Every1Mobile (E1M) is a technology company that designs, builds, and runs digital social impact programs across emerging markets. It focuses on low income communities in sub-Saharan Africa and designs its solutions to be accessible to the poorest of people through the mobile devices they already have in their hands.
Since 2016, E1M has been funded by TRANSFORM, a public/private partnership between DFID and Unilever, to explore how its technology and expertise can modernise the informal retail sector, and improve access of bottom of the pyramid (BoP) consumers to quality products.
Its vouchering product operates in Kenya targeting FMCG informal retailers (branded “U Join”), and in Nigeria targeting informal medicine vendors (branded “NaijaCare”).
U Join has over 5,300 informal retailers in Nairobi’s slums and more than 30,000 BoP consumers. With an average household size of 4.4 in Kenya, U Join indirectly benefits 155,320 people. Consumers have redeemed over 430,000 vouchers, equating to $40,400 put back into the community.
NaijaCare has over 250 members across Lagos, with more than 10,000 consumers. The team started rolling out our vouchering product on NaijaCare in July 2020.
With 10% of the world’s population living in poverty, BoP consumers are in need of innovations that are designed to serve them. At E1M, the team believes technology solutions can solve these problems and equip informal retailers with the knowledge, market access, and financial support they need to support themselves and their communities.
E1M deploys the tried and tested human-centered design methodology to innovate. Collaborating with project stakeholders and leveraging existing networks, it engages end users to co-design solutions rooted in their realties. This approach was used to develop and launch the E1M vouchering product, which enables corporate partners to distribute discounted health products to low income consumers via informal retailers.
