We are out to give you different ways in which you can send money to Kenya via Mpesa and it is easier than you think.
If you are a Kenyan citizen, you can receive money from more than 45 countries across the world using M-Pesa. That is right, using the M-Pesa international money transfer program; you can easily receive and send money to several countries using your M-Pesa line.
This is a program that has been there for quite a long time since 2011 but many people seem not to know of its existence. M-PESA International Money Transfer is one of the easiest and quickest money transfer programs you can get today. It takes a very short time for money sent to a recipient to get to them. Ideally, it takes a duration of less than 5 minutes which is the equivalent of sending an SMS.
There has been a partnership between Western Union and Safaricom that resulted in the global expansion of their international mobile money transfer service. The service was previously offered by Western Union and Safaricom between the UK and Kenya via 12,000 Western Union Agent locations and westernunion.co.uk.
The service allows people to send funds from more than 80,000 Western Union Agent locations in 45 countries and territories directly to Safaricom M-PESA subscribers in Kenya.
How does it work?
This service will allow anyone in 45 countries and territories to visit a participating Western Union Agent location and send money to an M-PESA mobile phone in Kenya. The transaction is similar to a traditional cash-to-cash money transfer, except the sender specifies the recipient’s mobile phone number at the time the funds are sent. Recipients in Kenya must subscribe to the M-PESA service through Safaricom to access the service.
Is it safe to send money to Kenya via M-PESA?
Money that’s transferred to family or friends in Kenya via M-PESA is stored safely in a ring-fenced account, also known as a trust account. This account is linked to the mobile phone of each customer. A central platform also securely tracks the value of an individual’s account. That means the money will still be in their M-PESA account even if the phone or SIM card is lost.
Does the sender have to have a mobile phone?
The sender does not have to have a mobile phone, but he or she will need to provide a contact number in case of an issue with the transaction. The sender will also be given a paper receipt from the Western Union Agent once the money is sent. If the sender provides a valid mobile phone number, Western Union will send him or her a text message to who the funds have been sent. This service is offered by Western Union and Safaricom.
Why use M-PESA to send money to Kenya?
Money is added instantly to M-PESA accounts once payment is approved.
Your recipients don’t have to carry large amounts of cash with them, which can be unsafe.
There is no need for your recipient to travel to a pickup location, they will have the money delivered right to their phone. It couldn’t be easier!
What are the benefits of M-PESA?
Sending money to Kenya via M-PESA is a low-cost, fast and safe way to pay, transfer, receive and store money. M-PESA works digitally and in real time. This means your friends or family members living, working or traveling in Kenya will receive the money quicker than a traditional bank transfer. Every transaction is also protected and signed with a PIN
There are also no service charges on an M-PESA account. Instead, the user pays on a pay-as-you-go basis every time they perform a transaction. There’s also no minimum amount that can be held in an M-PESA account. So it remains open even when it’s empty.
