New Chatbot aims to revolutionize financial literacy in Myanmar

Screenshot of Mr. Finance.
Screenshot of Mr. Finance.

The Mr. Finance Chatbot is leveraging Myanmar’s smartphone revolution to provide access to financial literacy to as many people as possible.

Financial literacy is weak in Myanmar, so the entrepreneurship development organization Opportunities NOW (ONOW) has partnered with USAID to change that.

On June 6, ONOW launched its new digital financial education tool – Maung Sa Yin Kaing, or Mr. Finance – at Phandeeyar’s Innovation Lab. Mr. Finance is a Facebook Messenger Chatbot that interacts with users to tell stories and provide crucial financial advice to people in Myanmar.

Mr. Finance both teaches and learns through users’ interactions on Messenger. Myanmar’s mobile phone revolution has been mostly an app-less revolution. Users don’t want to use bandwidth to download, and don’t want to use precious local memory on large and bulky apps. But Mr. Finance lives in chat, and chat is alive and well in Myanmar.

Mr. Finance can:

  • suggest simple messaging content based on user interaction;
  • tell stories that are emotionally engaging;
  • provide financial messaging to users when they are most in need of a push to help them make a smart financial decision.

The platform features:

  • A gamified novel. Help a woman along her business journey, where business and financial management concepts are taught along the way. The main character is relatable and someone to aspire to, allowing people to connect to her in a dramatic and effective way.
  • Business troubleshooting. Simple advice and practical steps to improve your financial situation.
  • Timely reminders. Broadcasts that are short and actionable, and especially memorable when delivered at just the right time, like at the end of the day when a user is most likely to forget to save money.

According to ONOW, these timely triggers are likely to change behavior and help users same money.

Mr. Finance can respond with questions and advice that meets users’ specific needs. He speaks both Burmese and English and is available 24/7.

Click here to start a conversation with Mr. Finance.

Subscribe to the WTF is Up in Southeast Asia + Hong Kong podcast to get our take on the top trending news and pop culture from the region every Thursday!



Reader Interactions

Leave A Reply


BECOME A COCO+ MEMBER

Support local news and join a community of like-minded
“Coconauts” across Southeast Asia and Hong Kong.

Join Now
Coconuts TV
Our latest and greatest original videos
Subscribe on