Abstract
Despite the rapid proliferation of mobile broadband across Southeast Asia, gendered disparities in digital financial literacy continue to hinder rural women from fully participating in formal financial ecosystems. This study evaluates the transformative potential of gamified mobile-based learning interventions in bridging this divide. Employing an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, we assessed the deployment of a localized, 8-week gamified financial literacy program among 640 rural women across secondary agricultural communities in Indonesia and the Philippines. Quantitative findings from a quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test control group setup revealed statistically significant improvements in digital financial capabilities, self-reported financial self-efficacy, and active digital financial service (DFS) adoption (odds ratio = 2.84, p < 0.001) among participants using the gamified platform compared to those using standard didactic text-based modules. Complementary qualitative focus group discussions (n = 48) illustrated that scenario-based simulation and non-punitive trial mechanics significantly reduced technology-induced anxiety, demystified transactional security protocols, and fostered community-based peer learning networks. However, structural challenges such as gendered intra-household device sharing, sporadic connectivity, and algorithmic mistrust persist. This interdisciplinary inquiry bridges behavioral economics, human-computer interaction, and gender development studies, providing empirical insights and practical design principles for policymakers, financial technology developers, and grassroots organizations targeting sustainable economic empowerment in emerging markets.
