Uses and impact of M-Pesa

The uses and impact of M-Pesa, the mobile-phone-based banking system operated by Safaricom in Kenya are explained in "Poor people using mobile financial services: Observations on customed usage and impact from M-Pesa", by Morawczynski, Olga and Pickens, Mark, CGAP Brief, 2009.

Morawczynski studied the use of M-Pesa by men living in Kibera slum on the outskirts of Nairobi who use M-Pesa mainly for transferring money to their families in Bukura, a farming village in western Kenya.

M-Pesa reduces money transfer fees, saves lots of times for rural women who rely on remittances, increases funds remitted, but may also weaken ties between husband and wives.