Haiti Mobile Money Initiative: First Mobile Operator to Compete for "First to Market" Award

Sept. 27, 2010 - PRLog -- Port-au-Prince/Washington, D.C. – September 24th 2010, Voilà delivered its “Letter of Intent to Compete” yesterday at USAID funded project, HIFIVE (Haiti Integrated Finance for Value Chains and Enterprises), becoming the first official competitor in the Haiti Mobile Money Initiative. This submission brings Haiti one step closer to mobile money services that could, improve safety, and increase savings for the millions of Haitians with access to a mobile phone.

Mr. Robin Padberg, CEO of Voilà declared that “The Mobile Money Initiative is a testament to the partnership between a financial institution and mobile network operator capitalizing on their individual competencies in order to expand financial services to the non-banked. Voilà, in partnership with UNIBANK, has positioned itself as the pioneer of the mobile wallet and we are confident that this project will provide an effective solution to difficulties related to access and availability of financial services throughout Haiti.”

Mr. Padberg adds: “Voilà is one of the most important mobile network operators in Haiti. With an ever increasing subscriber’s base, Voilà is known for the reliability of its network, particularly in the aftermath of the January 12th Earthquake, and for its capacity to innovate.”

The Haiti Mobile Money Initiative gives cash awards to companies that offer mobile money services in Haiti. The first company to launch a mobile money service that meets certain criteria before December 10 will receive the $2.5 million “First to Market” award. The second operator to launch and achieve these criteria within 12 months will receive $1.5 million.

Yesterday’s “Letter of Intent to Compete” was filed with the Haitian office of the USAID project Haiti Integrated Finance for Value Chains and Enterprises (HIFIVE). HIFIVE, whose focus is on improving the availability of financial products and services to promote economic development, is providing technical and management assistance to support the Haiti Mobile Money Initiative.

“This partnership has the potential to unlock important opportunities for Haitian families and promote the nation’s long-term economic development and advancement,” said Carleene Dei, USAID Haiti Mission Director.  “As we move forward in coordination with the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission and Government of Haiti, we will continue to support innovative projects and partnerships that target Haiti’s development challenges in new and creative ways.”

Often called “mobile money,” these services reduce the risks and costs of financial transactions, help increase savings, and generate employment. They can also help connect people to difficult-to-access vital services like banking, insurance, and utilities.

The launch of mobile money services in Haiti will be an important step towards not only building Haiti back better but putting Haiti at the global forefront of mobile money services innovation. This advancement would dramatically broaden access to banking services—currently only 10% of Haitians use traditional banks.

In June, 2010 The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced a $10 million incentive fund to jumpstart financial services by mobile phone in Haiti and expedite the delivery of cash assistance to victims of the country’s devastating earthquake by humanitarian agencies. This initiative lays the foundation for advanced banking services that could help millions of Haitians lift themselves out of extreme poverty.



Editor’s Note
For information about the incentive fund criteria, see http://www.microlinks.org/hifive/hmmi



U.S. Agency for International Development
Through the U.S. Agency for International Development, the American people have provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for nearly 50 years.
For more information about USAID's programs, please visit: www.usaid.gov/.  

About USAID/HIFIVE
USAID/HIFIVE is a financial sector service project designed to encourage a dynamic Haitian economy by increasing the availability of financial products and services to its people and to its enterprises. A catalyst and a facilitator, HIFIVE works primarily on the supply side of the financial sector to empower Haitians by providing access to innovative financial products and services with a focus on rural areas, targeting high potential value chains and supporting the use of technology.

About Voilà
Voilà is a leading mobile telecommunications operator in Haiti providing high-quality, affordable wireless service. Since its inception 10 years ago, it has invested over US$ 200 Million in Haiti. Voilà employs over 500 local staff and provides indirect employment to more than 15,000 Haitians through micro-enterprise venture whereby local entrepreneurs sell time on a customized cell phone. In December 2009, Voilà received the prestigious “Award for Corporate Excellence” from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in recognition of Voilà’s record of corporate social responsibility in Haiti. Voilà is a subsidiary of Trilogy International Partners LLC, a privately-held company, based in the Bellevue, WA. Trilogy also owns wireless communications systems in the Dominican Republic, Bolivia, and New Zealand.