All of the previous posts I wrote were for projects in a distant past. This time, it is the current project I'm engaged in. Codename "MicroCreditor" is a distributed enterprise software package for managing micro loans--the ones of $10,000 value or less borrowed by the poors to help fund their family business mainly farming. As it's intended for use by microfinance institutions (MFIs) worldwide, MicroCreditor must be stable and scalable so that it'll run well for decades without major glitches. Therefore, I have to invest twice the time and effort in this project. MicroCreditor has many amazing features that any MFI dreams of, to name a few: client/loan/payment tracking, one-click reporting, automated repayment schedule, choice of repayment schemes, and loan group support. In short, it is a complete backbone system can take care of all the loan operations for a MFI. It will significantly cut the operation costs by requiring fewer staff, equipments and paperworks. As soon as it's finished, MicroCreditor will be used by the Peace and Development Institute (an NGO) in Cambodia to help deliver low-cost, low-interest loans to thousands of Cambodians living in provinces, and I'll be there working closely with them, providing technical assistances and trainings to the staff.

Frankly, working with financial institutions is no fun at all. I've always been reluctant to develop software when it comes to be related with 'Finance', because there are a whole lot more of responsibilities and challenges I would need to undertake. Stress level in creating such software is off the scale, I can tell you that. Developing MicroCreditor is only different in a way that I know my software will help a lot of people, especially the poors. If it weren't for the people, I wouldn't bother with project like this at all--Ahhem! We can talk if you give me a million dollar to develop your financial system.