By Tarek Kamal, Access to Finance/Financial Inclusion Consultant
To say that life is difficult for the residents of the Chors (River Islands) of Bangladesh would be an understatement of the highest magnitude. Some Chors are more vulnerable to flooding and erosion. Continuously on the move, they are a resilient lot.
Photo credit: Tarek Kamal; Map: Google Maps
The picture above really drives home the issues felt by inhabitants of the Chors of Bangladesh. Using the GPS coordinates on the picture I took (above) when visiting the Chors on the Jamuna River during the floods, I was able to pinpoint that very spot on Google Maps. In the winter, I would have been on dry, but extremely fertile land which would be ideal for growing organic vegetables. Someone owns and farms that land when the water level comes down.
Many times more difficult than just living on the Chors is the access to financial services. The seasonal nature of land, the risk of it being washed away completely and the scarcity of electricity supply (only solar home systems available in the Chors) prevent financial institutions operating there. The difficult access to the Chors around the year (each season bringing different challenges) act as a further deterrent to the provision of financial services in that area.
As I delve into this further as part of a consulting assignment I may change my opinion, but the Agent Banking model seems to be better suited for the Chors. This is due to the fact that any success achieved by financial services companies will be the result of significant advisory services provided face to face to Chor dwellers who tend to be less educated and almost certainly financially illiterate.
This article was originally posted on LinkedIn by the author.
