News and Features
Smart to turn over 100 Nokia cellphones to Microventures for Hapinoy store owners
[September 27, 2007/ Manila] - Smart Communications, Inc. (SMART) continues to strengthen Smart-Microventures partnership for Hapinoy store owners by providing 100 units of Nokia cellphones to Microventures, Inc. to be used by Hapinoy store owners.
The Nokia units shall be on loan to Hapinoy store owners to enable them to immediately start offering e-Load services to the local community. The Hapinoy store owner should be able to purchase a personal cellphone with the profits from the store business after a couple of months. The borrowed cellphone unit shall be returned to Microventures, Inc., to be lent to another Hapinoy Store owner.
The Hapinoy store is Smart’s first microventure wth social business enterprise Microventures, Inc. involving multiple microfinancing institutions such as ASA, Kasagana-Ka and CARD. In addition to e-Load services, SMART is also presently working to enable the Hapinoy stores to serve Smart Money transactions, provide Public Calling Phones and set up Smart Bro Internet Kiosks.
The Hapinoy project aims to empower branded Hapinoy sari-sari stores owned and run by microentrepreneurs nationwide by directly linking sari-sari stores to partner product manufacturers, resulting in an increase in sales and profits.
Photo above shows Microventures chairman Rapa Lopa and managing director Mark Ruiz, and Smart head for Public Affairs Mon Isberto and senior manager for MFI Solutions Consulting Maybelle Santos with some of the Hapinoy store owners. For more information on Smart’s microfinance industry initiatives, you may email the Public Affairs Group. @
