Mukuru makes millions in aid possible

Financial services platform Mukuru has been instrumental in distributing millions in aid to vulnerable people in Africa.

Its secure and transparent Enterprise Payments platform helps many of those whose lives and ability to earn were disrupted by Covid-19 lockdowns and other economic issues. Mukuru also helps businesses transfer cash around the countries in which it operates.

The fintech enabler will be rolling out aid transfers to more countries as it helps several United Nations organisations and other aid NGOs, such as the United Nations Children’s Fund, Food and Agricultural Association, Red Cross, and Oxfam.

Mukuru has expanded its enterprise services across Southern Africa, with significant focus on Zimbabwe, where it is a trusted financial services brand. It works with World Food Programme (WFP) project aid officials at the Tongogara Refugee Camp, where it distributes aid to thousands of vulnerable refugees, alongside support for the community. It employs four staff from the camp to assist with service provision and has donated books and stationery. 

“Positive feedback from WFP at Tongogara has given us the opportunity to expand to other camps in Zimbabwe,” says Kevin Nyakotyo, Mukuru enterprise sales manager. “We have also been contracted by other NGOs that assist with Bulk Cash Disbursements within the Tongogara Refugee Camp, such as World Vision, Church World Services, and Childline.”

Michael Scott, group head of commercial at Mukuru, says that institutional aid donors insist on strict audit and accountability standards to eliminate corruption and mismanagement when funding cash disbursement projects, as these can easily erode the value intended for delivery to vulnerable recipients.

“Our money transfer system allows for end-to-end traceability, ensuring that aid organisations can be audited without worrying about oversights in accountability. It also means that, on the off chance that there is fraud, this can quickly be identified and resolved,” says Scott. “This accountability is enabled through its ability to identify and digitally capture the details of recipients in real-time at the point of cash disbursement, storing uniquely identifiable recipient information for inspection by enterprise clients; auditors can verify a collection against digital copies of the recipient’s identity document and collection slip.”

Mukuru operates an extensive regional network, providing its customers with access to key financial services close to where they live and work. For example, says Nyakotyo: “Mukuru currently offers a much-needed service in Zimbabwe. As many banks are closing branches, Mukuru is consistently expanding its network of Mukuru-owned and partner payout locations to ensure exceptional urban and rural reach across the country, allowing accessible cash distribution.”

To ensure that Mukuru gets cash to the recipients, it has supplemented its network of branches with over one thousand booths, each of which houses one or more Mukuru tellers, and allows people to pay in, and cash out, across rural areas of Southern Africa, says Nyakotyo. 

* For more information, visit https://www.mukuru.com.