M-Pesa now available in braille :: Kenya

Persons living with visual impairment and blindness can now access M-Pesa services independently through braille.

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This comes following a partnership between mobile service provider Safaricom and tech hardware firm DOT incorporation to provide braille functionality on M-Pesa.

The partnership will allow visually impaired users the ability to interact with M-Pesa messages independently in braille format and conduct financial transactions.

The DOT Braille Watch is a specialised smart gear that displays SMS notifications in braille enabling visually impaired users read messages they receive on their smart phones.

“We are committed to the empowerment of persons with disability by facilitating the availability and affordability of assistive devices and technologies in line with our mission to transform lives,” said Sitoyo Lopokoiyit, Safaricom’s chief officer of financial services.

“This partnership with DOT incorporation will make life easier for our visually impaired and blind customers through innovation.”

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This is the latest feature the company is introducing for physically impaired users after the company last year introduced the Interactive Voice Response (IVR), an M-PESA solution enabling users control M-Pesa transactions through speech.