#1.
SendVoucher is an African startup that offers a unique solution that switches up how you send money to others (i.e. how you get your “MoneyGram” or “WesternUnion” on as a smart-n-sexy participant in the remittance and funds transfer market). The solution provides an alternative to the cash to cash model by offering customers cash to goods/services instead. So you can send money to a family member or friend by paying cash at your sending country and then your family member or friend claims the cash that you sent by getting a product or service of equal value as opposed to the cash itself (i.e. the beneficiary receives a product and service directly from the retailer depending on their needs).
Examples include :
– cash into food… shopping directly from Supermarket
– cash into medicine… from the Pharmacy
– cash into car fuel (or gas for you car)… from the Petrol Station
The overall value of the funds transfer market is estimated at $500 billion and growing at approximately 5% per year. SendVoucher is a scalable solution that allows a payee to go straight to a specified retailer and receive goods, food, and other items, which comparatively may make the transaction experience more direct and less risky for the cash sender and service/goods receiver. Location: Nigeria | For more, see sendvoucher.com
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#2.
Being “Bozza” is about being unique, doing your own “thang”, and expressing yourself as an artist. At Bozza.mobi, this African startup aims to build a trusted place where artists can be Bozza by sharing their latest videos, music and poetry and where fans can make discoveries and directly support the artists. The startup showcases a digital distribution platform, offering services that enable artists to connect with fans who want locally relevant content via their mobile device. Notably, Bozza is Pan African, mobile first, and artist-centric. On Bozza, every view and share counts towards real services that artists can systematically use to further advance their careers (e.g. resources for doing shows and getting financial opportunities are all featured on the site… included are services like mixing & mastering, digital marketing campaigns, and video production for creative pieces that achieve a target number of views & shares. The good news is that all genres of video, music and poetry are welcome in all African languages. Users can can create their own profile and use this profile as their very own personal website or better yet their very own microphone. Location: South Africa | For more, see bozza.mobi
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#3.
Sanivation provides household sanitation and energy services to the urban poor. For example, instead of charging exorbitant rates for installing a toilet in a poor village or refugee camp, this African startup installs the toilets for free and then charges reasonable fees to service them. Similarly, they provide other waste management services and have developed a mechanism to unlock the value within the collected waste to produce a clean burning charcoal briquette which is then monetized. Location: Kenya | For more, see sanivation.com; their noble work is made possible by the US Embassy, Centers for Disease Control, Norwegian Refugee Council, and the United Nations High Commission on Refugees.
