1 / 28

Enhancing Women's Groups in Kenya through Mobile Money Services: Research Insights

This study explores the utilization of mobile money services among 21 women's groups in Eastern Kenya and its impact on poverty alleviation, development, and empowerment. It highlights the benefits, challenges, and opportunities associated with using services like M-PESA in rural contexts. The preliminary findings provide valuable insights for policy implications and further research in this area.

huttonc
Download Presentation

Enhancing Women's Groups in Kenya through Mobile Money Services: Research Insights

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. The Use of Mobile Money Services Among 21 Women’s Groups in Eastern Kenya: Preliminary Research Findings NdungeKiiti, Houghton College Jane MutindA, Kenyatta University December 6-7, 2011

  2. Map of Kenya

  3. Kenyan Context • Kenya signed onto to the Millennium Development Goals • In 2002-2003, an estimated 56% of population was below poverty line • Projections report 65.9% could be below poverty line in 2015 (Source: Government of Kenya, 2005)

  4. Implications for Rural Context • 82% of poor live in rural areas (Government of Kenya, 2005) • Agriculture Production key source of economic growth (e.g. coffee, tea, flowers) • 95% of land owned by men; 5% by women (UNDP & UNIFEM, 2005, p.11) • Eastern Province is one of poorest in Kenya • Kitui, Machakos, Makueni, and Mwingi districts have high prevalence of poverty

  5. Vinya wa Aka (VWAG)—’Strength of Women’

  6. VWAG Mission • To strengthen Kenyan women’s groups to mobilize their resources for development and support them to build assets for sustainable and holistic change. • Framework: Individual>Family> Community>Nation • African Proverb: “A human becomes a human because of other humans.”

  7. Training/Workshops

  8. Training of Women’s Groups • 21 women’s groups in Eastern Kenya • NEPAD Partnership and Vision • Framework: Dialogical--Paulo Freire • Curriculum Focus: • Integrated Approach to Development • Organizational Management Skills • Resource Mobilization—investment, savings, loans • Philanthropy & Social Support—Community Building

  9. Literature Review: Mobile Money Services • M-PESA has 9 million registered users or 40% of Kenya adults (Mas & Radcliffe, 2010)—now over 12m • Clearly builds on urban-rural linkages in Kenya (Mas & Morawczynski, 2009) • Tremendous movement to urban centers for employment • Caters to large population with no access to banking industry • Money’s social role in facilitating a process of engagement or interaction (Maurer, 2006)

  10. Research Process

  11. Study Methodology • Primary Methods • In-depth Interviews • Focus Group Discussions • Participatory Observation • Secondary Methods • Literature Review • Synthesis and Initial Dissemination • Workshop • Policy Implications • Access to Services

  12. Research Assistants

  13. Data Collection: In-depth Interviews

  14. Data Collection: FGD

  15. Observation of MPESA Usage

  16. Emerging Themes for Benefits: Service • Background—Initial Money Service • Security & Safety • Privacy and Confidentiality • Convenience • Access at many outlets • Time Management • Efficient & fast service • “Delays are losses!” (Women’s Group Interview, 2011)

  17. Emerging Themes for Benefits: Usage • Facilitates Group Payments • Promotes Rural Development • Assists in Business/Microfinance • Creates Employment • Encourages Good Record Keeping • Other Benefits: • Purchase of Airtime • Bonga Points

  18. Access to Service & Employment

  19. Intersect of MPESA and Poverty Reduction • Socio-economic Support for the Individual, Family and Community • Health (Hospital Bills) • Agricultural Projects • Micro-finance/Business • Food Security—Famine • Emergencies • Education (Fees)

  20. Key Challenges/Opportunities for M-PESA • Fraud • Facilitates robbery & corruption • Immoral behavior • Network Connectivity Problems • No Network • Cost • Service Charges

  21. Key Challenges/Opportunities for M-PESA • Debt • Easy Access to Resources • Limited Services for Special Populations • Elderly/People with Disabilities • Audible Phone System • Group Communication Dynamics • Lack of Accountability • Poor Group Meeting Attendance

  22. Selected Quotes from the Field • “Many people feel that they can fail to attend the group meetings and they send the money and it’s fine with them” (Group Leader, Personal Communication, 2011) • “On the negative side, eh sometimes now because of this challenge of being visually impaired, most of the times.. the phones which are available nowadays, they are not audible, they don't talk” (Member of Women’s Group, Personal Communication, 2011)

  23. Group: Cheerful Sisters

  24. Dissemination Workshop

  25. Implications for Policy

  26. M-PESA Services

  27. Appreciation of M-PESA Service as a Potential Poverty Reduction Tool

  28. Further Research/Investigation • Link between M-PESA Usage and Poverty Reduction • Mobile money services for special populations • Link between policy and grassroots realities • Link of M-PESA with Philanthropic Initiatives • ECO-PESA • Sociological Understanding of Group Names • Kujitoa (Commitment) • Wendo; Mendene; Mwende (Love) • Pamoja (Unity) • Wanawake Wanawaka (Women Shining)

More Related