easy task.     Apetzuca, a town that is 4 hours from her house, is the closest town where social programs are  distributed.    She has to leave her childrens alone all day to move to Apetzuca, she has to leave very early from  her home because the bus that goes there leaves at 7AM and each new bus takes two hours to  pass again.    Maria leaves  her house in the morning, motivated by not losing the bus and arriving as soon as  possible to Apetzuca, to neglect minimum her childrens and her home.    The bus cost is not cheap, the round trip is almost the same what she spend on the full food of one  day.    After arriving in Apetzuca and standing waiting for 2 hours under the sun's rays, Maria achieves to  receive the food and economic support from the government, now she can take the bus back  home. However Maria knows that she still has the risk of being assaulted in the truck as it  happened last time.

Maria arrives at her home in the afternoon, fortunately there wasn’t any assault or accident in her  way. His childrens are crying and ask her for food, because they haven’t ate anyting. Maria is tired  but she put the fire to cook something of the new food aid that was given to him and later she is  going to wash and to iron all the clothes that have pending as part of its work.    Is  fair that receiving help implies neglecting your home, children and other activities?  How is possible that we still allow localities and people staying disconnected from the world today,  being leaders in networks and connectivity? (Question for the executive board members of the  company)    Just like the case of Maria, only 57% of the municipalities in Mexico have access to financial  services ... what about the other 43%? Are they forgotten places where more families, including  men and women, face the same challenges as Maria?    Let's go back to Maria, every month her husband sends remittances to her and her children. María  againg has to travel form Apetzuca to other more far way place: the municipality of Tlatlahuque,  Guerrero which is 1 hour and 45 minutes from Acatepec. Tlatlahuaque is the nearest municipality  where you can find a bank and take remittances. The same story is repeated, alone childrens at  home, risk of assault on bus, long journey times and this time high commissions charged by the  bank, taking away  a good portion of the remittances sent to Maria.    Simply the payment of $ 20 trillion USD in remittance commissions and $ 10.6 trillion in G2P  transaction commissions (Goverment to person) and P2P (Person to person).    Again, why can’t we connect this forgotten sector to banking services?  Is the little social valuation that we give to these types of places and people or is the inexistence of  a business model that suits this type of scheme?    Imagine that Maria only had to go once in her life to Tlatlahuaque to create a bank account ...  imagine that she could make use of the social programs, and the money she receives from  remittances by simply presenting her finger in the stores near her locality.    Can we hack the existing system?  Of course, economic development from  inside to  outside in these communities, no longer long  travel times, no more assault risks, no high commissions form remittances, no forgotten areas  disconnected from the world today. Imagine DineroMovil.”    I liked this course,  Thanks.      Pablo Garcia.


Reflection : Mobile Money for the Unbanked - Storytelling Challenge & Selection I ’m working on a project that increases economic development in rural areas with little or null access to banking services . The current solutions focus only on two things : the funds to be intended to social programs and the way they are delivered . What is this about ? Well , they define the problem in a context that eliminates the opportunities for innovation . They attack the problem in a general way , assuming total certainty and prediction based on statistical data without exploring the details and characteristics of the persons In these communities , for example , giving money cards in areas where there is not access to services where they can be used , and providing food or money in areas far awy from these communities , ignoring the transportation , time and security challenges faced by these people when receiving support . The person who helps one of my partners cleaning his house has shared with us the long and complicated process that her mom faces triyng to receive these socials programs . With the history of her mom plus histories shared by other persons that have knowledge of this situation we have design a solution to develop an economic growth , and bring closer financial services into these zones . Application The first time we presented the solution we were focusing presenting the problem , the proposed solution and the impact of this in the lives of these people . Altought we did’t communicate a story , we empathically connected the board members with the problem using an ethnographic categorization and theorizing the results based on a similar solution applied in Africa where is a success . On the other hand , during the last presentation that we had with executives of another company the results were different . We repeated the same formula that had previously given us success , but we failed to communicate the problem and therefore the impact of the solution . When we explained the scheme operation , they argued the use of electronic wallets that requires a card to operate as a better solution . The presentation has turned into a debate looking for defend their ideas rather than a business / solution presentation . We tried to make them see the problem with a focus on the needs of the person and problems of infrastructure and lack of banking services that they experienced in their communities , to which they argued with statistical and market data , for example the extension of cellular LTE Coverage to National level , among others . In this way all his answers and arguments to the problem were based on " big ideas " and market research data of the current situation . After all this , we have seen the need to create a story that communicates emphatic the situation of the people and the problems they face . Insight & Approach Applying the storytelling tool , the team has managed to create a story based on the experience shared by Paolina , the girl who helps my partner cleaning his home , to see the challenges that her mom faces when using these social programs . We have tried to build a StoryTelling based on the following points :  Non - articulated needs of people .  Using statistical information+results information from our investigation of the problem ( interviews , visualizing the problem ) and then connect them with with the protagonist .  Explain the current situation / problem based in the emotional connection ( empathy )  Create moments of reflection through questions and suspense between them .  The stresses that ignore the problem implies for the company .  Communicate the strategy involved in the situation .  The HardFact of the story is based on the challenges of the protagonist of the story and not just in fixed data provides by reports/ market research . “ She is Maria , a housewife with two small children who lives in the town of Zilacayotl , Municipality of Acatepec , Guerrero , Mexico . Zilacayotl is a town far away from the big cities , where there is not internet , there is not 4 G data , not many institutions or banking services . Maria receives social programs support from the government , such as food and money .... However , making use of them is not an easy task . Apetzuca , a town that is 4 hours from her house , is the closest town where social programs are distributed . She has to leave her childrens alone all day to move to Apetzuca , she has to leave very early from her home because the bus that goes there leaves at 7AM and each new bus takes two hours to pass again . Maria leaves her house in the morning , motivated by not losing the bus and arriving as soon as possible to Apetzuca , to neglect minimum her childrens and her home . The bus cost is not cheap , the round trip is almost the same what she spend on the full food of one day . After arriving in Apetzuca and standing waiting for 2 hours under the sun 's rays , Maria achieves to receive the food and economic support from the government , now she can take the bus back home . However Maria knows that she still has the risk of being assaulted in the truck as it happened last time . Maria arrives at her home in the afternoon , fortunately there was n’t any assault or accident in her way . His childrens are crying and ask her for food , because they have n’t ate anyting . Maria is tired but she put the fire to cook something of the new food aid that was given to him and later she is going to wash and to iron all the clothes that have pending as part of its work . Is fair that receiving help implies neglecting your home , children and other activities ? How is possible that we still allow localities and people staying disconnected from the world today , being leaders in networks and connectivity ? ( Question for the executive board members of the company ) Just like the case of Maria , only 57 % of the municipalities in Mexico have access to financial services ... what about the other 43 % ? Are they forgotten places where more families , including men and women , face the same challenges as Maria ? Let 's go back to Maria , every month her husband sends remittances to her and her children . María againg has to travel form Apetzuca to other more far way place : the municipality of Tlatlahuque , Guerrero which is 1 hour and 45 minutes from Acatepec . Tlatlahuaque is the nearest municipality where you can find a bank and take remittances . The same story is repeated , alone childrens at home , risk of assault on bus , long journey times and this time high commissions charged by the bank , taking away a good portion of the remittances sent to Maria . Simply the payment of $ 20 trillion USD in remittance commissions and $ 10.6 trillion in G2P transaction commissions ( Goverment to person ) and P2P ( Person to person ) . Again , why ca n’t we connect this forgotten sector to banking services ? Is the little social valuation that we give to these types of places and people or is the inexistence of a business model that suits this type of scheme ? Imagine that Maria only had to go once in her life to Tlatlahuaque to create a bank account ... imagine that she could make use of the social programs , and the money she receives from remittances by simply presenting her finger in the stores near her locality . Can we hack the existing system ? Of course , economic development from inside to outside in these communities , no longer long travel times , no more assault risks , no high commissions form remittances , no forgotten areas disconnected from the world today . Imagine DineroMovil . ” I liked this course , Thanks . Pablo Garcia .