Posted in History, Microfinance, Orality, The village, tagged England, fraud, Muktar Mai, thumbprint, Walter Ong on May 4, 2011| Leave a Comment »
As observed by communications theorist Walter Ong, villagers in oral communities often don’t trust written text.
Ong cites a study of community decision-making from 12th century England. (Orality and Literacy, p. 95). Writing already had a long history in England, (more…)
Posted in Microfinance, Orality, tagged accountability, democracy, icon, loan contract, oral culture, oral tool, orality, tally, thumbprint, transparency on December 2, 2010| 4 Comments »
Why are there not finger-counting icons and/or tallies (see right) on every passbook owned by every illiterate client in microfinance?
This small change could make microfinance more comfortable for poor borrowers and poor savers, and contribute in a small way towards our shared goal of ‘access for all’. (more…)
villagefinance 