BUSINESS MODELS TO LEVERAGE THE DIASPORA TO EXPAND ENERGY ACCESS Webinar on occasion of the Global Diaspora Week 2015 October 14, 2015 Photo credit: Souradeep Ghosh, Arc Finance
AGENDA Introduction: Nicola Armacost, Arc Finance Presentation: Dominique Policard, Sogexpress Presentation: Segeni Ng ethe, MamaMikes Presentation: Mayukh Choudhury, Milaap Questions and Answers
ABOUT ARC FINANCE Ø Established in 2008, Arc Finance is a global non-profit that brings together practitioners, funders, pro-poor enterprises, and end-users to promote access to finance for clean energy and water. Ø Our expertise is in providing a neutral platform with the tools, technical services, catalytic investment, and linkages that allow these diverse groups to find common opportunity and achieve mutual benefits. Ø Arc operates globally and supports the creation or improvement of energy lending programs in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Ø The USAID-funded Renewable Energy Microfinance and Microenterprise Program (REMMP), implemented by Arc Finance, seeks to improve access to clean energy for underserved populations while mitigating climate-damaging emissions.
SOGEXPRESS: FINANCING SUSTAINABLE ENERGY IN HAITI USING REMITTANCES Photo credit: Arc Finance Dominique Policard Director, Commercial Affairs Sogexpress
CONTEXT Haiti (Pop. approx. 10M) Almost 82% of population have no access to electricity - lowest coverage in Western Hemisphere (before the earthquake) Receives about US$2 billion annually in remittances (about 26% of GDP) Over 1 million Haitians live in the US (40% in New York and 40% in Miami) Challenge: Arc Finance market research revealed that even before the 2010 earthquake, the ecosystem to deliver electricity in Haiti was under-developed with no functioning suppliers, distributors and financing mechanisms to channel clean energy devices to Haiti. Innovative Solution: To leverage remittance to finance the purchase of clean energy devices, using Sogexpress s existing and growing branch and agent network as the distribution mechanism.
ABOUT SOGEXPRESS Société Générale Haitienne de Transferts S.A. (Sogexpress) is the leading money transfer and payment service company in Haiti, with more than 30% of market share in Haiti. Ø Sogexpress started operations in October 2002 with the goal of offering diversified payment services through a national network that has high technology standards, efficient operations and competent personnel. Ø Sogexpress provides money transfer services as an authorized agent of Western Union. Sogexpress has become an important provider of phones, phone cards and electronic recharge (pap-padap) in Haiti. Ø Sogexpress has national coverage with 59 branch locations in Haiti, and also an extensive network of street agents. Ø Sogexpress began its solar initiative through a pilot program in April 2012.
SOGEXPRESS ENERGY SALES CHANNELS KlereAyiti.com In collaboration with Western Union Newest program: launched in July 2015 after successful pilot in 2012 Target clients: Haitians of the Diaspora Technology: QuickPay Payment Services Products: Sundaya T-Light Solar Home Systems Haiti Flagship Stores Products available in 59 flagship stores across Haiti Target clients: Haitian who regularly receive remittances and collect money at the store Technology: new MIS system to track inventory and client data and ensure warranty services Products: EKOTEK and d.light solar lamps Haiti Street Agents Network Sogexpress has a network of 1,000 street agents who regularly sell Digicel phone time Target clients: Haitians who do not have access to or have poor access to grid electricity Support provided by Sogexpress: consignment, training, loyalty program.
ENERGY BUSINESS MODEL: USING REMITTANCES AS A SOURCE OF END-USER FINANCING Haitian diaspora member places order on www.klereayiti.com Pay via QuickPay at Western Union Money sent via QuickPay to Western Union by family member living in the diaspora. Sogexpress receives notification of payment from WU along with receiver s information and delivers product. Receiver picks up product in one of the 59 Sogexpress flagship stores in Haiti. Sogexpress Delivers to family member in Haiti
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS AND IMPACT ü More than 60,000 products sold by Sogexpress as a result of the project as of September 30 th 2015 ü More than 300,000 people benefiting from the use of the products in Haiti (average 5 members per household) ü More than 600 agents enrolled as of Sept 30 th 2015 ü More than 10,000 products sold by street agents or during promotional events Huge awareness building efforts on the push and pull side with: ü More than 1 million remittance recipients reached via direct & indirect marketing efforts ü More than 300,000 remittance senders reached via direct & indirect marketing efforts
MAMAMIKES: E-COMMERCE FOR CLEAN ENERGY Click to enter Speaker / Topic Segeni Ng ethe Founder and CEO MamaMikes Photo credit: MamaMikes
CONTEXT Kenya (Pop. approx. 46m) Only 20% of the total population and 5% of the rural population have access to electricity (as of 2010) Received about US$1.5 billion in remittances in 2015 World leader in mobile payments: 80% of those with cell phones (75% of the population) use them for mobile payments through M-Pesa Challenge: Only 20% of Kenyans, and 5% of rural Kenyans, have access to electricity, and over 15,000 deaths are attributed to household air pollution from cooking in Kenya each year. Innovative Solution: To sell clean energy products through an e-commerce platform used by the Kenyan diaspora and urban Kenyans.
ABOUT MAMAMIKES MamaMikes is an e-commerce shop for the Kenyan diaspora. Kenyans living in the diaspora buy airtime, shopping vouchers, grocery products, cakes, electronics, flowers, baby gifts and more for delivery to their loved ones in Kenya. The diaspora who use MamaMikes are spread throughout the United States (70%), United Kingdom (15%), Australia, Germany, Canada and more (15%). MamaMikes started retailing clean energy products in November 2014.
MAMAMIKES E-COMMERCE PLATFORM Everything started with one impressive stove MamaMikes clean energy product sales started with the Jikokoa stove from Burn Manufacturing. Now, MamaMikes offers solar lamps, solar home systems, and cookstoves from three different manufacturers. All products can be purchased online through Mamamikes.com; MamaMikes customers are in contact with MamaMikes through the website, Facebook, Whatsapp, and by phone. Photo credit: MamaMikes
MAMAMIKES CUSTOMER PROFILES Customer groups have distinct purchasing patterns 1. Kenyan diaspora: purchase products online for family members in both rural and urban areas 2. Local customers in urban areas: local customers buy products over the phone or in person for their family members in rural areas 3. Entrepreneurs: purchase products in bulk for resale in Kenya and neighboring countries Photo credit: MamaMikes
MILAAP: CONNECTING THE DIASPORA TO CAUSES AT THE GRASSROOTS Mayukh Choudhury Co-founder Milaap Photo credit: Milaap
CONTEXT Over 300 million people still lack access to electricity, and over 140 million rural households depend on traditional biomass for cooking India (Pop. approx. 1.25 bn) Receives over US$70 billion in remittances annually, making it the world s largest remittance destination Challenge: The lack of financing mechanisms to make clean energy products affordable for low-income households is a barrier to access modern energy solutions. Innovative Solution: To bring in philanthropic capital, both from individuals and institutions, for on-lending to microfinance institutions to use in their clean energy lending programs.
THE ROLE OF MILAAP Create maximum impact of philanthropic capital Individuals, HNIs, Institutions Beneficiaries, organizations, causes www.milaap.org Accountable Credible partnerships at the grassroots Sustainable A loan to create sustained mechanisms Scalable Driven by stateof-the-art technology
PHILANTHROPIC CAPITAL TO CREATE IMPACT Options to the Diaspora to choose the cause they care for Help a family construct a sanitation facility Help a youth train for meaningful employment Help a family get access to water Help an entrepreneur build a microbusiness Help a family or community access clean energy Help parents pay for a child s education
THE MILAAP MODEL: ENGAGING INDIVIDUAL AND INSTITUTIONAL LENDERS Contributors give a loan to Milaap online or offline Milaap aggregates funds across the world Community organizations Micro-finance institutions, artisan cooperatives, social enterprises $ 109 Beneficiaries Households, young people, rural entrepreneurs Individual lenders across the world $ 104 Field Partn er $ 100 $ 100 Institutions foundations, family offices, corporate Field Partn er Raised: USD 6 M Field partners: 35 Lives impacted: 160,000
PRESENCE: MULTIPLE OPTIONS FOR THE DIASPORA Artisans of Kashmir Help artisans in Gujarat build businesses Help trafficked women establish their own businesses Only organization to exclusively finance water & sanitation Solar lanterns for families in eastern UP & Bihar Solar lanterns for families in Manipur First microenterprise lending in Mizoram Solar lanterns for families in West Bengal Education in Balangir, Orissa
PRODUCT OFFERING: TECHNOLOGY ENABLED PRODUCTS TO ADDRESS NEEDS Individuals Crowdfunding platform HNI / Foundations Impact investment Lend as little as USD 25 Choice of individual profiles of borrowers Easy: Create an impact from a mobile phone, in just a click Maximize impact of philanthropic funds Scalable platform can drive disruption Transparent detailed impact reports, real time monitoring
THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING! Questions? Want to get involved? Send us an email at info@arcfinance.org, and stay connected with us through our online channels: Arc Finance @arc_finance Arc Finance Ltd Arc Finance