Finances

Finances
As part of the MV Sim, you must manage your family and village's financial assets, including the family fund and village fund. You may also borrow from the rural bank to increase the value of your family fund or to invest in capital for a small business. The finances bar on the map view keeps track of the available money in each fund as well as the monetary value of your small business capital.



Currency

 * The currency used in the MV Sim is the CFA franc, the official currency of 12 countries in west and central Africa.
 * $1 is approximately 450 CFA.
 * All prices in the MV Sim are realistic approximations of prices in sub-Saharan Africa.

Family fund

 * The family fund is your family's personal account.
 * Your family fund is held directly by your family, rather than by a bank, so it does not accrue interest.
 * You can add to the family fund by selling surplus food and fuel wood, earning income through a cash crop or small business, or selling a family improvement that you have previously purchased.
 * If you take out a loan from the microfinance bank, the money will be deposited into your family fund.
 * When you purchase food or a family improvement, or send a family member to the doctor, money is deducted from the family fund.

Village fund

 * Money collected through taxes goes into the village fund.
 * The village fund is held directly by the village, so it does not accrue interest.
 * You can purchase village improvements using the village fund.
 * For more information about specific village improvements, see the individual pages for a paved road, power grid, latrines, water pump, irrigation, a clinic, and school meals within MV Sim elements.

Rural bank

 * You can borrow from the rural bank to increase the value of your family fund and invest in capital for a small business.
 * When you choose to borrow, you will be offered an interest rate. The interest rate you are offered is affected by whether there is a drought or malaria epidemic that season. This interest rate remains fixed for the life of the loan.
 * The maximum amount you can borrow depends on the value of the capital already invested in your small business.
 * You must pay back your loan in installments over the subsequent 8 turns.
 * If you do not have enough money to pay your installment, some of your small business capital will be taken away.
 * You may only take out one loan at a time.