Bu Ayu’s Story

Bu Ayu is a 36 year old elementary school graduate, fishpond farmer and part-time motorcycle driver in rural East Java. Besides managing her children and household, she assists her husband with their annually rented fishpond.

Bu Ayu shares her smartphone with her two-year-old son, which limits her usage and fills up the phone's memory. Despite using her smartphone for two years, she lacks confidence and only uses it for WhatsApp and Facebook.

When asked to participate in the onboarding process for digital financial services (DFS), her anxiety increased. She said,

"I'm not smart. If something goes wrong, like clicking the wrong thing, it makes me very much afraid. I was willing to try because you helped guide me; otherwise, I wouldn't." - Bu Ayu

For her, even dealing with banks is inconvenient compared to the comfort of informal channels.

"If I had any money, I would rather keep it at home. There's no need to travel far to withdraw from a bank. I'll just keep it in a pillow or wardrobe." - Bu Ayu

To receive money, she often borrows her neighbor's bank account because she doesn't have her own due to insufficient funds, which she uses for her fishpond. All of her transactions are done in cash.

Borrowing from family members is a more viable option for her, as she struggles to meet the minimum income requirements set by formal institutions like banks. Additionally, these informal arrangements offer the flexible payment terms she needs, especially given the unpredictable nature of her harvest results. Such support systems allow her to navigate financial challenges without the stress of rigid repayment schedules, providing a safety net during uncertain times.