MIT Solve

Solution Overview

Solution Name:

Mousso Africa

One-line solution summary:

Bringing the informal sector online - starting with women

Pitch your solution.

Khadija is a 25 year old woman running an informal restaurant where workers in the area come and have lunch every day. Every day she and millions of other women in African urban areas have to wake up early, find the funds and struggle to go and buy the supplies they need to operate their micro businesses. Instead of lending money to these women-run businesses, MOUSSO provides supplies needed through a mobile-based platform and allow for deferred payment with 0% interest. We allow mobile money payments and increase weekly amounts based on scoring engine. This gives access to an alternative to credit, saves time and effort since we deliver for free. It allows productivity gain, growth for these businesses who can focus on their customers. It provides digital education for our staff (all women) and customers. At scale - largest in kind financing network, universal basic INVESTMENT.

Film your elevator pitch.

What specific problem are you solving?

2 out of 3 african workers work in the informal sector.

In the city of dakar alone, we have 30 000 informal restaurants, 150 000 microretailers (SN stats) 80% women. That would mean close to 15million informal microbusinesses in food&beverages. These lack access to supplies & financing. By providing both through a mobile-based platform we have a direct line of communication, through a whatspp like vocal feature, gps location, and data on activity which allows for a range of added services to be provided. We want to add positive incentives to encourage payments, positive incentive such as medical insurance/social security and education options fr children of women served.

Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?

women owner of restaurants and micro-retail. concentrated around centers f economic activity. We onboard them through our representatives and mobile app. We allow them to order get free delivery and deferred payments. We meet them weekly for delivery, payments, often know where they live and where they work. We take time to exchange on needs.

Which dimension of the Challenge does your solution most closely address?

Deploying features that promote the continuity of contributions to social insurance schemes from informal sector workers, incorporating behavioral tools that incentivize and encourage financial savings, transparency, and accountability

Explain how the problem, your solution, and your solution’s target population relate to the Mission Billion Challenge WURI West Africa Prize and your selected dimension.

Women workers of the informal sector are our primary target. By bringing them online we allow full range of data drive digital services, including social security schemes

Where is your solution team headquartered?

Dakar, Sénégal

What is your solution’s stage of development?

Pilot: An individual or organization deploying a tested product, service, or model in at least one location.

Who is the primary delegate for your solution?

Mohamed Ndiaye, CEO