Seena Mortazavi - Bangladesh
Seena worked in Dhaka, Bangladesh from July 2006 to March 2007, as part of the AKFC’s Fellowship of the Microfinance and Micro-Enterprise program. During his 8-month internship, Seena worked at SafeSave, a microfinance institution providing individual financial services to the city’s poor.
Besides the eventful commutes to and from the office – dodging everything from motorized scooters to cows – Seena spent most of his time talking with employees and clients alike, helping them solve their own problems by offering a new perspective.
Seena's Postcard from Bangladesh
Working in Dhaka, Bangladesh has really opened my eyes to the possibilities of development.
Dhaka is a city that feels like an urban jungle. It takes some time to adjust to life here in Bangladesh, but once you do, it truly is an experience like no other.
I work with SafeSave, an urban microfinance organization that operates in the slums of Dhaka city. I mostly work with the 60 women collectors that travel to the slums six days a week to complete their transactions.
Currently SafeSave is going through a technological shift from a manual approach to the new palmtop based approach. It is quite amazing how quickly the collectors can use the handheld customized palmtops for their daily transactions. They usually start to use the palmtops after one week of training, which is quite spectacular since the software is in English, which most of the collectors don’t speak.
This is just one example of how human nature can persevere during some of the most difficult times. In fact, one of the most important lessons that I have learned from this experience is to never underestimate the potential of human nature.
Seena's Update From the Field
Life Lessons from the Slums of Dhaka
Living in Dhaka, Bangladesh, for eight months changed my outlook on life and international development forever.
Working with SafeSave, a microfinance institution in Dhaka, taught me the complexities of development and gave me the opportunity to look at development from a Bangladeshi perspective. My daily interaction with the sixty women collectors and 12,000 clients taught me how people’s lives can be changed through development.
I started by applying my computer skills to SafeSave. Although I would have preferred to analyze their data and provide new products, the organization needed to address their software issues. By holding training modules, providing technical support, and reviewing their finances, I was able to help bring SafeSave to a new level.
One of my most rewarding experiences was teaching non-English collectors how to use hand-held computers in English. This experience was one of the most rewarding. I am currently working with Accenture, a global consulting company. My goal is to bridge the gap between the private sector and the developing world. I believe, from a financial and efficiency perspective, that this will give development a much-needed boost.
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