MERRY-GO-ROUND

The project is developing a mobile app called Merry-Go-Round which entails contributing funds, offering loans and financial educating to it's members.

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Inspiration

We were inspired by a big number of the unbanked/ underbanked people in the Mathare slums. After seeing the big number we decided to create a financial mobile app to help these people access banking services.

What it does

Merry-Go- Round offers saving, lending, communication platforms and financial education services to the users.

How we built it

We built it using existing platforms like M-pesa apps.

Challenges we ran into

We ran into challenges like lack of access to modern technology and smartphones, some people were not willing to be interviewed during our research making the process difficult and lack of data bundles during presentations.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Participating in the Hackathon program in the first time.

Creating our first app.

Developing financial education program through the app to empower the users.

All these milestones made us very proud because we are progressing towards something that could solve the problems of the Mathare slum's people.

What we learned

Throughout the development of this project we have learned a lot for example, through perseverance and determination you can make a progress in solving the problems of the poor and illiterate living in the slums. Along the way we learned about artificial intelligence technology and video conference meetings. We have also learned that having good relationship with the community helps in times of need for example we needed them during our research.

What's next for MERRY-GO-ROUND

We are looking for strategic partners and sponsors to help monetize the app or take it to market to help us use it. In future we hope to eventually reach a point where it will be marketable and we can start helping people everywhere.

Built With

  • apis
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