Fair Finance

Potential client: 'Faisel Rahman' <faisel@fairfinance.org.uk>

Original contact: matthew.jones@jbs.cam.ac.uk (Matthew is an affiliate of JBS, but also Chairman of the Board for Fair Finance)

Project could look at development of a mobile platform for community-based risk management of loans to people who do not have access to low-cost financial services.

Some similarity to the Distributed Microcontracts project from last year

Issues to consider: lenders need something that replaces face-to-face risk assessment; costs must be low to serve low-income market; a mutual society might be able to establish new social trust mechanisms employing mobile phone features.

https://www.fairfinance.org.uk/

Initial idea:

Community risk sharing

Building a relationship with the customer is an essential part of loan financing, often face to face in situations where risk is higher. Fair Finance offers community-based loans to people on low incomes, and need to expand their operations beyond London. Your task is to build a mobile app that supports quantified management of financial risk by sharing data (including location, photos, call records etc) among local members of a supportive community. Privacy and security will be paramount, as will sensitivity to the dignity and rights of those living on low incomes.