Bridging the Gap:
Open Standards for Financial Inclusion
A Student-Led Policy Forum exploring how the Interledger Protocol (ILP) can dismantle financial barriers and deliver digital financial equity across East Africa.
1.4 Billion
Excluded Worldwide
3 Months
Policy & Forum Initiative
3 Domains
Health, Business & Tech
100%
Student-Led & Driven
Our Mission: Driving Digital Financial Equity
Currently, over 1.4 billion people worldwide remain excluded from traditional banking systems. In sub-Saharan Africa, fragmented payment ecosystems limit cross-border trade, remittances, and economic sovereignty.
Our society believes that through Open Standards and interoperable technology, we can make sending money across borders and platforms as simple, instant, and frictionless as sending an email.
Interledger on Campus (IoC) Mini-Grant
As part of this prestigious international grant program, we are exploring how Interledger Protocol (ILP) can dismantle financial access barriers across Uganda and East Africa.
Traditional vs. Open Interledger
See How Interledger (ILP) Works
ILP streams micro-payments in tiny packets across different networks just like data streaming across the internet.
MTN Mobile Money
Currency: UGXGlobal Merchant
Received: $0.00 USDKey Focus Areas
Our multidisciplinary approach connects technological design, regulatory frameworks, and community needs.
Open Payments
Understanding how money can move seamlessly across different financial systems—from mobile money to traditional banks—just like data travels across the open internet.
Policy & Governance
Examining the necessary regulatory frameworks, consumer protection laws, and governance models required to safely support inclusive digital financial services in East Africa.
Community Advocacy
Bridging the knowledge gap between cutting-edge technical innovation and real-world financial inclusion for rural and underserved populations across our region.
Project Highlights
Officially endorsed by Dr. Achen Dorcus (PhD) of the MUST Department of Community Health, our initiative emphasizes cross-disciplinary collaboration and student leadership.
"Financial inclusion is fundamentally tied to community well-being and health outcomes. Equipping students across disciplines with knowledge of open financial standards builds grass-roots resilience."
Dr. Achen Dorcus (PhD)
Dept. of Community Health, MUST
Student-Led Policy Forum
A structured series of student workshops, policy debates, and roundtables exploring open payment protocols and regional regulatory adoption.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration
Bringing together students from Community Health, Business Administration, and Computer Science to solve multi-dimensional financial challenges.
Future-Ready Skills
Equipping MUST undergraduates with practical, hands-on exposure to interoperable payment networks, digital wallet architectures, and web monetization.
Program Execution Plan
Foundation & Onboarding
- Launch Open FinTech Society chapter at MUST
- Introductory workshops on Interledger Protocol (ILP)
- Interdisciplinary recruitment across departments
Policy Forums & Hack-Sessions
- Student-led policy debates on regional fintech regulations
- Hands-on technical explorations of Open Payments API
- Guest panel with financial inclusion practitioners
Synthesis & Recommendations
- Publication of the MUST Student Policy Whitepaper
- Final showcase presentation & community showcase
- Long-term Sustainability & Alumni Mentorship setup
Driven by Students,
Rooted in Community Needs
The Open FinTech Society is a student-led organization at Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST). We are dedicated to exploring the intersection of technology, finance, and social equity.
Our initiative is entirely designed, led, and managed by students, ensuring that the research and solutions we explore are deeply aligned with the financial realities of our campus and Southwestern Uganda.
Institutional Motto
"Succeed We Must"
Supported by the Interledger Foundation
This initiative is proudly funded by a mini-grant from the **Interledger Foundation**, a global nonprofit and steward of the Interledger Protocol and Open Standards.
The Foundation supports grassroots innovation to build a more equitable, open global payments network accessible to everyone everywhere.
"Success is not just about the technology we build, but the people we include."
Open FinTech Society • Succeed We Must
Get Involved Today
Whether you are a student at MUST, a faculty member, a policymaker, or a fintech enthusiast, we welcome your voice in shaping the future of open financial standards.
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