Digital Payments Revolutionize Health Worker Compensation in Africa


Foundation: Gates Foundation

The World Health Organization has taken a big step toward eliminating cash payments for its health workers in Africa.

In a press release, the WHO says it has digitized payments for more than 2 million health workers in 24 countries, and that 80% of them prefer the option of receiving their wages via mobile phones instead of cash.

The organization says the move has saved time and money for organizers of immunization campaigns, as well as improved morale and worker retention.

The WHO's Digital Finance Team has been working with countries and partners to design and implement digital payment solutions in 24 countries, including last year in Benin, Botswana, Madagascar, Rwanda, Togo, and Zimbabwe.

"When you have 300 to 500 volunteers to pay, doing accounts and signing receipts takes a lot of time," says a polio team leader in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

"Now we can relax."

Surveys funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation found that workers appreciated the security of not carrying cash, the convenience of no longer having to travel to a disbursement site to receive their wages, and above all, the speed of payment: as short as half an hour after finishing work compared to weeks or even months.

Read the Entire Article


Selected Foundation News

A customized collection of news from foundations from around the Web.

Imaginations Helping Fuel Remodel of Region 4 Stem Center Library

A $100,000 STEM Innovation Lab will be built in the Region 5 STEM Center library at Lake Charles Boston Academy.The library will be transformed into an immersive and imaginative space for students...more

Kay County 4-H'Ers Learn to Apply Stem Concepts Through Creative Activities

Kay County 4-H members had a chance to delve into STEM ideas recently and came away with new ideas.STEM concepts are increasingly being seen in the education of younger generation, whether that be in...more

Music City Chopin's Piano Rainbow Initiative Gifts 10 Pianos to Nashville Schools

Piano Rainbow Initiative gifts 10 pianos to Nashville metro schools.The initiative is a sister project of Music City Chopin.The first five pianos were placed in schools in Napier Elementary, Robert...more

Wrexham Schoolchildren Ignite Their Creativity With Grant Funding Boost

Wrexham schoolchildren ignite their creativity with grant funding boost.Year 3 pupils at The Rofft Primary School in Marford have embarked on an imaginative journey by crafting their own...more

Training Course to Activate Creative Activities &Amp; "Al-Aqsa Flood" Courses in Hodeida

Wrexham schoolchildren ignite their creativity with grant funding boost.Year 3 pupils at The Rofft Primary School in Marford have embarked on an imaginative journey by crafting their own...more

Jennifer Griffith Archives

Colquitt EMC awards Bright Ideas Grants.Six teachers in Valdosta, Lowndes County and charter school teachers were recently awarded.Colquitt is a member-owned electric cooperative that provides...more

$22 Million in Wv Hope Scholarship Spent on Out of State Schools, Ipads, Dance Studios and More

West Virginia's broad education savings account program, the Hope Scholarship, permitted families to spend $22 million last school year.Lawmakers gave an additional $27 million to the program in May...more

Primary School Teachers to Be Trained in Creating Customised Assessments Using Digital Tools

Primary school teachers to be trained in creating customised assessments using digital tools.Digital assessments conducted via the TNSED (Tamil Nadu school education department) app provide detailed...more

Science Through Art: Local Artist Works With International Organization to Discuss Environment

Local scientist and artist working with ClimArts to explore nature challenges through art.The organization works to connect scientists and artists to describe environmental challenges or topics,...more

Usda Funds Local Food Waste Projects

Department of Agriculture is investing more than $7.5 million in 26 cooperative agreements that support innovative, scalable waste management plans.The Composting and Food Waste Reduction cooperative...more







Social Entrepreneurship
Spotlight



A Toast to Social Entrepreneurship


Chris Raine, an MBA student and Skoll Scholar at Saïd Business School, Oxford University who fundamentally believes in social entrepreneurship, founded an online community program called Hello Sunday Morning.




Federal Government Grant and Assistance Programs



Edited by: Michael Saunders

© 2008-2024 Copyright Michael Saunders