Person and Community in Contemporary Africa
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Transcript Person and Community in Contemporary Africa
Community Based Research: Androscoggin Bank
African Immigrants’
Attitudes Towards Money & Banking
Bates College
Winter 2010
Prof. Elizabeth Eames
T.A. Chomba Kaluba ‘10
Gulaid Abdullahi ‘13, Diane Brackett ‘11, Kelly Coyne ‘13, Leah Elsmore ‘12, Josh Fancy ‘12
William Fearnley ‘13, Molly Gardner ‘11, Andrew Grant ‘13, Kenji Hayata ‘13, Ben Horn ‘12
J.B. Israel ‘11, Carter Kindley ‘11, Desmond Mushi ‘13, Cheri-Ann Parris ‘13, Frangely Ventura ‘11
Course Objectives for ANTH 228:
Person and Community in Contemporary Africa
Understand fundamentals of a distinctive moral philosophy
(including tensions & contradictions)
Learn cultural sensitivity, adopt methodological flexibility,
tolerate ambiguity
Relative emphasis on communal ownership & collective responsibility
affects attitudes towards resource allocation, wealth accumulation,
individualism, power
Find consistent cultural matrices within informal conversational speech
Discern patterned interactions behind seemingly spontaneous behavior
Make recommendations to Androscoggin Bank
Convey implications of our findings on how the recently resettled may deal
with the power and danger of money, with saving, borrowing, & investing
Propose what a mutual adaptation between the New Mainers and L/A’s
formal banking system might look like
CBR: Methodology
WHAT: Interviews and observation-based research
WHO:
Interviewers: Bates students
3 groups conducted 15 interviews
Each group had at least one student who has lived in Africa
Interviewees:
Ethnic Somalis
Somali Bantus
Immigrants from 5 other sub-Saharan countries
Methodology
WHERE:
downtown Lewiston
Bates College library
30 hours of interviews
ANALYSIS:
shared findings
determined overarching themes re: banking
Background info on Africans in L/A
Motivations for migration:
PUSH
Poverty
Danger/political instability at home
PULL
Economic
Education
Social/political conditions
Background
Many African immigrants first traveled through other countries/states
before settling in Lewiston
Some immigrants followed their spouses or close kin
Lewiston seen as a haven for its:
low crime rates
affordable housing
good schools
African community
More about immigrants
“Even the cows are different here…”
Large, extended families
Tight-knit communities
the younger generation is expected to take care of elders
sense of kinship, trust
practice of intracommunity aid
Emphasis on personal rather than professional/impersonal
relationships
Immigrant-owned stores largely cater to the Somali community
Remaining key points
Anti-immigration movement in 2002
white supremacist demonstration & counter-demonstration
Many Immigrants are open to assimilation but like to stay
within tight-knit community
children born in America more readily assimilate
Significant cultural issues: Overview
Importance of personal connection
Banking etiquette
Rotating savings societies
Charitable giving
Avoiding usury
Attitude towards accumulation
Financial needs
Saving
Paying bills
Remittances
Borrowing for:
Education
Housing
Business
Travel
Religion: Islam
FIVE PILLARS
1.
Shahadah: Belief in one G-d and Muhammad as the prophet
2.
Salat: prayer 5x/day
3.
Siyam (Sawm): Fasting for Ramadan
4.
Hajj: Pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca
5.
Zakat: charity, donation
Shari’ah Law - Riba (Interest)
Shari’ah = the "way" Muslims should live or the
"path" they must follow
Where does the money come from?
Compliance to usury prohibition may vary
Religious terminology
Wadiah = custody, safekeeping
Mudharabah = profit sharing b/w investor and
entrepreneur
Bai’ Bithaman Ajil (BBA) = Deferred payment sale
Murabahah = Cost plus
Musyarakah = Joint venture/partnership to make profit
Ijarah Thumma Bai’ = Hire purchase
Wakalah = agency
Hibah = gift
African expectations of the Bank
Some are financially literate while others know very little
about banking systems
Relationship b/w customer and employee should be
personal
Strictly PROFESSIONAL relationships are uncomfortable
One interviewee stated, “No one cares about you; it is
entirely about the job.”
Etiquette
Personal relationships
regular interaction w/ the same employee(s)
Same-sex interactions preferred
Many immigrants may have adopted handshakes as a way
of greeting, BUT:
many Muslims believe that shaking hands is spiritually unclean,
and would have to wash themselves prior to worship
allow customers to initiate
Hugs are not likely to be accepted
Etiquette
Offer the customer a seat, brochures,
commodities
Show particular respect to elder client
If a translator is present, be sure to still devote your
attention to the client
Look at clients respectfully, but avoid
prolonged direct eye contact
Etiquette - Clothing
Issues mostly pertain to female employees
Professional wear is sufficiently modest to
allay any fears
Etiquette - Documentation
Interact with customers before presenting
documentation
Introduce the contract/document
VERBALLY with a thorough explanation
Written documentation should be
READABLE and CONCISE
ROSCAs and Ayuto
ROSCA = Rotating Savings and Credit Association
an association of community members who make
regular contributions to a fund that is given in whole
or in part to each contributor in turn
form of credit rotation
based on trust and community
serves as social support network
participants predominantly women
obeys Islamic law
ROSCAs in the Somali community:
case studies in the UK
known as Ayuto or Hagbad in the Somali community
7 to 20 women agree to regularly contribute a fixed
amount to a fund that is allocated to members in rotation
joining a Hagbad requires commitment/obligation
because the system is trust based, there is flexibility
Order can change based on need
Remittances: Overview
VERY important part of many immigrant cultures
Highly prevalent in Lewiston’s African community
Sending money to relatives shows support and
gratitude
It is almost—if not more—important than providing money for
what Americans tend to think of as “one’s own immediate
family”
Interviewees reported sending $ home to invest (ex:
real estate)
Remittances in Lewiston
Remittances may be sent through a local community
member (“unofficial” process)
person sending the remittances usually collects a certain amount
of $ as a fee
Mutual trust ensures that the $ gets to the correct destination
Housing
Large market, BUT
Mortgages = problematic
Families try to avoid loans at all costs
Many Somali families use a rotating system
Education: Loans for college
High tuition is problematic for many immigrants in
Lewiston
Interest-bearing loans = not option for strict Muslims
Financial literacy and education
Main sources of misunderstanding:
language barriers
general complexities of the banking system
late fees, overdraw fees, etc.
Possible solutions re: Education
hire part-time translator to explain the system to
new customers
create a website in multiple languages
create brochures in multiple languages outlining
the banking system
hold financial literacy workshops
Recommendations for Androscoggin Bank
Hire a Community Liaison
The Liaison will:
Bring in new clients
Show the Bank’s initiative and hospitality
Interpret for members of the community who are not
proficient in English
Help members gain competence in financial matters
The Liaison should:
Speak Somali, Maay-Maay, and Swahili (ideally)
Represent the new immigrant community
Role of younger people
Many of the younger people speak better
English
In the absence of a translator, be willing to
engage your clients’ children who can help in
conversation
Respect the age hierarchy as much as possible
Shari’ah Compliant Banking
•
Interviewees expressed the importance of owning a
home and educating their children, but
•
•
•
it is sinful if such things are acquired while KNOWINGLY using
interest (money-begetting-money)
Some people do not know that American banks are centrally
organized around interest
People understand that the Bank needs to pay for its
operating expenses, so interest may be replaced with
fees and then money is considered safe
Remittance
Since many immigrants send money home to relatives, it would be
worthwhile to inform them about transferring $ from one account to
another.
Shared remittance accounts would make it possible for families in Africa to
access money without additional exchange rates and fees.
The Bank could establish a money-sending program that sends sums
using current exchange rates and small fees.
Documentation should be kept to a legal minimum, handled with cultural
sensitivity.
Financial Literacy
Many immigrants have never used a bank
before coming to America
Even those who have some experience are
unsure of how to access the formal financial
system
Establish financial literacy training
programs
Liaison could lead these programs
More suggestions
•
•
GIFTING: Consider giving gifts at first meetings,
community events, and during religious holidays.
POSTERS, MULTILINGUAL ADVERTISEMENTS
•
•
•
Lisbon St. establishments
Local publications
ORAL COMMUNICATION: Install a multi-lingual calling
system to provide banking advice
Remember this!
Although many of the people living in Lewiston are Somali, there are
many other Africans of different ethnicities in residence
Not all Africans are Muslim, and many local Muslims are not African
Closing / Q & A / Discussion
Thanks to CJ Conrad, Sallie Wilson, and Paul Anderson
of Androscoggin Bank for engaging us in this project.
Student researchers
Gulaid Abdullahi ‘13
Diane Brackett ‘11
Kelly Coyne ‘13
Leah Elsmore ‘12
Josh Fancy ‘12
William Fearnley ‘13
Molly Gardner ‘11
Andrew Grant ‘13
Kenji Hayata ‘13
Ben Horn ‘12
J.B. Israel ‘11
Carter Kindley ‘11
Desmond Mushi ‘13
Cheri-Ann Parris ‘13
Frangely Ventura ‘11
*TA: Chomba Kaluba ‘10