NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Digital payments solutions provider Kanoo has included social assistance payments into its offering, with over 3,000 beneficiaries currently receiving assistance via its platform.
Kimani Braithwaite, chief operating officer of Kanoo noted that individuals receiving social assistance payments can no do so more discreetly and efficiently.
“The benefits are multi-fold. You don’t have to stand in line any longer. This levels the playing field as it removes the stigma of being a recipient of government assistance. Persons no longer have to use their entire assistance. In other words, persons would have received a piece of paper, exhausted what was given and it’s over with. With Kanoo you can now use a portion of your assistance in various locations,” said Braithwaite.
Jaimie Humes, a case aide in the Department of Social Services, said: “The Department of Social Services has begun to engage in digital services. We have engaged digital wallet providers to handle our services…such as rent or food assistance at this time. By transitioning it has allowed for our clients to not have to deal with paper coupons or have to come into our offices to collect their cards or even prepaid cards.
“We are now engaging Kanoo into our food pay program and allows them the ability to use the digital gift card at any one of the selected merchants,” said Humes.
“One of the opportunities this provides for our clients is it continues to provide dignity. Clients can come into a store, shop, and when they get to the cashier use the phone to show the digital gift card. No one can say this is a recipient of social services assistance. No one attaches a stigma to them.”
According to Humes, the response to the offering has been overwhelming. She noted that there are currently 3,000 social assistance beneficiaries on the Kanoo app, a number she said is likely to increase significantly in the coming months.
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