In developing nations, people connect using cell phones, but their cell phone plans are limited; they use individual minutes and must use them wisely. They “top up” their minutes every week, or when they can afford to, and also use those minutes as a form of currency by trading them for goods & services because they cannot access cash or use a credit or debit card. Unfortunately, not everyone has a bank or ATM on every corner. In many areas, credit cards don’t help because there’s no way to swipe them in a store; there’s also no Apple Pay on their watch, no Samsung Pay on their phones, and no Amazon deliveries coming, thanks to Alexa. Life is very different when you don’t have a bank or the systems we use every day. These folks have to manage their money and purchases differently, Including through the use of minutes on their phone.

We provide universal phone minutes through a technology called BitMinutes. BitMinutes can be used as pre-paid cellphone minutes or for value exchange. Instead of forcing users in developing nations to lock-up their limited capital in the form of pre-paid minutes, BitMinutes provides the ultimate option in liquidity. BitMinutes can be sent to other cellphone users to top-up their phones or used to pay for products and services, almost like a currency, but far more universal. It’s through these BitMinutes that Women for a Better World can reach and touch the lives of people in countries like Nigeria and Kenya. When our supporters give to our cause, they’re essentially buying BitMinutes that get distributed in the form of empowering contributions or microloans to benefactors in our target communities.