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Cambridge, Massachusetts- February 9, 2012- Pyramid Research believes that by supporting access to mobile phones, operators can help women leverage the information and tools that they need to assist them in the realization of their own personal and professional development goals, as demonstrated in this mBanking case study in Zimbabwe.
Download an excerpt or purchase the report here.
CASE STUDY: mBanking in Zimbabwe
A relative newcomer to the mobile banking phenomenon in sub-Saharan Africa, Econet Wireless, an MNO, launched mobile banking services in September 2011. Surprisingly, just two months later, the service was already being leveraged by up-and-coming mWomen. Thelma Nare, a head of a women’s cooperative, had the difficult task of collecting money from cooperative members to support the group’s activities. Because of distances from banks and scheduling difficulties, some women were unable to make their payments regularly or on time. Without a regular income coming into the cooperative for support, many members would suffer from the continuing high levels of inflation in Zimbabwe. After learning of Eco-Cash, Ms. Nare celebrated because the service represented a viable solution to a pressing issue.
“The usage of this service creates a steady cash flow, reduces the need for long journeys into cities, and helps the cooperative members save money because they no longer need to rely on cross-border transporters who regularly requested steep commissions for their money transfer services,” says Ronda Zelezny-Green, Associate Research Analyst at Pyramid Research. In the absence of a physical bank account, this women’s cooperative can now get banking services like their urban counterparts. Some of the cooperative members have even used the service to receive money from husbands working abroad and to send money to their children studying at boarding schools.
mWomen: A Win-Win Opportunity for Mobile Operators is part of Pyramid Research's Telecom Insider Report Series and is priced at $595. Download an excerpt or purchase the report here. For more information, contact Jarka Justova (for those in Africa/Middle East, Asia-Pacific or Europe) or Lorena Marani (for those in Latin America or North America).
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