Imagine walking for two hours on an island, being on a ferry for an hour and then queuing on the mainland to send or receive mobile money.
For many residents of Mfangano Island in Lake Victoria, this was their everyday life. Time was lost as simple transactions turned into a full-day errand to Mbita on the mainland.
Today, that struggle is a thing of the past, thanks to Ali Shariff, director of the first Safaricom franchise on the island, who brought essential mobile services closer to the people.
Ali was running his dealership from Sindo town in Homa Bay when he decided to venture into the island. “We felt that Mfangano was a little secluded, so there was a greater need to bring services closer to the people in terms of financial inclusion. That’s why we decided to establish this franchise here,” he explains.
Today, the shop offers a full suite of Safaricom services from selling devices and routers, providing customer care, registering new lines, assisting with line changes to supporting Lipa na M-PESA transactions.
The journey, however, was not without challenges.
Finding a strategic, permanent shop in Sena, the growing market headquarters of Mfangano, was difficult. “About 80 to 90 percent of the structures here are semi-permanent. It took us a long time to secure a suitable shop,” he notes.
Network strength posed another challenge.
“While Safaricom coverage reaches about 90 to 95 percent of the island, connectivity remains inconsistent. Sometimes you are on 4G, but the strength is weak it drops to 2G. It affects services, and occasionally we have to ask customers to wait while we resolve network issues,” Ali says.
Despite these hurdles, the shop opens its doors early at 7:30 a.m., ready for the first ferries that bring in residents and closes by 6 p.m. after a full day of ensuring that residents’ needs are met.
Ali’s franchise also supports more than 30 local agents, a number that is set to grow as awareness campaigns continue.
“We work with our agents to ensure penetration and accessibility of services. We also plan weekly outreach with our brand ambassadors to encourage businesses to adopt Lipa na M-PESA. It helps secure their income and reduces cash handling risks.”
For Ali, the most rewarding part of the job is seeing the human impact. “It’s very satisfying when an elderly person comes in and we assist them. Sometimes they bring us bananas or mangoes, saying, ‘We really appreciate this and now feel part of the Safaricom family.’ That shows financial inclusion is real and lives are being transformed,”
He emphasizes that running a dealership is about determination and commitment with ups and downs. Sometimes stock is lost. There are also theft cases. But dealing with real people and solving real problems keeps them going.
Looking ahead, Ali looks to enhance his capabilities.
“We want to ensure no one ever has to travel to Mbita for services. This is a one-stop shop for five islands under Mfangano, and we want residents to feel that Safaricom is truly closer to them,” he says.
