Mobile money
In Haiti, Mercy Corps established a first-of-its-kind mobile money food security program to serve the needs of poor and rural communities. The initiative allows users to receive, withdraw and transfer funds via mobile phone, as well as pay for goods from affiliated merchants using their mobile phones.
All stories about Mobile money
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Haiti: A step forward for some, a step back for others September 12, 2011
This was my fifth trip to Haiti.
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Haiti: Mobile wallets help Haitians rebuild August 3, 2011
Families needed food. Small vendors and local economies needed cash. And it turns out the solution to this Catch-22 was right in the hands — or the pockets — of most Haitians.
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Haiti: After the earthquake, focusing on rural areas June 22, 2011
The earthquake of January 12, 2010, may prove to be a crossroad for Haiti. The people of this poor but proud country are certainly ready for the tide to turn in their favor.
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Haiti: Demonstrating how mobile money is helping Haiti June 9, 2011
Congress learned something new about the power of cell phones last week – and not what you might think. Mercy Corps hosted an event on Capitol Hill to share with legislators how mobile technology can be a force for positive social change.
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Haiti: Market fairs acting as mobile money boot camp in Haiti May 25, 2011
On May 13, the Haiti Economic Recovery Team arrived on site in Saint-Marc’s 5eme section to witness our first market fair.
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Haiti: From walkie-talkies to mobile banking April 30, 2011
Morse Alexis welcomes customers into his small shop with a warm smile and asks how he can help. He discusses prices and availability of his products, which vary from rice and beans to sodas to vegetables. Morse is married, 46 years old, with one son and another child on the way.
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Haiti: Overcoming challenges in the field: Haiti's mobile money program March 31, 2011
One of the more inspired advantages that Mercy Corps hopes to bring to vulnerable communities via mobile money is easy access to financial services. A good number of places with high cell phone penetration are many miles from the nearest banking institution.
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Haiti: Learning and teaching mobile money technology in Saut D’Eau, Haiti March 4, 2011
It was the day of the first mobile money disbursement in Saut D’Eau, a small town in Haiti known for its waterfalls and voodoo folklore. Thanks to a grant from USAID/HIFIVE, 100 beneficiaries had been selected to receive their unconditional cash grants via cellular phone.
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Haiti: Introducing Haiti's first mobile wallet December 29, 2010
Mercy Corps has teamed up with mobile operator Voilà and Haitian bank Unibank to introduce Haiti's first "mobile wallet," a cellphone account that can store savings and work like a debit card.
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Haiti: Mobile money in Haiti December 27, 2010
Around 6:30 on Friday morning, I left Port-au-Prince with Nick Kristof, Sheryl WuDunn and their two teenage kids to Saint Marc, a seaside city about a two and a half hour drive north of the capital, to check out Mercy Corps' use of mobile phones to deliver assistance to earthquake-affected famili