Team Reflection Summary
Team Reflection Summary
Our visit to the Twizerane saving group in Gahanga/Nunga changed many of our assumptions. We expected to build a big app and website, but after seeing how the group works with notebooks and simple phones, we realized they need a much simpler system. We also learned that any solution must help them automate their operations and support future government compliance.
What shifted in our perspective: ● USSD must be the main tool because most members use basic phones. ● A smartphone app is only needed for leaders with advanced tasks. ● The main problem is not “lack of technology” but manual errors, slow calculations, and record disagreements. ● Groups will need digital records for government requirements, which paper books cannot provide.
What surprised or moved us: ● The group’s strong discipline and teamwork during meetings. ● How much responsibility the secretary carries with manual calculations. ● Their honesty about mistakes and how they affect trust. ● Their openness and excitement for a simple digital system.
What the community is asking for: ● A simple tool that reduces mistakes and protects records. ● Automation for interest, contributions, and loan tracking. ● A system that helps them meet government compliance in the future. ● USSD for everyone, and a small app for leaders only. ● Better transparency to keep trust strong.
Conclusion: The community wants simplicity, automation, and compliance support, not a complex digital platform. The visit helped us understand that real solutions must fit their daily reality.