Adapting technology to the
realities of the local market,
where cell phones, but not
computers, are common,
DreamOval
products include Outreach, a
communications solution that
integrates cell phones and email
for business critical
communications; i-Wallet, a
mobile online payment solution;
and GVSX, an online portfolio
management application that
investment companies use to
allow their clients to manage
investment accounts online.
Customers include Ghana Home
Loans and CAL Bank. The
DreamOval team donates to the
Ashesi scholarship fund.
Mobile
banking makes life easier
Patrick Quantson
’05 understands that new mobile
banking technology offers huge
advantages to the poor and
presents an exciting
business opportunity. Mobile
banking has the potential to
transform the lives of the poor.
It offers a means to make
payments, transfer remittances,
and save money in transactions
too small for ordinary retail
banking. Users thereby avoid
expensive loan sharks and other
unsafe, informal services.
Patrick Quantson has become a
passionate expert on mobile
banking and has given papers at
banking conferences across
Africa.
Since
graduating, Patrick has been
promoted to Operations Officer,
eCommerce and Business
Development, Cards and
Electronic Banking Unit of CAL
Bank. He promotes the bank’s
efforts to develop viable
alternate delivery channels and
to create a sustainable mobile
payment gateway in Ghana.
Patrick is also an entrepreneur.
He runs a consulting service for
Indian firms seeking to invest
in Ghana’s technology sector and
has started an online
professional community for young
entrepreneurs and business
professionals in Ghana.
Microfinance
in Sudan
Ahmed Satti is
building the capacity and
quality of microfinance
institutions in Sudan. His work
helps ensure that more Sudanese
can receive the small loans they
need to start small enterprises
and climb out of poverty.
Ahmed Satti ‘07
works with the Frankfurt School
of Finance and Management as a
training coordinator for the
Sudan Microfi nance Development
Facility (SMDF). Th e SMDF,
established by the Central Bank
of Sudan and the World Bank,
provides funding in the form of
loans, guarantees, equity, and
grants, as well as technical
assistance and training to build
microfi nance capacity.
Ahmed evaluates
microfinance institutions and
determines the kind of technical
assistance they need in order to
grow. He monitors the
performance and quality of
training and technical
assistance. Ahmed transferred to
Ashesi from Texas Technical
University because he was
inspired by the Ashesi mission.
He states,
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