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Bringing Financial Services to My Village – By Mphatso

Driven by a desire to ease the challenges of innovation and technology, I launched a mobile money service in my village to address the difficulties people faced when sending and receiving money. This was particularly important for those sending money from South Africa using services such as Mukuru, Airtel Money, and TNM Mpamba, which were not easily accessible in the village.

The mobile money service that I initiated in my village has been a significant success story, as it has addressed one of the most pressing challenges faced by the local population – lack of easy and accessible financial services. Before the introduction of this service, people had to travel long distances, sometimes as far as 16 kilometers (10 miles), to access the nearest financial institution. This inconvenience had a significant negative impact on the daily lives of the local community because it resulted in a waste of time, money, and effort.

However, with the introduction of the mobile money service, things have changed for the better. The service has provided a convenient and reliable platform for people to receive and send money. The impact has been significant, especially for young girls who often struggle to access school fees and pocket money from their families and friends. With the mobile money service, they are now able to access these funds easily and conveniently, which has had a positive impact on their education and hygiene.

The service has also had a positive impact on the lives of teachers, nurses, and farmers who no longer have to travel long distances to collect their salaries or access financial services. This has reduced some barriers to education, health, and agriculture in the community, making it easier for people to access vital services that were previously out of reach.

Given the success of the mobile money service in our village, we are now planning to expand the service to other nearby villages where we will employ girls as one way of empowering our community with innovation and technology. We will also provide training in mobile money services. Aside from the mobile money business, I also have a passion in agriculture. So, whenever I have time I try to venture into the field now and then.

To ensure that we offer the best possible service, we plan to invest in high-quality gadgets like phones and computers that will enable us to transact quickly and efficiently. By expanding the mobile money service, we hope to bring financial services closer to even more people, providing a vital lifeline to communities that are often underserved and overlooked.

My work is not without its challenges. I have had to deal with fraudulent individuals who try to scam me. There is a high risk associated with transporting hard cash to deposit into our mobile accounts in the city through the use of public transportation. We have a growing demand for mobile money services, as such, we are unable to reach many people due to limited resources.

Despite these challenges, the mobile money service has brought a smile to many faces in the village, improving people’s lives in a significant way.

Mphatso (pronounced mm-pa-tso) graduated from college after receiving a scholarship from Pamoza International. 

Posted 3/8/2023