September 28th, 2015

Today is an exciting day for FSD Kenya – we launch our new website. It is designed to be a comprehensive online resource for anyone looking for information on financial sector development and financial inclusion in Kenya.

Working with the fantastic Nairobi-based digital agency, Circle, we have developed an online platform that will showcase not just our own research but also that of our partners, without whom our work would not be possible.

Once fully developed, the website will provide a comprehensive catalogue of publications, market intelligence, surveys and other micro-data sources relating to financial inclusion and financial sector development. Where possible, documents and datasets will be available for download.

Our goal is to improve understanding of the sector, inform better-decision making and inspire ideas for a new generation of financial solutions and business models that reach the poor and support development.

A picture speaks a thousand words, and while we economists love data, those of us at FSD recognize that one of the best ways to communicate data is through effective visualization. Our website will thus offer a range of both interactive and static visualizations, to help audiences and make sense of and utilize the data.

Kenya has been at the forefront of East Africa’s digital financial revolution. Change continues apace – but there is still a long way to go. There remains a disconnect between how poor people see and manage their finances, and the offerings of financial institutions. Knowing and understanding more about the financial lives of the poor is at the heart of policy makers and financial service providers’ ability to change that. “Only once we understand the financial lives of the poor, can we start trying to create the tools they need,” as David Ferrand, FSD Kenya’s director, says.

Please take a look and let us know what you think!

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