Mobile Money to Access Health Care Facilities

The M-PESA mobile money transfer system is used by the CCBRT Hospital in Tanzania to pay for the transport of women suffering from fistula, children with cleft palates and other disabilities. As a bus ride to the capital is unaffordable for many Tanzanians living in rural areas these people would not be able to access surgical health services without this transfer of charity money to organize transport. CCBRT works with 'ambassadors', often rural health workers, who inform the organization when they identify a woman with fistula. With money transferred via M-PESA, the ambassador buys a bus ticket for the woman and receives a small incentive fee.