Digital Bonds: Exploring User Experiences of the DreamSave App in Rural Cambodia

By Dr. Elene Cloete , Senior Director of Research & Advocacy?

Since 2018, Outreach International has helped establish five CBOs in rural Cambodia through its local partner, HURREDO. Encouraged by HURREDO practitioners to list and analyze their most pressing challenges, community groups recognize their shared need for more lucrative livelihood activities. Developing new or strengthening current entrepreneurial initiatives are stiffened by unavailable, unaffordable, and inflexible funding. In 2023, with HURREDO’s support, they then started their savings journey, joining thousands of similar groups globally in benefiting from community-saving groups as an improvement in household business outcomes. Right away we encouraged the groups to go digital, following global trends of digital savings groups. They were ready. HURREDO's practitioners were also prepared to support, and we at Outreach International were eager to assist the groups in adopting digital platforms for their savings groups. However, we encountered a minor obstacle: digital savings group applications, at the time of our search, were however not really used within Cambodia. This meant we could not find a platform in Khmer that also reflects the local currency, Riel.?

DreamStart Labs and DreamSave?

Looking at the inventory of available applications used globally, we noticed that DreamStart Labs had deployed their application, DreamSave, in neighboring Thailand and Vietnam and also had active digital savings groups in the Philippines.? We then approached DreamStart Labs’s leadership, seeking out a collaboration to adopt their application for Cambodia and for the use of our community partners. They agreed, and with the support of their international trainers and software engineers, the HURREDO team doing the translation, and the 5 CBOs agreeing to test out different versions of the application’s Khmer version, the collaboration with DreamStart Labs enabled yet another way to increase local communities access to technology - not only to make things more efficient and effective for them but also to support them in strengthening their capacity and group and self-efficacy, especially when it comes to digital technology.?

So Far, So Good

Toward the end of 2023, and following several test runs, HURREDO and their community partners officially launched DreamSave. Together, the five groups have 287 savings group members, and savings collections happen once a month across all five groups. Additionally, DreamSave’s Insights feature makes it easy for all stakeholders to follow their progress. We are grateful not only for our partnership with DreamStart Labs but also for the enthusiasm of both HURREDO practitioners and grassroots leaders. But how do they feel about it??

The User-Experience & Top Tips?

In late February 2024, after six months of using DreamSave, we reflected on the journey thus far. We also connected with leaders, asking them about their groups’ experiences using the application and to provide advice that other locally-based organizations and community groups might find helpful. Through these conversations and our own reflections, we have learned (and confirmation) that:?

1. An existing digital foundation makes for easy adoption

Community leaders were already familiar with digital platforms like KoboToolBox, Excel, Google Sheets, etc.. This means using their cell phones for a new application was easy.?

TOP TIP: To cross the digital divide, implementing organizations should consider a more holistic exposure to technology, introducing community groups to other digital data and management methods.?

2. Digital Applications are Efficient, Effective, Easy - Empowering?

Leaders confirmed that using the application makes life easier. Some of the leaders reflected on participating in savings groups before that were not digital and recalled the significant time asked from leaders. Using digital applications might be intimidating at first, but this changed as soon as leaders recognized the application’s easy usability and started to appreciate its efficiency. As Phan Ey shared:?

Based on my experiences, it is [with DreamSave] easy to collect the group data, [it] saves time, and reduces using stationary (paper, pen, or marker). Moreover, it is very detailed and easy to find the tools, especially since it shows the calculated amount immediately after we record. Honestly, this is a new application with modern technology. In the beginning, I thought that it was very difficult, but after I learned more and did real practice, I [now] feel that it is easier than before.

While its primary focus is perhaps to increase the efficiency of savings groups, applications like DreamSave can also have a transformational impact, particularly on women users. They experience a sense of increased agency and efficacy, growing their sense of capacity as community and grassroots leaders.??

TOP-TIP: (continue to) Value digital savings applications as avenues toward greater empowerment and transformation.?

3. Existing social infrastructure makes the dream work??

When they started their digital savings groups, the CBOs were already organized, with capable leaders, organizational structure, rules, and regulations - Due to the process of community organizing facilitated by HURREDO. They have also already implemented several community-managed projects, and therefore, already familiar with how to successfully manage community-wide initiatives. Having such social infrastructure in place and already functioning before implementing a savings group can increase not only the groups’ effectiveness and efficiency but also their sustainability. Chok Salat told us that “if other groups in Cambodia want to use this application, they should have a formal group, have group leaders and participation.”?

TOP-TIP: Ensuring the groups and people supporting them have the social infrastructure and governance in place can lead to more successful digital savings groups.?

4. Peer engagement (can) spread the learning further?

Throughout their training on DreamSave, which is very similar to KoboToolBox and other applications, the grassroots leaders and their members learned collaboratively, collectively, and systematically. Leaders shared that they are open and eager to collaborate with others and that they “will teach them how to use it.” These are indications that they are not only comfortable using the application but also feel confident in teaching others.?

TOP-TIP: To ensure deeper learning and understanding, create peer-learning environments.?

5. “Funny Stickers Pop Up!” ?

Across the board, leaders shared that the application is not only useful but also fun. The dancing woman (who appears after a meeting ends), the music, and the images make for a fun and rewarding encoding and documentation experience.?

TOP TIP: Never skimp on the cartoons and other interactive features when choosing or developing an application. They bring excitement and engagement.

Outreach International and Dream Start Labs continue to work together with HURREDO in Cambodia to support the savings journey of local CBOs.?