Automated Forms Processing and Paper User Interfaces for Data Collection from Village Microfinance Groups

Abstract

Microfinance is defined as the provision of financial services to poor, disadvantaged and underprivileged members of society , particularly in developing countries. Since the success of the Grameen Bank in the late 1970s, microfinance has emerged as a sustainable and effective method of poverty alleviation and local financial development. Recent years have witnessed an unprecedented growth in the scale and reach of microfinance services around the world. For that trend to continue, there is a need for increased data collection and management capacity within microfinance institutions (MFIs). Accurate documentation of local transactions is required for MFIs to track the performance of their clients and to be in a position to make sound financial decisions. We have conceptualized a scalable, flexible and accessible way for MFIs to collect data from village locations using automated forms processing and paper user interfaces. In this paper we describe the technologies required in the proposed system and an operational protocol for deploying it in the field.