Digital Proximity Savings

More than three quarters of the Congolese live below the poverty line and are forced from day to day to move, to seek and transmit the money in hand, to buy daily for lack of means and stock at home as well as to realize their operations and financial transactions, purchases and sales in cash due to failure of the banking circuit weakened by several bankruptcies that it has known in the country.

This situation, which has made savings lose its usual place, is aggravated by the resurgence of certain recurrent societal problems.

Our solution, which is primarily aimed at women because of the prominent place and the crucial role it currently fulfills in the survival of the family or even the community, will rely on the various existing mobile financial services in to revive local savings and limit any human contact or displacement due to the transfer of money.

The whole world being confronted with the current health scourge of COVID-19, this situation highlighted a major challenge to be taken up by all, that of the dematerialization of the handling of money because of its vectorial impact very important in its propagation.

However, for more than seventy million Congolese and particularly seventeen million inhabitants of Kinshasa, most of their various financial operations and transactions, various payments, purchases and sales in cash or even hand to hand. This is contrary to the social distancing measures recommended during this period of fight against COVID-19.

Furthermore, it should be noted that the mechanism of the current banking system does not facilitate the task of the self-employed and the working poor, does not allow them to save in the best dispositions, although some Banks and some financial institutions countries have relaxed the conditions for opening accounts and their practices.

What is more, most citizens do not have very poor families, have neither the time nor the means to reach formal savings..

Thus, all those who wish to save, prefer to do so in an environment closer to their homes where they can resort at any time if necessary.

The Solution which aims to set up the "Digital Savings Bank for Proximity", is the capitalization of the "Digital Savings Program for Proximity", launched for more than six months as part of implementation of the "Cooperative of Sale and the Female Entrepreneurship".

It is a Program which allows more than 2,400 women micro-entrepreneurs who are members of the Cooperative to save a minimum of 20,000 Congolese Francs, or US $ 10 each month, helping them to support their entrepreneurial projects presented individually or in a group.

This is how, through this initiative and the possible funding to be received from the SOLVE Prize, we intend to consolidate the efforts and sacrifices provided.

The following different tasks will be performed:

• Opening a savings account via mobile or purchasing a SIM and opening an Account

• Saving the Saver and their contact details

• Registration of your savings account via mobile

• Voluntary deposit and withdrawal of funds

• Execution of various usual financial transactions by mobile

• Purchase and sale of essential goods and commodities by mobile payment

Finally, no other additional cost may be required than that usually offered by the Financial Service by Mobile.

The Project primarily targets the 48,000 women targeted within the framework of the implementation of the "Cooperative of Sales and Female Entrepreneurship" with the support of the DELOITTE Corporate Foundation of France.

The aim is to see them in turn influence other categories of women and citizens who benefit from or use their services to get them to also take this opportunity to plan to do better for themselves or their respective communities.

Thus, the number ultimately targeted in the City of Kinshasa can be estimated at more than seven million people and more than twenty-seven million people for the whole country as part of the possible scaling of the Project.

Note that due to the very advanced state of poverty of most citizens, only better management of their scarce financial resources and adequate financial education can allow them to save and plan various projects to ensure their best-being and that of their respective communities.

Finally, these estimates may be even higher due to the psychological effect due to COVID-19, based on the Report of a recent study by the World Bank, which highlighted the importance of the Financial Service by Mobile in Africa during this period.

The problem is more complex for the women targeted, who are forced outside of the search for ways and means to increase the family's financial base, to take care of housework and child-rearing. Hence, they need to bring the Savings Service closer to their places of business and their homes. 

Besides its proximity, the Financial Service by Mobile has other assets which can reassure its often less educated users, and who have the possibility of following the traceability of their various financial operations and transactions through their phones and also pool their efforts. savings through this solution.

It is the institutionalization of the management of digital savings, the framing, the networking and the promotion of its beneficiaries by exploiting the various assets offered by the existing Mobile Financial Services knowing that if this is well implemented, it is likely to provide adequate responses to the problem posed and boost local savings in the DRC

       The adequacy of the durable solutions proposed compared to the harsh realities experienced by local populations during the COVID-19 crisis, and which lead both to change their attitudes, behaviors and reflexes, this can make the difference compared existing structures and services. Furthermore, there is more than ever an obligation to limit any human contact or movement that can be avoided.

       The solution will certainly arouse the following social values among its beneficiaries to enable them to boost their small businesses and have an impact on their respective communities. It's about :

       - Self control

       - Good corporate governance

       - The cooperative spirit

       - Ability to work in a team and in solidarity

       - Thirst and talent for entrepreneurship

          The various products and services which will be offered within the framework of the Project will be primarily intended for the local populations, in particular of the small gain, because of the insufficiency of means in their possession which do not allow them to open a bank account or to make stocks at home. This represents more than three quarters of the population of the DRC.

The Solution will support the Financial Service via Mobile through its various usual financial operations and transactions as set out below:

• Opening a savings account via mobile or purchasing a SIM and opening an Account

• Saving the Saver and their contact details

• Registration of your savings account via mobile

• Voluntary deposit and withdrawal of funds

• Execution of various usual financial transactions by mobile

• Purchase and sale of essential goods and commodities by mobile payment

• Various payments made by Mobile such as the renewal of Canal Plus subscriptions and others
• E-commerce
• Buying and selling units and mega

This technology is currently used by all the communication operators operating in the country, in particular VODACOM R.D.C, AIRTEL, ORANGE and AFRICELL.
It is therefore a proven process and we will only use this experience to pool the gains and the income to be produced for the interest of Savers.

Objective: Promotion of savings by mobile

A. Planned activities

1. Awareness campaign

2. Fundraising

3. Launch of activities

4. Opening savings accounts by mobile

5.Registration of new savers

6. Carrying out of various operations and financial transactions, various payments, purchases and sales by mobile

B. Expected results

1. Number of people reached and reactions recorded

2. Number of new mobile accounts opened
3. Number of new savers registered
4. Financial amount of different operations financial transactions, various payments, purchases and sales made by mobile

C. Means of verification
1. Saving registers
2. Activity and financial reports of Local Operating Sites
3. Mobile Financial Services Reports
4. Reports from the competent authorities
5. Comments from the Economic Press

Hypothesis / Risk: Fear of difficulties in withdrawing money deposited into the account

More than three quarters of the Congolese live below the poverty line according to the human development index published each year by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), i.e. more than fifty million people, and only better management of their meager resources will allow them not only to save but also to glimpse collective or individual projects for their well-being.

For the moment, the Solution is implemented for a total of 2,400 women members of COVEF / R.D.C, who save each month an amount of nearly US $ 10.

In a year, we are targeting a total of almost 12,000 women, including those who work interactively with the women members of COVEF / R.D.C.

Thus, in five, the 48,000 women members targeted by the Cooperative, will be able to influence and give, in turn, to the different categories of women and citizens working with them, the opportunity to seize this opportunity to do better for themselves and for their respective communities, thus targeting for the City of Kinshasa the minimum number of nearly seven million inhabitants.

It is also necessary to mention nearly a thousand people within the diaspora which each sends almost a billion dollars to the DRC and this is how we intend to take it into account in the context of the implementation of the solution to diversify resources.

Social protection is considered in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as the preferred vector for eradicating poverty, reducing inequalities and promoting human development. (Targets 1.3, 3.8, 5.4, 8.5, 10.4).

However, according to the World Bank, only one in five poor people in low-income countries benefit from a Social Protection Program allowing each individual or household to face the consequences of realizing a risk if necessary. social (sickness, old age, unemployment, accident, disability etc.), environmental or climatic.

It is in this context, the second solution which still targets women street vendors, vegetable market mothers, peasant women and micro-entrepreneurs from various sectors of activity, in particular women members of the '' Cooperative de Vente et of Female Entrepreneurship '', , in acronym, this intends to address this real problem of entrepreneurial governance with which they are confronted in the management of the social risks mentioned above in the absence of any social protection. In addition, they are forced in these various cases to use their meager capital and sometimes not to continue their small businesses for lack of means.

Thus, during this global health crisis of COVID-19, we see them in Africa, and more particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo, being forced to continue to exercise their activities in spite of themselves and sometimes without barrier gestures, by exposing them in a more than dangerous way to contamination for fear of no longer meeting their own social needs and those of their families, or even losing their small businesses.

1. Problem of trust in organizations and institutions of the shoulders

2. fears of losing money due to various bank failures known in the past

3. Insufficient income earned to be able to save 

4. An increase in societal problems

5. Insufficient means of implementation

 6. Very burdensome administrative requirements

7. Reluctance of potential investors

8. Political environment still precarious in the country

9. Socio-economic crisis aggravated by COVID-19

Problem 1.

Our solution which uses the Financial Service by mobile seemed to be very reliable with regard to the traceability of different operations financial transactions controlled at any time on the Phone

Problem 2

SAME

Problem 3

implementation of social-entrepreneurial support programs to help them increase their income

Problem 4

SAME

Problem 5

Self-financing activities

Problem 6

Start the process on time

Problem 7

Put in place a very active communication and reassess it at each stage of development to correct the situation

Problem 8

Better consideration of this situation in the planning of activities

Problem 9

Make it an opportunity through various appropriate initiatives

1. full-time staff,; 7

2. part-time staff: 12

3. contractors or other worker: 48

The sponsorship of skills of the DELOITTE Corporate Foundation is a very important asset for us in the sense that it opens us up to multiple data and human skills so it abounds

the NGO "Socio-Economic Assistance for Integral Development", which is part of the organizations with which we work in network has a strong experience in the matter. In addition, it is since 2006 that the NGO embarked on this activity in the Municipality of BUMBU before reaching other municipalities in the City. It is this experience acquired mainly from women that will be replicated here on a large scale.

In addition, we benefit from the support of the Platform "New Congolese Civil Society" which is full of DRC more than 800 Civil Society Organizations and movements

Partnership of the DEL ’DELOITTE Corporate Foundation’ ’

This project proposal is part of the process of launching the ‘’ Sales Cooperative and Women's Entrepreneurship ’’, with the skills sponsorship partnership of the ‘’ Fondation d'Entreprise DELOITTE ’’ of France. This support was launched on October 15, 2019 during a tripartite meeting in which the following two Expert Consultants from the Foundation participated:

- Arthur ROBERT

- Madja MRANI ALAOUI

As for the component structures of the Cooperative, it was represented by Coach Patrice TANDEMA, General Coordinator of ‘’ People’s Observatory of Republican Institutions ’’, OPIR / R.D.C.

The Project will be implemented in networking with the following structures: - New Congolese Civil Society ’’, NSCC - Social Action of Congo (A.S.C / A.S.B.L) - Socio-economic assistance for Integral Development (ASEDI / NGO) - Popular Observatory of Republican Institutions (OPIR / R.D.C) - NGO / A.S.B.L ‘Main Support Hand for Poor Families’ ’ - KOTI WUNDABA Foundation for Development (FOKOWUD) - Youth Hope Foundation (FOJES) - Center for the Promotion of Human Rights, Development and Social Integration of Women and Children (CPDHD-ISFE) - Association in the Footsteps of Engineer Albert ILUNGA (ASPIAL) - 24 BIO SPRL