Global telecommunications group Millicom is helping to foster women’s entrepreneurship in the fast growing African mobile financial services industry.
In a public-private partnership with the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), it aims to provide over 4,000 women throughout Tanzania, Ghana and Rwanda with support and training to set up a business as a Tigo Mobile Money agent, contributing to financial inclusion for themselves and thousands of other people.
Research published by the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women in November 2011 revealed that while there are many women engaged in the distribution networks of mobile operators in Africa, they are mostly in non-managerial positions. The project announced today is the first proactive attempt to work specifically with women entrepreneurs to support them in becoming successful Mobile Money agents.
According to recent reports from the World Bank, only 12 percent of the population of sub-Saharan Africa have access to any form of formalized banking. Participants in the programme will enable thousands of people to have access to mobile financial services, and also earn an income from their activities for themselves.
