The President’s Malaria Initiative Africa Indoor Residual Spraying (PMI AIRS) Project promotes gender equality, improving women’s economic opportunities while protecting people from malaria through indoor residual spraying. In Zambia, the PMI AIRS Project recruits women for jobs traditionally done by men, such as a spray operator. To spray the homes, the project employs seasonal workers, many who lack the credit and cash needed to establish conventional bank accounts, limiting their ability to save and transfer money. In 2015, the PMI AIRS Project implemented a mobile banking system in Zambia for its seasonal workers, providing risk-free, safe and reliable payments. Mobile payments are helping to increase financial options and decision-making authority for workers, particularly women. With direct access to electronic funds, women now have more control over their money, allowing for independent financial planning, saving, and purchasing as the recipients can use the phones to manage their financial accounts including money deposits, transfers, and cash out.
