A Study of Money and Financial Services and the Impact of ICTs Among Poor Communities in Developing Countries: The Case of Botswana

A Study of Money and Financial Services and the Impact of ICTs Among Poor Communities in Developing Countries: The Case of Botswana

2009

Southern Africa

Botswana

This paper proposes a study to understand what perceptions, values and uses are attached to money and other forms of wealth among the poor in Botswana. Further, the study seeks to understand the means, traditionally or otherwise by which money is generated, preserved and transferred. The study will also establish what patterns of saving, investment and financial services exist among the poor and whether new ICTs such as mobile phones could be used to provide access to financial services to the poor. Finally, the study will make recommendations on locally-tailored methods of providing financial services to the poor. Methodologically, a multiple case-study approach will be employed by targeting seven poor communities in both rural and urban Botswana. A semi-structured interview questionnaire will be designed to collect views of thirty key informants from seven carefully selected poor community settlements. A focus group meeting in form of a workshop will be conducted to investigate and make recommendations on suitable and locally tailored methods of providing financial services to the poor. Data collected will be analyzed using a qualitative software package. This study is significant because it provides an in-depth analysis of how the poor use money and what intervention methods, with ICTs or otherwise, can be used to make them financially secure.

Beatrice Magembe, Alice Shemi

Beatrice Magembe holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree with a major in Accounting from the University of Nairobi, Kenya and a Master of Business Administration degree from Colorado State University. She is currently a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Accounting and Finance at the University of Botswana.

Alice Shemi has a Bachelor of Science degree from University of Zambia and Master of Business Administration in Information Systems from University of Hull, UK. She is a Senior Lecturer in Business Information Systems, Department of Accounting and Finance, University of Botswana.