Ed, I will be happy to hear from Tunde and their experience in Nigeria, which I believe will be very similar to Ghana. We have the chart of accounts setup for one micro-finance company. We are hoping to have another setup within 2 weeks.
Any volunteers for the UI and mobile app? Thanks Stephen On Wed, Jan 31, 2018 at 2:14 PM, Ed Cable <[email protected]> wrote: > Stephen, > > If you're not already connected with Tunde from the Stellar community let > me make an introduction as perhaps he can help you with some or the > regulatory challenges you're facing in Ghana. > > Stephen, since you seem pretty versed in the Stellar bridge, I'd love for > you to take up some of the outstanding work on it as a volunteer and > hopefully help us get some live use cases in place using the bridge. > > Myrle, thanks for providing that clarity to Stephen - hopefully if we get > someone like Stephen (or there are some other contributors interested) to > work on the remaining tasks for the bridge, you could give some guidance > and oversight. > > For all the users that expressed an interest in being pilot users, here's > the original pitch on what we're seeking: https://goo.gl/RiRxfC > > Right now the simplest use case that we'd like to focus on would involve > the following: > > In-Country > 1) Staff-Initiated money transfers via the Stellar protocol between the > savings accounts of members at two separate financial institutions both > using Fineract. Most of the functionality at back-end is in place we just > need to build out the UI in the front-end web app > 2) Client-initiated money transfers via the Stellar protocol via mobile > banking app from their savings account to savings account of another > individual at separate financial institution via stellar protocol. This > would involve building this out into mobile banking app - most of UI is > there just need to get bridge working > 3) Transfers from a member savings account of a Fineract user to an > external stellar wallet holder should also be possible but the focus of our > pilots is on accountholders within Fineract. > > Cross-Border > 4) Ultimate use case is to leverage Stellar for reducing cost of > cross-border remittances and would aim to pilot this if regulatory > challenges can be surmounted. Stellar team has been making good connections > with anchors and market makers to facilitate currency exchange in the > remittance corridors relevant to our community. > > On Wed, Jan 31, 2018 at 6:22 AM, Stephen Agyepong < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> Myrle, >> >> It is a little complicated than this. >> The issue as I understand it is that the software to run money transfer >> has to be PCI/ISO 27001, etc certified >> According to our contacts, with the BOG warning, it is going to be >> difficult to get the necessary approval to proceed. >> We have not given up on it but it is a very slow process at this point. >> >> I have looked at/played with the Stellar/Fineract Bridge code. I will say >> it is an outstanding piece of code. >> Thank you very much for putting out such a high quality software. >> >> Thanks >> >> Stephen >> >> On Wed, Jan 31, 2018 at 2:03 AM, Myrle Krantz <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> Hey Stephen, >>> >>> While it is possible to trade lumens (a crypto currency with some >>> properties similar to bitcoin) on the Stellar network, that’s not the main >>> use case. The main use case is for tracking fiat currencies in a >>> transparent, safe way. >>> >>> Unless the Bank of Ghana is also objecting to old-fashioned check >>> writing or tracking debts in an SQL database, the text you cite would not >>> apply to using Stellar for transferring fiat currencies. >>> >>> In the Stellar system, lumens are used as a currency-neutral reward >>> system for providing a piece of the distributed infrastructure. You would >>> only buy them to pay to make transactions (a fraction of a cent per >>> transaction). >>> >>> This may or may not change your approach to Stellar, but it was >>> important to me to set the record straight. >>> >>> Best Regards, >>> Myrle >>> The committer who did the work on the Mifos/Stellar bridge >>> >>> On Wed 31. Jan 2018 at 05:05 Stephen Agyepong <[email protected]> >>> wrote: >>> >>>> Ed, >>>> >>>> We are currently in a state of flux given recent development in Ghana. >>>> Micro-finance companies are no longer allowed to engage in money transfer. >>>> The Bank of Ghana also recently cautioned the public on the use of virtual >>>> or digital currencies in the country. >>>> The central bank said it “has taken notice of recent developments in >>>> the use, holding, and trading of virtual or digital currencies such as >>>> bitcion” and “wishes to notify the general public that these activities in >>>> digital currency are currently not licensed under the Payments System Act >>>> 2003 (Act 662).” >>>> >>>> I am hopeful things will change and we will be able to proceed. I will >>>> be happy to volunteer as the Full Stack Developer, since I have done >>>> work assessing the gaps and remaining work for the Stellar/Fineract bridge. >>>> I looked at how we can bridge Fineract with other digital currencies with >>>> Stellar as the default. >>>> >>>> Thanks >>>> >>>> Stephen >>>> >>>> >>>> On Tue, Jan 30, 2018 at 3:32 AM, Ed Cable <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Since this thread has likely fallen below everyone's radars, I wanted >>>>> to bring it to attention once more as the community is still eager to see >>>>> it brought to completion. >>>>> >>>>> I had a recent conversation with Tunde from Stellar and their >>>>> developers are standing by, ready to assist once we have some concrete use >>>>> cases from pilot organizations identified. Since so much time is >>>>> transpired >>>>> we'll have to identify how the points of integration with the Stellar SDK >>>>> has changed. >>>>> >>>>> We have a number of outstanding tasks where we could use volunteers >>>>> >>>>> MFIs/Financial Institutions - we're still seeking two organizations to >>>>> pilot the integration to demonstrate a money transfer service - should be >>>>> two separate legal entities, within the same country, using or willing to >>>>> use Fineract, and willing to use Stellar >>>>> >>>>> 1) Full Stack Developer - Assess the gaps and remaining work for the >>>>> Stellar/Fineract bridge including changes in Stellar SDK between now and >>>>> time of creating bridge. >>>>> 2) Product Manager - translate these gaps into user stories for a >>>>> volunteer to implement >>>>> 3) Front-End Developer - implement the UI screens detailed in >>>>> wireframes and for additional use cases needed by pilot org >>>>> 4) Mobile Developer - complete UI flows for the initial use cases for >>>>> initiating transfer via mobile banking app. >>>>> >>>>> See the wiki page at https://cwiki.apache.org/co >>>>> nfluence/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=70256854 for full background on >>>>> the work to date and wireframes for the UI. >>>>> >>>>> Ed >>>>> >>>>> On Fri, Oct 20, 2017 at 8:05 AM, Stephen Agyepong < >>>>> [email protected]> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> Ed, >>>>>> >>>>>> We are working on a Stellar wallet that we want to integrate with >>>>>> Fineract. Please see the attached screenshots. We made a lot of progress >>>>>> but there is still much to be accomplished. We intend to make it possible >>>>>> to do money transfers using an integrated Stellar/Fineract. We will be >>>>>> happy to pilot this work. We wanted to polish it up a bit before making >>>>>> it >>>>>> public but if you are curious you can see it in action at: >>>>>> http://dcubedev.com/ and github at: https://github.com/dcubede >>>>>> v/dcubeapp >>>>>> >>>>>> It is designed to work with any underlying payment platform not just >>>>>> Stellar though. >>>>>> >>>>>> Thanks >>>>>> >>>>>> Stephen >>>>>> >>>>>> On Fri, Oct 20, 2017 at 4:43 AM, Ed Cable <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> So as not to hijack James' thread on Mojaloop, I want to divert part >>>>>>> of the >>>>>>> conversation around our existing Stellar/Mifos bridge on Apache >>>>>>> Fineract >>>>>>> 1.0 to a separate thread. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> As background, Myrle and Bartek invested a significant amount of >>>>>>> effort >>>>>>> into the bridge but due to lack of concrete use cases to implement, >>>>>>> development was put on hold. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Some additions to the bridge itself, and the front-end >>>>>>> implementation of >>>>>>> the UI along with a solidified use cases were needed to proceed >>>>>>> forward. >>>>>>> All of this project history and analysis has been documented on this >>>>>>> wiki >>>>>>> page: https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/pages/viewpage.act >>>>>>> ion?pageId=70256854 >>>>>>> >>>>>>> I've struggled over the past year to get contributors to wrap up the >>>>>>> remaining work and have cycle through a couple different volunteers >>>>>>> who >>>>>>> were going to take it on. I'm now working with Denila to fully bake >>>>>>> out the >>>>>>> remaining work as clear user stories that a dev can pick up. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> I would still like to see this bridge get completed and work with >>>>>>> some >>>>>>> users in the community who would like to test out this service. >>>>>>> Since so >>>>>>> much time has elapsed we have missed our opportunity to be the first >>>>>>> financial inclusion use case on Stellar but I feel it's still a >>>>>>> valuable >>>>>>> integration even if it's just for a proof concept. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> While I might be getting hung up on the sunk cost fallacy, and not >>>>>>> wanting >>>>>>> to let go of all the time and effort Myrle and team invested... >>>>>>> >>>>>>> 1) Should we continue trying to complete this integration with >>>>>>> current >>>>>>> Apache Fineract 1.0 or turn attention towards a bridge that's >>>>>>> compatible >>>>>>> with Fineract CN >>>>>>> 2) Are there users in the community that want to pilot this first as >>>>>>> a >>>>>>> domestic money transfer service? There was a great deal of interest >>>>>>> previously but difficulty in getting concrete use cases. We'd >>>>>>> require two >>>>>>> separate financial institutions running different instances of Apache >>>>>>> Fineract. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Ed >>>>>>> ---------- Forwarded message ---------- >>>>>>> From: Myrle Krantz <[email protected]> >>>>>>> Date: Fri, Oct 20, 2017 at 1:03 AM >>>>>>> Subject: Re: My Intro and Mojaloop >>>>>>> To: dev <[email protected]> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Hey James, >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Now I've had the chance to take a closer look. It's an interesting >>>>>>> project. I have a few comments and then a few questions: >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Comments: >>>>>>> 1.) Unfortunately several of the GitHub links you included were not >>>>>>> reachable for me. Not all of them, but several of them. >>>>>>> 2.) As far as I can tell, as a payments transfer system, this has >>>>>>> very >>>>>>> little functionality overlap with Fineract or Fineract CN. >>>>>>> 3.) Since this is a Ripple fork, it should be no surprise that it has >>>>>>> massive overlap with a different Ripple fork that we've seen in this >>>>>>> community before: Stellar. >>>>>>> 4.) I agree that push payments, processed immediately, are the right >>>>>>> way to >>>>>>> go. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Questions: >>>>>>> 1.) When we wrote the Stellar bridge one of the reasons it never >>>>>>> reached deployment was the lack of existing deployments and users of >>>>>>> the Stellar network. (With the recent announcement that IBM and >>>>>>> Stellar will be partnering this may yet change) Is someone deploying >>>>>>> mojaloop? >>>>>>> 2.) What, in your view, are the major differences between mojaloop >>>>>>> and >>>>>>> Stellar? What are the advantages to mojaloop? >>>>>>> 3.) Is someone at LevelOne considering implementing a >>>>>>> Fineract-mojaloop bridge component similar to the Fineract-Stellar >>>>>>> bridge component we've already written? >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Best Regards, >>>>>>> Myrle >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On Wed, Oct 18, 2017 at 9:31 PM, James Dailey < >>>>>>> [email protected]> >>>>>>> wrote: >>>>>>> > Fineract'rs: >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> > I joined this list recently and would like to introduce myself. I >>>>>>> > formulated the Mifos project in 2001 when working at the Grameen >>>>>>> Technology >>>>>>> > Center and am current chair of the Mifos Initiative - which is the >>>>>>> group >>>>>>> > that contributed the Fineract Code. While I don't code myself, I >>>>>>> have >>>>>>> > contributed time and energy over the past 16 years to make >>>>>>> financial >>>>>>> > inclusion via open source work for the poor. In that time, I've >>>>>>> also had >>>>>>> > the privilege of consulting on mobile money businesses, shared >>>>>>> microfinance >>>>>>> > platforms, and financial inclusion strategies in dozens of >>>>>>> countries >>>>>>> around >>>>>>> > the world. For the past three and a half years I've worked as a >>>>>>> (contract) >>>>>>> > member of the LevelOneProject.org team at the Bill & Melinda Gates >>>>>>> > Foundation. >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> > I had an early role in articulating the case for what released >>>>>>> this week >>>>>>> as >>>>>>> > open source code. http://mojaloop.io/ I'd like to do a little >>>>>>> context >>>>>>> > setting here - all of this is on the leveloneproject.org or on >>>>>>> mojaloop.io >>>>>>> , >>>>>>> > but perhaps I am in a good position to explain how the Fineract >>>>>>> code base >>>>>>> > could relate to the Mojaloop code. I suspect Markus is already >>>>>>> thinking >>>>>>> > about this... as are others. ;) >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> > Mojaloop has as its main domain the transfer of value. >>>>>>> Fundamentally, a >>>>>>> way >>>>>>> > to include people in the formal financial world is to create a more >>>>>>> vibrant >>>>>>> > ecosystem of operators providing different services to customers >>>>>>> where the >>>>>>> > friction in payments is removed. e.g. Rather than having to walk >>>>>>> or a take >>>>>>> > a bus hours to make a payment for the kids school - you use the >>>>>>> mobile >>>>>>> > device to move funds. In the Mojaloop world, the DFSPs (Digital >>>>>>> Financial >>>>>>> > Service Providers) running a current version of Fineract could be >>>>>>> the >>>>>>> > source and the destination for funds. >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> > While the world of payments can be arcane, one needs the ability >>>>>>> to route >>>>>>> > the payment to a specific account address and the ability to >>>>>>> ensure that >>>>>>> > the payment settles at end of day or sooner (as soon as real time). >>>>>>> > Mojaloop has a novel approach for both of these. In the first, >>>>>>> mojaloop >>>>>>> > leverages Pathfinder ( >>>>>>> > https://github.com/LevelOneProject/Docs/tree/master/CentralD >>>>>>> irectory). >>>>>>> > Pathfinder is a service of GSMA >>>>>>> > https://www.gsma.com/managedservices/number-portability- >>>>>>> services/about-pathfinder/ >>>>>>> > . >>>>>>> > This innovation is important because it brings a different >>>>>>> approach to >>>>>>> > routing that is compatible with mobile telephony identity. This >>>>>>> code ( >>>>>>> > https://github.com/LevelOneProject/pathfinder-provisioning-client.) >>>>>>> seems >>>>>>> > like a good way to understand how this works. In the second, >>>>>>> Mojaloop >>>>>>> uses >>>>>>> > work by Ripple Labs on the Interledger Protocol (ILP) ( >>>>>>> > https://interledger.org/) to settle across different payment >>>>>>> schemes or >>>>>>> > within a network of ledgers and for the mojaloop that is >>>>>>> quintessially the >>>>>>> > Central Hub. >>>>>>> > https://github.com/LevelOneProject/Docs/blob/master/ILP/bloc >>>>>>> k-diagram.png >>>>>>> . >>>>>>> > This explanation is better than what I could write: >>>>>>> > https://github.com/LevelOneProject/Docs/tree/master/ILP >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> > So, those two novel things are interesting and could be leveraged >>>>>>> by the >>>>>>> > Fineract project today I would hazard. I would suggest that one >>>>>>> proof >>>>>>> > point for compatibility would be to attempt to set up two >>>>>>> instances of >>>>>>> > Fineract (running with a mifos front end) and one instance of the >>>>>>> mojaloop >>>>>>> > Central Hub that allows for transfers to occur. >>>>>>> > https://github.com/LevelOneProject/Docs/blob/master/L1P% >>>>>>> 20Architecture%20and%20Payment%20Flow.pdf >>>>>>> > It would likely require some additional work to make the APIs >>>>>>> compatible. >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> > Also, the centralized fraud service and scheme rules setting are >>>>>>> also >>>>>>> > useful and not likely to be an overlap with the existing Fineract >>>>>>> > direction, although do set me straight if I am wrong. >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> > In the Fineract-CN proposed code evolution (see other threads on >>>>>>> this), we >>>>>>> > have a need to understand how the Mojaloop intersects with the new >>>>>>> > microservices architecture. I would suggest however that since >>>>>>> mojaloop >>>>>>> is >>>>>>> > primarily about the transfer of value and Fineract-CN is primarily >>>>>>> about >>>>>>> > the management of accounts and clients and access points, that the >>>>>>> overlap >>>>>>> > is minimal. Dare I compare this to chocolate and peanut butter >>>>>>> and the >>>>>>> > wonderful collision which is the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup? We'll >>>>>>> see. >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> > As an idea, when building the microservices, it may be possible to >>>>>>> wrap >>>>>>> > some of the libraries or services that were released under >>>>>>> mojaloop - if >>>>>>> > licenses are compatible of course. On that the mojaloop team >>>>>>> choose >>>>>>> > Creative Commons Share Alike 4.0. If there is a mentor who can >>>>>>> answer >>>>>>> that >>>>>>> > - it would be good to know. >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> > There is also a need to understand the flows that are - in my view >>>>>>> - >>>>>>> > payments done right. That is, payments or transfer of value, occur >>>>>>> outside >>>>>>> > of the signaling for those payments and are push and process >>>>>>> immediately. >>>>>>> > I've addressed this in another post recently but basically the >>>>>>> flows are >>>>>>> > well documented and the APIs are using the latest and greatest - >>>>>>> Fineract >>>>>>> > could benefit from simply reviewing that documentation. >>>>>>> > https://leveloneproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/The- >>>>>>> Level-One-Project-Guide-Designing-a-New-System-for-Financial >>>>>>> -Inclusion1.pdf >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> > https://github.com/LevelOneProject/Docs/tree/master/Central >>>>>>> Ledger ; >>>>>>> > https://github.com/LevelOneProject/Docs/tree/master/LevelOn >>>>>>> eClient ; >>>>>>> > https://github.com/LevelOneProject/Docs/blob/master/Interop% >>>>>>> 20Services%20and%20Mule/PaymentFlow.png >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> > i'm trying to find the API documentation -- it's a big project, >>>>>>> maybe the >>>>>>> > subject of another email. >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> > Finally, there are a lot of highly qualified people on this >>>>>>> listserv who >>>>>>> > could help identify some of the paths that would lead to some >>>>>>> win-wins on >>>>>>> > this front. I look forward to the conversation. >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> > - James Dailey >>>>>>> > Seattle >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> -- >>>>>>> *Ed Cable* >>>>>>> President/CEO, Mifos Initiative >>>>>>> [email protected] | Skype: edcable | Mobile: +1.484.477.8649 >>>>>>> <(484)%20477-8649> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> *Collectively Creating a World of 3 Billion Maries | * >>>>>>> http://mifos.org >>>>>>> <http://facebook.com/mifos> <http://www.twitter.com/mifos> >>>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> *Ed Cable* >>>>> President/CEO, Mifos Initiative >>>>> [email protected] | Skype: edcable | Mobile: +1.484.477.8649 >>>>> <(484)%20477-8649> >>>>> >>>>> *Collectively Creating a World of 3 Billion Maries | *http://mifos.org >>>>> <http://facebook.com/mifos> <http://www.twitter.com/mifos> >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >> >> ------------------------------------------------------------ >> ------------------ >> Check out the vibrant tech community on one of the world's most >> engaging tech sites, Slashdot.org! http://sdm.link/slashdot >> _______________________________________________ >> Mifos-users mailing list >> [email protected] >> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/mifos-users >> >> > > > -- > *Ed Cable* > President/CEO, Mifos Initiative > [email protected] | Skype: edcable | Mobile: +1.484.477.8649 > <(484)%20477-8649> > > *Collectively Creating a World of 3 Billion Maries | *http://mifos.org > <http://facebook.com/mifos> <http://www.twitter.com/mifos> > >
