brac mobile money competition/fund - do your country's colleges or media celebrate job competitions?2024-03-28T11:41:22Zhttp://jobscompetitions.ning.com/forum/topics/brac-mobile-money-competition-fund?commentId=6507881%3AComment%3A8103&x=1&feed=yes&xn_auth=noBRAC's Innovation Fund for Mo…tag:jobscompetitions.ning.com,2015-08-24:6507881:Comment:81032015-08-24T18:27:47.581Zchris macraehttp://jobscompetitions.ning.com/profile/s0neqm9lsoui
<h2>BRAC's Innovation Fund for Mobile Money</h2>
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<p><strong>Do you have a great idea on how BRAC can use mobile money? The 2nd challenge is happening now -<a href="http://innovation.brac.net/fundchallenge/">share your…</a></strong></p>
<h2>BRAC's Innovation Fund for Mobile Money</h2>
<div class="issuuembed issuu-isrendered" align="center"><div><div><span><a href="http://issuu.com/brac/docs/brac_innovation_fund_for_mobile_mon" target="_blank">Open publication</a> - Free <a href="http://issuu.com/" target="_blank">publishing</a></span></div>
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<p><strong>Do you have a great idea on how BRAC can use mobile money? The 2nd challenge is happening now -<a href="http://innovation.brac.net/fundchallenge/">share your idea</a> today!</strong> </p>
<p><em>Read <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/nicolefisher/2014/11/29/global-health-looks-to-brac-and-gates-foundation-for-mobile-money/">this blog</a> in Forbes about the Innovation Fund! </em></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph"><b><span>THE INNOVATION FUND FOR MOBILE MONEY</span></b></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph"><b><span>The BRAC Innovation Fund for Mobile Money aims to increase innovation in mobile money through seeding a diverse set of projects and preparing the organisation to adopt mobile money at scale. This project is a unique three-year partnership between the BRAC Social Innovation Lab and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.</span></b></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph"><span>We hope to enable the poor to better understand and access mobile money. We plan to develop <a href="http://blog.brac.net/tag/mobile-money/">new services and products</a> that mobile money makes possible. Finally, we hope to find opportunities to improve organisational efficiency.</span></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph"><span>Many organisations around the world are also working are these issues. While the potential for financial inclusion is promising, the pathway remains unclear, especially when thinking about how to empower millions. We want to learn as much as possible about mobile money use. Last year we <a href="http://www.ssireview.org/blog/entry/the_challenge_of_scaling_digitally">invited leading mobile money experts to participate in our Frugal Innovation Forum: Scaling Digitally</a>. We are capturing the lessons of our innovation fund projects and we plan to share what we have learned and assist others. </span></p>
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<p class="BasicParagraph"><span><b> </b></span></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph"><b><span>What we are doing</span></b></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph"><span>After winning our innovation challenge, the following seven ideas were selected and are being piloted.</span></p>
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<table cellspacing="0" border="1">
<tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="197"><p class="BasicParagraph"><span>Title</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="197"><p class="BasicParagraph"><span>Programmes</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="197"><p class="BasicParagraph"><span>Description</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="197"><p class="BasicParagraph"><span>(nearly) Cashless branch</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="197"><p class="BasicParagraph"><a href="http://idp.brac.net/"><span>Integrated Development Programme</span></a></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="197"><p class="BasicParagraph"><span> In a remote area, digitailising the majority of client and staff services, such as loan repayment and staff allowances</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="197"><p class="BasicParagraph"><span>Micro-insurance for borrowers and their families</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="197"><p class="BasicParagraph"><a href="http://microfinance.brac.net/"><span>Microfinance Programme</span></a></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="197"><p class="BasicParagraph"><span>When clients take out a new loan, they have the option to purchase insurance, such as credit shielding, through mobile money.</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="197"><p class="BasicParagraph"><span>Flexible school fee payments</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="197"><p class="BasicParagraph"><span><a href="http://www.bracu.ac.bd/news/using-bkash-pay-school-fees">Institute of Educational Development</a>, BRAC University</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="197"><p class="BasicParagraph"><span>Enabling low-income parents to pay school fees via mobile money on a flexible schedule.</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="197"><p class="BasicParagraph"><span>mSavings for adolescents</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="197"><p class="BasicParagraph"><a href="http://education.brac.net/"><span>Education Programme</span></a></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="197"><p class="BasicParagraph"><span>Increasing financial awareness and encouraging mobile-based savings habits among adolescents</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="197"><p class="BasicParagraph"><span>Mobile payments for community health workers</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="197"><p class="BasicParagraph"><a href="http://health.brac.net/"><span>Health, Nutrition and Population Programme</span></a></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="197"><p class="BasicParagraph"><span>Digitalising payments to grassroots workers who provide basic health services to their communities</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="197"><p class="BasicParagraph"><span>Post-disaster digital relief</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="197"><p class="BasicParagraph"><a href="http://decc.brac.net/"><span>Disaster, Environment and Climate Change Programme</span></a></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="197"><p class="BasicParagraph"><span>Using SMS-based vouchers to enable affected households to quickly access relief goods from local businesses, who BRAC reimburses via mobile money</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="197"><p class="BasicParagraph"><span>mRelief funds</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="197"><p class="BasicParagraph"><a href="http://decc.brac.net/"><span>Disaster, Environment and Climate Change Programme</span></a></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="197"><p class="BasicParagraph"><span>Establishing a mobile-money-based mechanism for local fundraising to quickly mobilise resources for disasters and other crises.</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p><span> </span></p>
<p></p>
<p> </p>
<p><i><span>The Innovation Fund for Mobile Money is supported from September 2013 to September 2016 by the <a href="http://www.gatesfoundation.org/">Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation</a>.</span></i></p> 7 ways BRAC will innovate wit…tag:jobscompetitions.ning.com,2015-08-24:6507881:Comment:80062015-08-24T18:25:40.777Zchris macraehttp://jobscompetitions.ning.com/profile/s0neqm9lsoui
<h2 class="posttitle"><a href="http://blog.brac.net/2014/06/7-ways-brac-will-innovate-with-mobile-money-this-year/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to 7 ways BRAC will innovate with mobile money this year">7 ways BRAC will innovate with mobile money this year</a></h2>
<p class="date">June 1, 2014 <em>by <a class="url fn" href="http://blog.brac.net/author/tasmia/" rel="author" title="Posts by Tasmia Rahman">Tasmia Rahman</a>, …</em></p>
<h2 class="posttitle"><a href="http://blog.brac.net/2014/06/7-ways-brac-will-innovate-with-mobile-money-this-year/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to 7 ways BRAC will innovate with mobile money this year">7 ways BRAC will innovate with mobile money this year</a></h2>
<p class="date">June 1, 2014 <em>by <a href="http://blog.brac.net/author/tasmia/" title="Posts by Tasmia Rahman" class="url fn" rel="author">Tasmia Rahman</a>, <a href="http://blog.brac.net/author/paroma/" title="Posts by Paroma Afsara Husain" class="url fn" rel="author">Paroma Afsara Husain</a>, <a href="http://blog.brac.net/author/amanda/" title="Posts by Amanda Misiti" class="url fn" rel="author">Amanda Misiti</a> and <a href="http://blog.brac.net/author/maria/" title="Posts by Maria A May" class="url fn" rel="author">Maria A May</a></em></p>
<div class="entry"><div class="pf-content"><p>We are excited to officially announce the winners of the <a href="http://innovation.brac.net/fundchallenge/about/">innovation fund for mobile money challenge</a>! These projects were selected from the 100 ideas that were submitted on the <a href="http://innovation.brac.net/fundchallenge/shortlist/">innovation fund challenge</a> web site, reviewed by external advisors, and finally decided on by an internal judging panel. These projects will be implemented over the course of the next year by BRAC in Bangladesh—so stay tuned for many more updates!</p>
<ol>
<li><b>(Nearly) cashless branch</b>: This pilot undertaken by the <a href="http://idp.brac.net/">integrated development programme</a> is a move towards creating cashless BRAC branches in the remote <i>char </i>areas (riverine islands created and destroyed by floods and erosion). Given the transportation challenges and limited access to financial services in these areas, mobile money will make it easier for both BRAC clients and staff.</li>
<li><b>Mobile micro-insurance</b>: Most of BRAC’s clients lack access to traditional forms of insurance. Through a joint collaboration, the <a href="http://microfinance.brac.net/">microfinance programme</a> and outsider partners will offer micro-insurance with low, flexible premiums using mobile technology to poor households. It will offer protection for incidents like accidents and illnesses.</li>
<li><b>Flexible school fee payments for secondary schools</b>: Paying school fees can be a challenge for low-income parents. To address this, the BRAC University <a href="http://www.bracu.ac.bd/academics/institutes-and-schools/ied">Institute of Educational Development</a> will introduce a flexible payment scheme using bKash at the SSCOPE low-cost secondary schools. Parents can pay without needing to come to the school premises each time.</li>
<li><b>Adolescent savings</b>: To encourage savings behaviour among adolescent girls and provide easy access to safe savings, the <a href="http://education.brac.net/">education programme</a> will work with their adolescent clubs to encourage the habit of mobile savings among its youth club members. Adoption of technology is higher among youth, so this can drive adoption and create a lifetime savings habit.<p></p>
<div id="attachment_4077" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://blog.brac.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/ifb-adp.jpg"><img class=" wp-image-4077" alt="ADP Club" src="http://blog.brac.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/ifb-adp.jpg" width="476" height="316"/></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Young women participate in a kishori or adolescent club. photo credit: BRAC/Shehzad Noorani</p>
</div>
</li>
<li><b>Mobile payments for community health workers</b>: This initiative by <a href="http://health.brac.net/">health, nutrition and population programme</a> will look to improve operational efficiency, transparency and security by integrating mobile money instead of cash to disburse honorariums and incentives to thousands of workers.</li>
<li><b>Relief vouchers for disaster victims</b>: When a disaster strikes, the most important thing is ensuring that the most vulnerable can access relief as soon as possible. To respond to this need, the <a href="http://decc.brac.net/">disaster, environment and climate change</a> programme will develop a mobile voucher system that enables clients to directly access goods from local businesses, who will be reimbursed via mobile money by BRAC.<p></p>
<div id="attachment_4080" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://blog.brac.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/ifb-disaster.jpg"><img class=" wp-image-4080" alt="Damages as the result of  tidal water and a landslide in the Bandarban area of Bangladesh. photo credit: BRAC" src="http://blog.brac.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/ifb-disaster.jpg" width="476" height="317"/></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Damages as the result of tidal water and a landslide in the Bandarban area of Bangladesh. photo credit: BRAC</p>
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</li>
<li><b>Mobile disaster relief funds</b>: For disasters like evictions, garment factory fires, and floods it is difficult to mobilise funds quickly, even though many would like to donate. The <a href="http://decc.brac.net/">disaster, environment and climate change</a> programme will set up a simple donation platform that enables them to send money via their mobile phones. This idea originated from a university student in Chittagong.</li>
</ol>
<p><i>All of the authors work with the BRAC social innovation lab.</i></p>
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<p><span>- See more at: <a href="http://blog.brac.net/2014/06/7-ways-brac-will-innovate-with-mobile-money-this-year/#sthash.wanqUueL.dpuf" target="_blank">http://blog.brac.net/2014/06/7-ways-brac-will-innovate-with-mobile-money-this-year/#sthash.wanqUueL.dpuf</a></span></p>