Digicel Fiji and SPBD Microfinance Fiji, an established microfinance institution focused on empowering rural village women, announce a collaboration that will deliver SPBD's critical services to customers through the MyCash mobile money platform. The collaboration marks a significant step towards bridging the financial inclusion gap for hundreds of thousands of rural village women business owners across Fiji.

SPBD customers can benefit from Digicel Fiji's extensive network and the secure, convenient features of MyCash, helping to address the challenge of limited access to formal financial services in many remote areas of Fiji.

The core of the collaboration focuses on transforming how SPBD customers manage their microloans, as they will now be able to receive their microloans directly to their MyCash wallet, eliminating the inconvenience of needing to travel long distances to pick up that money. SPD customers will now be able to easily repay loans, transfer money, and manage finances using the MyCash app on their phone. In addition, Digicel Fiji and SPBD will provide digital training and support, enhancing the financial capability and technological expertise of SPBD's female entrepreneurs.

Digicel Fiji CEO, Farid Mohammed, said; “This collaboration is a strong reflection of Digicel Fiji's vision for empowering digital financial inclusion. MyCash and SPBD's prize-winning microfinance model are together delivering financial instruments into the hands of women who are anchors in their villages and owners of small businesses. It's not merely about transactions, it's about enabling growth and resilience in Fiji's most remote communities.”

SPBD Microfinance Founder and CEO, Gregory Casagrande, said; “Our goal is to empower Fijian women to establish, expand, and sustain their own small enterprises. Collaborating with Digicel Fiji and using the MyCash platform enables us to streamline our services to be more convenient and accessible to those in rural villages. This digital transition saves our members time and money, freeing them up to put more energy into their businesses and families. It's a game-changer for financial empowerment. In line with Micro-Merchant Enablement, Digicel Fiji is equipping SPBD members with QR Pay solutions, including co-branded collateral and stands, and waiving transaction fees. This initiative allows members to be formally recognised as micro-merchants and transact using their own QR codes, just like established grocery shops, further boosting their visibility and business potential.”

The collaboration goes beyond loan offerings, doubling down on both organisations' commitment to developing communities in the long term. Digicel Fiji's network enables SPBD to cover remote communities, broadening its reach to women previously difficult to reach. Initiatives launched include deploying MyCash QR Pay solutions and small vendor fee waivers, promoting SPBD members' digital payment acceptance in their expanding businesses.