Cameron Peake's blog

(From left) Mercy Corps Haiti Economic Recovery Programme Manager Kokoévi Sossouvi, Representative Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-Texas) and Mercy Corps Public Affairs Programme Director Jeremy Konyndyk. Photo: Cameron Peake/Mercy Corps

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. The reception, titled "Innovation for Impact: How Mobile Technology is Spurring Grassroots Recovery in Haiti" comprised a photo and story exhibit with images from the Haiti mobile money programme. The event enabled Congressional offices to interact with Mercy Corps staff and friends, and to highlight the innovative work with Mercy Corps and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) have implemented in Haiti in front of a new audience.

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In late February I attended the Mobile World Congress, the mobile telecommunication industry’s annual conference — a mass of more than 60,000 people from all over the world, descending upon one small corner of Barcelona to talk all things mobile. I was there not only to soak up the technological innovation, but to introduce Mercy Corps’ work to this constituency of key mobile technologists.

Even amidst the newest Android system and cutting-edge gadgets, I was most struck by how Mercy Corps was one of very few non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in attendance. As a critical player in mobile initiatives that bring financial and information services to poor and underserved communities globally, we saw our attendance as a commitment to advance the scale, scope, and sophistication of our work. This further foray into the digital frontier is an addition to a series of “firsts” that are shaping how mobile technology can make emergency aid and financial services more effective for the poor.

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A younger man trains an older man how to use mobile money in Haiti's Pandiassou community. Photo: Fabiola Coupet/Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps was recognized on Monday in a ceremony to announce the launch of T-cash, the Haitian mobile money service from telecom operator Voilà and Haitian bank Unibank. Over the past nine months, we've been a central partner in supporting the implementation and development of the T-cash service.

We view the establishment of a mobile money system in Haiti an important step to extend secure, convenient and affordable financial services to the millions of Haitians that lack access to a formal bank account. With this in mind, Mercy Corps used T-cash technology to deliver humanitarian payments through the mobile channel in the Central Plateau and Lower Arbonite regions as part of our economic recovery programming in those areas. This week’s event marked a public declaration of the viability of the commercial service to launch at a national level, and a broad recognition of the transformational potential of the innovation.

The ceremony featured speeches from Voilà director Robin Patberg, Unibank chairman Carl Braun and Mercy Corps Haiti country director Brian Oakes. In front of a standing room-only crowd of more 100 people, Patberg outlined the current T-cash service offering: the ability to store and transfer money and make in-store purchases using a cellular telephone.

Later, Voilà performed a demonstration of the technology. Voilà and Unibank highlighted Mercy Corps’ critical role in the development of T-cash, particularly the importance of the Mercy Corps pilot to demonstrate and inform the viability of the service at a national level.

All three organisations emphasized the importance of financial inclusion for the unbanked. Notably, Voilà and Unibank recognized the financially underserved as key T-cash constituents. Chairman Braun spoke of the 2.2 million bank accounts in Haiti — representing roughly 50 percent of the adult population of the country — that represent “an acceptable but insufficient level” of banked clients. However, Haiti is a country of just under 10 million inhabitants, where youth under 30 make up the bulk (70 percent) of the population. The partners view T-cash as a key tool to extend banking services to Haiti’s unbanked — both adults and youth.

The event celebrated the collaborative efforts of the partners. Mercy Corps piloted the service; identified, mobilized and trained programme participants, as well as managed the logistics of the humanitarian distributions. Voilà and Unibank developed and introduced the mobile money architecture, incorporated our suggestions and comments for improvement, and designed a service relevant to the unbanked population.

Through our combined efforts we were able to unveil a service that has the potential to transform financial services in Haiti.

In the coming months, T-cash will continue to expand. Feedback thus far from our programme has indicated that users overall appreciate the service — emphasizing the trust, convenience, security and anonymity that mobile money offers. If these experiences remain consistent, a national launch of T-cash should go a long way towards increasing financial inclusion for the other 50 percent of unbanked Haitian adults.

That is something to celebrate.

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San Miguel is a bustling neighborhood in the centre of Manila, home to many of the jeepney drivers and low-wage laborers that make up the city’s poor. A cash-based community with few options for formal savings, Mercy Corps partner BanKO is working to provide these individuals with affordable, safe and convenient banking services using mobile technology.

Merdy uses her phone for remote banking through Mercy Corps partner BanKO. Photo: Cameron Peake/Mercy Corps

Merdy is a typical case in point. She owns a sari-sari store — a small, multi-purpose convenience store common throughout the Philippines. Before Merdy had access to BanKO services, she had no bank account or formal savings. Her profits were stored in her wallet, and were often exposed to theft.

Through BanKO, Merdy is now able to guard her earnings in secure location, and she plans to use her savings to fund the growth of her business. She also received a small loan from BanKO to purchase a motorcycle taxi, which has enabled her to double her weekly income.

Up to this point, BanKO may seem like a typical small bank or microfinance outlet. However, BanKO adds extra punch in a country with thousands of small banks and microfinance institutions: it has the backing of a leading bank and mobile network operator, and a mandate to deliver banking services to the poor using mobile telecommunications channels. A joint venture between Bank of the Philippine Island (BPI) — the oldest bank in the Philippines — and Globe, a major telecommunications agency, BanKO provides affordable and formal financial services to traditionally underserved customers, using mobile technology as a channel to send and receive loans and repayments, deposits and remittances.

Here’s how it works: instead of traveling to a bank (which may be located hours away in the nearest urban area) customers can engage in remote banking on their phone through a series of simple SMS (text)-based instructions. Use of this technology translates into greater convenience, affordability and safety for the customer, and a larger reach and customer base for the bank.

“It is very convenient for me,” Merdy explained. “It is useful to use my phone.” And for a woman with two businesses and motivations to expand, convenience is a commodity in high demand.

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Speakers and attendees of the event included (from left) Haitian Minister of Tourism Patrick Delatour, Eleni Kalisch from Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Mark Schneider from International Crisis Group and U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu. Photo: Cameron Peake/Mercy Corps

Last week Mercy Corps hosted the Haitian Minister of Tourism, Patrick Delatour, in Washington, DC to spur thinking about how the government, private sector and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) can work together to promote recovery in Haiti.

Held on an outdoor patio on Capitol Hill, more than 60 guests — including members of the Obama Administration and Congress, leaders in business and the NGO world, and experts on Haiti — convened with a shared commitment to Haiti’s development. Among the guests were the Haitian Ambassador, Raymond Joseph; Senator Mary Landrieu from Louisiana; and Senator Frank Lautenberg from New Jersey.

The reception underscored the importance of multi-sector engagement around the theme “Partnerships for Development.” Minister Delatour was the keynote speaker on the subject in a lineup that included Nancy Lindborg of Mercy Corps; Senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana; Mark Schneider, a Haiti expert at the International Crisis Group; and Eleni Kalisch, a Vice President at Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. All echoed the importance of coordination and sustained engagement in Haiti’s reconstruction.

Professional events are a dime a dozen in DC, but I was particularly impressed by the diversity of the audience at this reception. Haitian small business owners spoke with Red Cross officials; the Haitian Ambassador met with executives from the apparel industry. It was this sort of spontaneous dialogue that we hoped would lead to new perspectives and spark creative solutions.

As the co-mingling subsided and the crowds receded, the guests left the event with the colleagues they had arrived with. But, if our ultimate measure of success if realized, this cross-pollination of leaders will have planted the seeds of partnerships for recovery in Haiti.

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