In August 2012,
HIJRA (Humanitarian
Initiative Just Relief Aid) together with partner OXFAM,
launched Somalia’s first ever E-Cash livelihoods program. The initiative,
designed jointly with Nation Link telecom, is the first of its kind to be
piloted in the country, benefiting 2,090 urban poor Households in Mogadishu.
The
program, a 150 USD mobile cash distribution, has been designed to target
skilled urban poor residents for use in business and resilience building
activities.
Oxfam and Hijra’s
innovative new “e-cash” project to deliver aid to
people helps women like Kadija Mohammed, who uses the $150 she receives to
invest in her small shop, say receiving mobile cash gives her far more options
than traditional food aid:
“The money gives me choices, it gives me the
power to buy and sell things… all you can do with the food is eat.”
Although in
its early stages, many people find the mobile money transfers to be safer and
quicker than other methods.
In
drought-hit Somalia, vulnerable people are buying food with mobile phones –
thanks to you. Oxfam and local organisation Hijra are distributing cash as text
messages. It’s an easy, secure way of transferring money, and gives people the
freedom to spend it on what they need most: food, school fees or an investment
in their small business.
Watch this
clip from news agency Al Jazeera to see the brilliant scheme in
action.
The e-cash Program
Components Include:
•
Distribution of
Mobile phones
•
Training on
usage
•
Security
Sensitization
“Before we
waited too long sometimes spending all day in the hot sun to receive our monies.
I never felt safe after to carry cash in town! Now it comes straight to our
phones! I can go to anywhere and transfer the monies to shopkeepers for what I
buy. I am too happy for this! Thank you HIJRA, you are truly a blessing.” - Halima Omar, Mogadishu
Blessings!
Ronell x
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