Status update — March 9, 2018

Following the November 2015 decision to consolidate Zoona's 2 accounts, Zoona Malawi has now repaid its outstanding balance on loans that were posted to Kiva prior to the consolidation. These funds have been distributed to lenders, so we are closing this partnership. Zoona is still operating in Malawi and you can find these loans posted through Zoona.

Status update — November 9, 2015:

In November 2015, Kiva consolidated Zoona's two accounts (Malawi and Zambia) into one account named Zoona International. Zoona is still operating in Malawi and you can find their loans posted through Zoona International.

Partner description:

Zoona helps people send and receive money when they need to most so that communities can thrive. Zoona also offers entrepreneurs an opportunity to build their own businesses and create wealth and employment by providing mobile payment solutions, financial services, business management tools and support. 

In Africa, people often rely on extended family networks and their communities to support themselves and their businesses because they are underserved and many safety nets are broken.

Zoona’s purpose is to help these communities prosper and to tap the potential in emerging entrepreneurs by providing them with a “Zoona-in-a-box” business solution. These entreprenuers make money and serve their communities as Zoona Agents.

The network of Zoona outlets in urban and rural areas enables unbanked and financially excluded individuals to transact in an easy, quick and safe manner with family, friends and other service providers.

A unique lending approach:

Kiva loans administered by Zoona will fund emerging entrepreneurs who operate as Zoona Agents to increase financial inclusion in Malawi. Borrowers will have enough credit to process mobile money transactions (such as money transfers and bill payments) for consumers and purchase stock (such as Coca-Cola) from their suppliers.
 
Additionally, the loans will help existing Zoona entrepreneurs open new outlets so they can serve even more communities.

Zoona’s business model has been recognized for the impact their business is having on girls and young women in Africa. Girls in Malawi are able to get jobs as Zoona tellers, become business owners as Zoona Agents, and develop into entrepreneurs as Zoona Aggregators.

In 2014, Zoona was selected by the Unreasonable Group and the Nike Foundation to take part in the Girl Effect Accelerator program.

Watch Mike Quinn (Zoona CEO) talk at the Girl Effect in San Francisco!