mowoza
SUMMARY: moWoza is an supply chain and money management solution for grassroots SMEs and low income communities in emerging markets that can be accessed via the mobile phone.
PROBLEM SPACE: We’re addressing poverty reduction (MDG 1), food security and ensuring that female informal micro & cross-border traders (SMMEs) are empowered (MDG 3) and become financially included.
– Sub Saharan Africa (SSA), the informal sector is almost equivalent to the formal sector, representing an average 43% of official GDP in 2003. This is also of significance in Latin America, Asia and Eastern Europe (OECD).
– Cereal consumption is growing throughout SSA at an average rate of 2% and as income levels increase in SSA, demand for processed agricultural food will increase (UNDP).
A mechanism needs to be in place to leapfrog traditional supply chain system so that SMMEs can easily access non-perishable foodstuffs.
Many SMMEs are travelling long distances across borders, carrying large amounts of cash on their bodies to access goods. They find themselves in dangerous situations and lose both money and inventory. On a package of $100, crossborder SMMEs can pay an extra:
50% on journeys to neighbour countries, 116% for accommodation whilst travelling, 20% on bribes and suffer from stigma/violence. They lose sales as they travel so much.
– To date cross-border SMMEs buy stock individually and in minimal quantities.
SOLUTION: Our mobile solution enables crossborder SMMEs in Mozambique to order basic essential products remotely at competitive prices.
Through an inclusive business model we facilitate entrepreneurial activity at the BOP. Our solution delivers trade efficiencies, creates opportunities, protects women and delivers positive climate change.
We offer an inventory ordering and delivery service for four categories of basic 10 essential food products and 5 hygenic products. Crossborder SMMEs can order these products at affordable prices from any location via SMS. They can pay utilising a mobile wallet or our own SMS mobile payment system. We deliver within 3-days and on delivery the Crossborder SMMEs pays the balance and the taxi driver receives a handling fee. Crossborder SMMEs are kept updated of delivery status via SMS.
We aggregate the orders so that they can access bulk prices and more quality products. Our virtual mobile phone co-operative platform allows Crossborder SMMEs to access inventory price related information; order and pre-pay inventory; receive delivery status notifications and will be able to access micro-loans via SMS, WEB and other innovative mobile wallet technologies on their mobile phone.
We work with community taxi drivers to deliver the products and keep them informed of deliveries via SMS.
CONTACT PERSON: [email protected]