Ayako Inagaki

Ayako Inagaki is the Senior Director of the Human and Social Development Sector Office, Sectors Department 3 at the Asian Development Bank (ADB). She leads the Human and Social Development Sector Office in conceptualizing and delivering financial and technical assistance operations, and knowledge services in education, health and social development to ADB’s developing member countries, and in ensuring ADB’s technical leadership in the sector.

Sofia Shakil

With an illustrious career spanning over two decades, Ms. Sofia Shakil has been a transformative leader in economic and social development across Asia. Most recently, she served as the Director of Economic Development at The Asia Foundation from February 2020 to March 2023, where she led impactful initiatives in areas such as women’s economic empowerment, green growth, and STEM education.

Ingrid van Wees

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Ms. Ingrid van Wees is the Vice-President for Finance and Risk Management of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). She assumed the position in December 2016.

Ms. van Wees is responsible for the overall management of the operations of the Office of Risk Management, the Controller’s Department, and the Treasury Department.

Paolo Manunta

Paolo Manunta is Senior Digital Technology Specialist in ADB’s Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department (SDCC). He specializes in Earth Observation (EO), online Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI). Paolo helps set up geospatial initiatives and has worked on cloud-based integration of EO, GIS, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Timor-Leste, Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Georgia, Armenia, Mongolia and other ADB Developing Member Countries.

Soap Operas in the Desert: The Power of Stories to Change Behavior

ADB’s Promoting Inclusive Financial Services for the Poor project in Mongolia has shown why it is important to strike a balance between changing behavior about financial planning and saving with existing financial services, and choosing a communication approach and medium that could carry complicated messages. This report discusses how the project’s communication component was set up and the communication strategy was implemented, and also shares project results and communication lessons.