Sarah Bove Archives

Ermelinda Cumbe an agent at M-Pesa, Africa‘s most successful mobile money service and the region’s largest fintech platform. She also earns income through her own business, a grocery street stall where she sells basic necessities. TechnoServe is working with the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) to help entrepreneurs like Ermelinda find long-term success through a “market systems” approach: the Women in Business (WIN) project. TechnoServe worked with was MZ Nyeleti, a Mozambican start-up organization, which acts as a super-agent for M-Pesa. The start-up provides float to M-Pesa agents in a city located in southern Mozambique called Inhambane. Through MZ Nyeleti, Ermelinda began taking classes on business management and learned how the start-up could attract customers to her own business. She then joined a WhatsApp group with other women entrepreneurs, where they share motivation and entrepreneurial tips on how to manage their businesses.

When Opportunity Knocks: Three Keys for Creating Inclusive Growth through Sales-Agent Models

Sales agent models have the potential to improve access to goods and services while creating economic opportunity for women and youth. Drawing on work from Rwanda and Mozambique, TechnoServe’s Sophie Duchanoy and Sarah Bove share three key factors in making these approaches work.

Economic Development, Entrepreneurship, Women's Economic Empowerment, Youth Economic Opportunity

April 25, 2025

35% of beneficiaries in East Africa are women

Sowing the seeds of success

Sarah Bove

When Opportunity Knocks: Three Keys for Creating Inclusive Growth through Sales-Agent Models