Institute for Money, Technology & Financial Inclusion

Final Report/Synopsis of Research Results: Previous studies about financial services for the poor are narrowly defined, mainly depends on secondary data, and focused on the design issues. They did not explore what the need of the poor. Thus in order to fill the current knowledge gap and inform mobile money design this study investigates the types of social relationships and social payment practices thereof. Accordingly, the study investigate that there are three types of relationships: (1) among people with similar economic (life style) status, (2) among individuals and higher class people, and (3) among individuals and religious objects of worship. On these relationships there are different money exchange practice (transactions) of which some are executed secretly (undocumented) and some others are disclosed (documented). This study adopts qualitative Study approach in which focus group discussion with key informants is the primary means of information gathering.