Digital aid to increase financial inclusion in developing countries is an increasing area of interest growing together with the global expansion of mobile phone penetration. This paper analyzes technical, social and financial aspects of the possibility of digitizing Xitique, a local community-based microfinance model in rural Mozambique. The aim was to understand the technical requirements of building a GSM based application while preserving cultural importance and the native features of the Xitique savings method. Data was gathered through field studies, where technical experts and the target group, being rural women, provided extensive contributions for the thesis’ findings. The results proved substantial evidence supporting the motive of developing a Xitique application from both a social as well as economic perspective. This was supported by the expressed customer demand that, as part of the result, emanated in a prototype and sustainable Social Business Model for the Xitique application’s service / Användning av digitala hjälpmedel för att öka ekonomiska inkludering i utvecklingsländer är ett växande intresseområde som tilltar tillsammans med den globala expansionen av mobilanvändning. I denna rapport analyseras tekniska, sociala och finansiella aspekter av möjligheten att digitalisera Xitique, en lokal samhällsbaserad mikrofinansmodell på landsbygden i Moçambique. Syftet med arbetet var att förstå de tekniska kraven för en GSM-baserad applikation och hur kulturell betydelse bäst kunde bevaras genom den digitala imitationen av de existerande metoderna som används i den traditionella Xitiquen. Data samlades genom fältstudier där tekniska experter och målgruppen, kvinnor på landsbygden, gav omfattande bidrag till avhandlingens resultat. Resultatet visade att det fanns väsentliga bevis som stöder motivet att utveckla en Xitique-applikation från både ett socialt som ekonomiskt perspektiv. Detta understödjs vidare av den uttryckta efterfrågan hos kvinnorna, som en del av resultatet, ledde till en prototyp och en hållbar social affärsmodell för en Xitique-applikation.

<p>Market information and established communication between seller and buyer play an important role in business activities. This thesis investigates the Transkei area in the Eastern Cape&nbsp / Province, South Africa to find out how to empower rural farmers by providing them with less-expensive mobile technology enabling them to post and advertise their produce, access market&nbsp / information on a common database, and find and communicate with potential customers. The farmers&rsquo / requirements were identified using quantitative and qualitative methods and a prototype&nbsp / consisting of USSD and web applications was developed. It allows the farmer to follow a sequence of menu commands to send a request to the database and access market information, such&nbsp / as commodity prices, and post information about their own produce so as to attract more customers. The low cost of USSD and the ubiquity of mobile phones enable the system to be usable, affordable and effective. During the final stage of development, the system was tested successfully and addressed a major problem faced by farmers, i.e. lack of access to market information.</p>

<p>Market information and established communication between seller and buyer play an important role in business activities. This thesis investigates the Transkei area in the Eastern Cape&nbsp / Province, South Africa to find out how to empower rural farmers by providing them with less-expensive mobile technology enabling them to post and advertise their produce, access market&nbsp / information on a common database, and find and communicate with potential customers. The farmers&rsquo / requirements were identified using quantitative and qualitative methods and a prototype&nbsp / consisting of USSD and web applications was developed. It allows the farmer to follow a sequence of menu commands to send a request to the database and access market information, such&nbsp / as commodity prices, and post information about their own produce so as to attract more customers. The low cost of USSD and the ubiquity of mobile phones enable the system to be usable, affordable and effective. During the final stage of development, the system was tested successfully and addressed a major problem faced by farmers, i.e. lack of access to market information.</p>

Magister Scientiae - MSc / Market information and established communication between seller and buyer play an important role in business activities. This thesis investigates the Transkei area in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa to find out how to empower rural farmers by providing them with less-expensive mobile technology enabling them to post and advertise their produce, access market information on a common database, and find and communicate with potential customers. The farmers’ requirements were identified using quantitative and qualitative methods and a prototype consisting of USSD and web applications was developed. It allows the farmer to follow a sequence of menu commands to send a request to the database and access market information, such as commodity prices, and post information about their own produce so as to attract more customers. The low cost of USSD and the ubiquity of mobile phones enable the system to be usable, affordable and effective. During the final stage of development, the system was tested successfully and addressed a major problem faced by farmers, i.e. lack of access to market information. / South Africa

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis investigate the di erent available GSM bearer channels that can be used to launch a cellphone banking application. Speci c attention is given to launch such a cellphone banking application to the so called \bottom of the pyramid". In South Africa, there are an estimate 11 to 13 million people with no bank accounts. The cellphone create an ideal opportunity to be used as a tool to reach this untapped market segment that today mainly uses cash to pay for day to day living expenses. The thesis provide more information on the cellphone banking arena in South Africa as well as certain projects in other parts of the world. The thesis also highlight new devel- opments on cellphone technology that include Android and IPhone delivery channels. Focus is placed on how the cellphone banking presentation layer must be delivered through the USSD GSM bearer channel. USSD is at the current moment the ultimate channel to consider due to its extensive reach and ability to work on any GSM cellphone handset. In conclusion, although cellphone banking can be used by any person, the bene t to bring nancial services to the bottom end of the pyramid must be considered to achieve nancial inclusion. The cellphone due to its reach is the ideal medium to access this lower end market. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis ondersoek beskikbare GSM selfoon kanale wat gebruik kan word om 'n selfoon bankdienste toepassing te initieer. Spesi eke aandag word gegee om so 'n selfoon bankdienste toepassing uit te rol na die sogenaamde onderste gedeelte van die bevolkings piramiede. Die tesis verskaf meer informasie oor die selfoon bankdienste arena in Suid Africa maar dit brei ook ooit oor sekere soortgelyke projekte in ander dele van die wereld. Die tesis lig ook nuwe ontwikkelings uit in selfoon tegnologie wat Android en IPhone mediums insluit. Fokus word geplaas op die selfoon bankdienste vertoning deur die USSD GSM kanaal. USSD is huidiglik die beste kanaal om te oorweeg as gevolg van die wydverspreide beskik- baarheid omdat die tegnologie op enige selfoon handstuk werk. Die uiteindelike gevolgtrekking uit die werkstuk is dat selfoon bankdienste deur enige persoon gebruik kan word, maar selfoon bankdienste is 'n goeie idee om te oorweeg om mense in te sluit uit die onderste gedeelte van die bevolkings piramiede. Die selfoon kan dus as 'n ideale medium gebruik word om hierdie mense te betrek by nansiele dienste.