Digicel Fiji & SPBD Partner to Boost Women's Financial Inclusion

• Digicel Fiji and SPBD Microfinance Fiji have partnered to provide SPBD’s services through the MyCash mobile money platform
• The initiative aims to improve access to formal financial services in Fiji’s remote areas

Access to formal financial services in rural parts of Fiji is to become better through a new partnership between Digicel Fiji and SPBD Microfinance Fiji, which will provide SPBD's principal financial services through the MyCash mobile money platform.

The alliance seeks to increase the financial inclusion of women entrepreneurs among rural communities in Fiji through the facilitation of easier access to microfinance products.

SPBD clients are now able to access their microloans via the MyCash wallet, minimizing the distance needed to travel to access cash. They will also have the convenience of repaying loans, sending money, and managing finances via the app.

The two organisations will provide digital training and assistance to enable SPBD's members to enhance their technology and financial skills.

Farid Mohammed, the CEO of Digicel Fiji, said that the partnership aligns with Digicel’s vision of expanding digital financial inclusion to support women-owned small businesses in other remote locations.

Gregory Casagrande, the Founder and CEO of SPBD Microfinance, said that the partnership allows for greater accessibility and timeliness of service for rural women, reducing time and costs in service delivery. He termed the project as a step toward financial empowerment.

As part of the collaboration's overall objectives, Digicel Fiji is also offering SPBD members QR Pay solutions, co-branded documents, and transaction fee exemptions, which qualify them to be officially recognized as micro-merchants.

This program allows members to use their own QR codes for digital payments, which allow them to have more visibility and greater business opportunities.

The collaboration also furthers both organizations' long-term focus on community development through the use of technology and connectivity to reach previously underserved populations and build lasting economic opportunities for women entrepreneurs.