Jane’s Story

Jane is a 50-year-old farmer from Uganda who lives with her family and grandchildren. She got her first phone, a basic model, in 2012, and upgraded to a smartphone thanks to a smartphone handout by a company in Uganda in 2020. However, she faced challenges right from the start, particularly with purchasing airtime. Whenever she encounters difficulties using her phone, she relies on her daughter for assistance.

Jane primarily uses mobile money to receive funds from her children but is hesitant to keep money in her mobile wallet. Her distrust stems from experiences of ongoing deductions and a friend's unfortunate loss due to a scam involving their mobile money account. As a result, Jane prefers to save her money in a box at home for emergencies, feeling this method offers her greater security.

“Yes I have my small wooden box back at home I keep throwing there a coin. So when I feel like I’m in an emergency and I need the money I go and break it then I use that money immediately” - Jane