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Overcoming Back-end Barriers: Opportunity International and Bank Switching Solutions
2009, Berger, E.
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Leveraging technology to reach rural microfinance clients

This Progress Note describes Opportunity International’s efforts to use technology, specifically back-end switching systems, to enable its banks to achieve widespread outreach to rural microfinance clients.

A switching system is an important back-end enabler that drives ATMs and POS devices, linking them with a bank’s portfolio management system. It also allows banks to connect to other banks’ ATM net¬works and can support m-banking and international remittances. Opportunity is trying to develop a switching solution for its microfinance banks in Africa, and is currently in the process of implementing a switch in Malawi. The switch implementation has gone through the following steps:

Determining a business strategy;
Identifying technical and business requirements;
Identifying a technology partner;
Assessing the product and potential partners;
Planning future course of action;
Responding to new developments;
Making financial decisions and implementing.

Opportunity International has overcome many hurdles, including changing technology options, a shifting regulatory landscape, and an initial lack of internal switch-specific expertise, in its first effort to install its own ATM/POS switch. The experience that it has acquired should lead to smoother technology implementations in the future.

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26 Dec 2009



United States

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Journal Volume/Pages:
20

Publisher(s):
SEEP (The SEEP Network)