Paper short abstract:

Saving is a means to achieve an improved living condition in future and is therefore strongly connected to fantasies about the future. The paper wants to show how rotating savings associations of Ethiopians are connected to fantasies about the future and how these fantasies are related to migration.

Paper long abstract:

Saving is a means to step further and achieve an improved living condition. As money is saved for some future action, it is strongly connected to fantasies about the future. Using the example of rotating savings associations of Ethiopians, I want to show how these associations are connected to fantasies about the future of their participants and how these fantasies again are related to migration.

In Ethiopia saving in a rotating savings association might be a first stepping stone to accumulate the money needed to go abroad. The meetings of the associations are at the same time a possibility to exchange knowledge and fantasies about the planned migration.

In the Ethiopian diaspora, on the other hand, where the same associations exist, participating is strongly connected with the wish to keep ties to the motherland. The regular meetings of the associations are going beyond the obvious purpose to accumulate money. Meetings with fellow Ethiopians offer the opportunity to discuss shared problems and interests and parts of the savings may be used for charity projects in Ethiopia.

While at meetings in Ethiopia participants fantasies about migrating abroad, at the meetings in the Ethiopian diaspora fantasies center on a future remigration.