Tag: Co-op Bank

Is your child running out of pocket money? Worry not, Co-op’s got you covered

Posted on by Ozymandias

School has started and in alot of areas in Kenya, it is raining cats and dogs. That means that a lot of kids have been eating more than ever as they struggle to consume enough calories to keep them warm.

Don’t think so? Well, think back to when you were in school. And for us this season of cold weather coincided with term two. And one of the things that always happened in the second term is that we would always eat more grub than usual.

I remember that this was the term I struggled with my allowance the most. It was cold and I was always hungry and to add on to that, the second term was when most of the school functions in the calendar year fell into.

So not only was I hungry but I had a date or two planned. And my allowance always took a beating. And if you know your child is like I was back then, then you know this school term, you will have to top up the allowance you have given them.

So how can you ensure your child is comfortable enough to focus on school? Co-op Bank has got you covered. You can conveniently deposit your kids allowance or pocket money on a Co-opPay prepaid card.

And the benefit of this is that you can also start training them on how to responsibly handle their money. Not only do you get the convenience of the entire system but through the Co-opPay prepaid card, they will have all the power that comes with having money at hand but also learn how to be responsible with their expenditure. Say you decide to deposit a weekly allowance, they have to learn how to manage that amount and you can get to see just how well this is handled.

I hear you asking how this would actually work. Well,

  • Your child will be able to pay for items at their school canteens at No Extra cost.
  • You can keep track of your child’s spending by getting a Mini statement of the card at a Co-op Kwa Jirani agent or via SMS alerts
  • You no longer need to travel all the way to the school to hand over money to your child, you can simply load the card at any Co-op Kwa Jirani agent..
  • Your children are also able to withdraw money using the card from any Co-op ATMs or Co-op Kwa Jirani agents outside school.
  • You don’t need an account with Co-op bank to enjoy the benefits of the card
  • No extra charges will be incurred in transactions using the card.

See? You get to kill two birds with one stone. Find out more about the Co-opPay prepaid card here.

Co-op Bank helps you teach your children the most important lesson

Posted on by Ozymandias

How to manage money is one of those lessons you think school should teach your children but the teachers believe parents should handle that lesson. That is something we don’t talk about often but it is one of the most important lessons we can impart to our children.

You see, when your child is in school, a lot of the emphasis is on academics. They study hard so they can sit for exams and all their energies are focused on scoring well enough to land a great high school, a great degree course in university and then get a great job.

But what they don’t get to learn is real-life skills such as how to do their taxes or how to manage their money. And the latter is an important lesson that impacts how they will live their lives in future. You see, while the kids are young, you can teach them how to have a healthy relationship with money.

One way you can do that is by putting their allowance or pocket money on a Co-opPay prepaid card. That way, they will have all the power that comes with having money at hand but also learn how to be responsible with their expenditure.

How that works is you deposit an amount, perhaps their pocket money for the first half of the school term if they are in boarding school, or you deposit their weekly allowance if they are in day school and you have a conversation with them to instruct them on how long the money is meant to last, you can teach them how to budget and track expenditure.

These are the sort of lessons that ensure they also begin to understand that actions have consequences as the money they have is expected to last for as long as they can make it last and once it runs out, it is done until you load the card back up with cash.

And I hear you asking how this would actually work. Well,

  • Your child will be able to pay for items at their school canteens at No Extra cost.
  • You can keep track of your child’s spending by getting a Mini statement of the card at a Co-op Kwa Jirani agent or via SMS alerts
  • You no longer need to travel all the way to the school to hand over money to your child, you can simply load the card at any Co-op Kwa Jirani agent..
  • Your children are also able to withdraw money using the card from any Co-op ATMs or Co-op Kwa Jirani agents outside school.
  • You don’t need an account with Co-op bank to enjoy the benefits of the card
  • No extra charges will be incurred in transactions using the card.

Wazee hukumbuka: Remebering the most exciting day of school

Posted on by Ozymandias

When you think back to your high school days, which days stood up as the most exciting? Most would think straight to closing day but for me one day sticks up above all others and that was the first day of school.

School used to close for about a month back when I was in high school. During those holidays, I would get up to a lot of adventures and having fun with my family and neighbourhood friends.

We would play video games (PS4 had just landed in Kenya) and I would try as much as possible to catch the latest movies and when I would be reporting back to school, I would be excited to compare notes with my bestfriends.

I hadn’t seen them for so long so we would spend all of our free time catching up. Who had had the most awesome holiday? Who had caught the latest series or movies? Who had heard the latest songs? Who had learnt the most sheng?

And it’s the little things like those that I lived for. But the older I became, the more appreciative I became of the fact that all of this was made possible through the sacrifice and planning of my parents.

You see, my parents would plan ahead of time for me to be able to go shopping for the stationary I would need that term. That included school books, math sets and pens. And then there was the question of school fees.

And now Co-op Bank has come through with an excellent plan for how you too can plan for your child’s return to school now that the April holiday has drawn to a close. You too can plan to ensure you give your child the best start to the school term.

And with the current situation, making sure you get school fees through on time could very well be a challenge but Co-op Bank has come up with a solution that allows you to not only make school fees payments conveniently but safely too and in a timely fashion via MCo-opCash.

Click on this link to find out more.

Here’s a great way to survive today’s tough economic realities

Posted on by Ozymandias

We are currently living in tough, unprecedented times. Alot of people have lost their jobs while others who ran businesses have seen their businesses go under due to the shrinking of the Kenyan economy.

But as the saying goes, when the going gets tough, the tough get going. And there is one idea for a business that makes sense during these times when transportation needs to be both safe and reliable: getting a cab.

You see, the reality of our society that we have a real need for vehicles. There are no ambulances and cabs have had to fill that slot. The weather has gone from sunny down to rainy as we get into Kenya’s rainy season. And add to this the fact that public transport has been thrown into a tailspin as the 8 PM curfew is means matatus have to stop operating pretty early so the crew too can get home.

Nopw more than ever, the demand for cab services has shot up and you can get in on this opportunity to earn some extra money. How? Well, Co-op bank has teamed up with World Navi to help you bring in awesome cars that fit the billing and requirements.

The amazing thing about this deal from Co-op Bank is that one doesn’t need to be a client, even non-Co-op Bank customers can benefit from the deal. You have to check out the offer as it offers up to 80% asset financing, in a drive dubbed Shika Dinga na Co-op!

What do you get when you Shika Dinga na Co-op?

  • 80% asset financing.
  • Access to high-end vehicles.
  • 100% safe & reliable vehicle importation to your doorstep.
  • 3 months warranty on engine & transmission.
  • A privilege of choosing from a wide choice of cars from various source countries.
  • All cars come with accident-free and genuine mileage certificates.
  • No risk of stolen parts or non-performance.

 

To learn more of this deal and options available, click here.

One can alternatively visit the nearest Co-op Bank branch and speak to customer care agents.

IFC partners with Co-op Bank and Phillips to help African Healthcare providers access essential medical equipment

Posted on by Kibaki Muthamia

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, today launched a partnership with Philips and Co-op Bank to help smaller businesses in Africa’s health sector purchase essential medical equipment and strengthen their response to COVID-19.

The partnerships are the first under the IFC-led Africa Medical Equipment Facility, designed to provide risk-sharing facilities to help small businesses access up to $300 million in loans and leases.

A local dispensary in rural Kilifi, Kenyan coast (file image)

Through the facility, IFC is partnering with medical equipment manufacturers and local financial institutions to support healthcare providers in East & Central Africa.

The loan size to smaller healthcare providers -which serve more than half of Africa’s population, including low-income patients – is expected to range from $5,000 to $2 million, to help them lease or purchase equipment.

Currently, most smaller healthcare operators in Africa cannot secure bank loans due to their perceived high investment risks, meaning they can’t afford medical equipment, renovations, or to recruit qualified personnel.

“Many smaller healthcare businesses in Africa don’t have the equipment they need to respond to COVID-19 and deliver other vital services,” said Makhtar Diop, IFC’s Managing Director.

“Unlocking access to finance can save lives now and will, in the long term, strengthen healthcare systems across the continent.”

Supported by the International Development Association Private Sector Window (IDA-PSW) Blended Finance Facility and the Global Financing Facility for Women, Children and Adolescents (GFF), the facility falls under IFC’s Global Health Platform, which was launched to help developing countries fight the coronavirus pandemic and increase their healthcare systems’ resilience.

“Lack of access to affordable quality healthcare is one of the most pressing issues of our time,” said Winfried Jansen, Health Systems Leader, Philips Africa.

“Philips aims to contribute substantially to improving healthcare in Africa through innovative solutions that are tailored to local needs. Many clinics on the continent would like to invest in new medical technology but find it difficult to obtain the necessary finance. Together with Philips Capital and through this partnership with IFC we are enabling healthcare facilities to make quality healthcare available to a large group of people.”

IFC expects to expand the Africa Medical Equipment Facility to more countries and invites interested financial institutions and equipment manufacturers to contact IFC to explore partnerships

How I found out having a car is no longer a luxury but a necessity

Posted on by Ozymandias

You don’t really realize what a car can mean until you’re in dire need of one. I got to find out exactly what this truly means just the other day. It is actually like feeling more than knowing the old adage about not knowing the value of something until it’s gone.

Mine is a story very similar to a lot of others these days of Corona. I got a call at 3:30 AM in the morning. It was from my brother. Apparently, my father had been taken seriously ill and he needed to be rushed to hospital.

Now, of all the days when a mechanic could let you down, my father’s trusted mech had picked the previous day to delay in releasing the car which we had given him for a routine service. And with the curfew set up as it is, we couldn’t run the risk of attempting to pick it up so we agreed to claim it the following day.

And so there I was at the witching hour, my father in dire need of transportation to a hospital, his car at the garage and I have no car. My brother and I agreed that he would try to rouse the neighbours and see who would be willing to help. I advised him to call rather than WhatsApp the estate group because of the urgency.

On my end, I attempted to search for an available cab using one of these digital apps. There were none in my vicinity. I decided that rather than panic, I might aswell grab a quick shower and then check when I am done. In my haste, I forgot to switch on the heater so the cold water rushed down my body and caused my system to surge with a bolt of energy. I was truly awake.

I got out of my five-minute shower and attempted to search for a cab to no avail. I called my brother and he had managed to reach one of our neighbours who had rushed to our aid and they were currently en route to a hospital. I informed him of my situation and let him know that I was doing everything within my power to get to the agreed-upon hospital.

Panic had begun to set in and I decided to try my luck at the matatu stage. The reason I did not wake up my neighbours is that I had just moved into a newly built apartment and I was the first tenant. And without thinking, I set one foot ahead of the other until I made it to the stage.

To my shock, I found a solitary matatu. I thanked my God and hailed it, rushing inside. But if you have ever entered the first matatu ikifungua kazi, then you know they aren’t in much of a hurry as they attempt to get as many passengers as they can. And every minute felt like an hour to me.

 

Despite the agonizing wait, I patiently waited until we were on the way. My phone kept going off and I kept talking to my brother who appraised me on the situation as it unfolded. Fortunately, my father had suffered a heart attack and it was not another Covid case. Turns out the nosy driver had been eavesdropping on the conversation and when he heard I was in a rush to get to hospital, he struck a conversation with me asking me to pay for the empty seats and they would get me to the hospital.

I do not know how the heavens work but on this day, God’s machinations were such that I happened to see an ad that spoke to my very being. It was a Co-op Bank ad that promised 80% financing for a vehicle. I happen to bank at Co-op Bank but given the rush, I quickly threw this coincidence to the back of my mind and rushed in to the hospital after paying the matatu to find out what my father’s situation was.

Fortunately, it was stable. And it was only while I was narrating my morning odyssey to my brother that the ad I had previously seen flashed back in my mind. I knew what the next few days would entail for me. And you too can apply to buy a car. All you have to do for a flexible financial plan with Co-op Bank:

And lest we forget, one doesn’t need to be a client, even non-Co-op Bank customers can benefit from the deal.

The bank has partnered with World Navi to assist their clients to import vehicles safely, with up to 80% asset financing, in a drive dubbed Shika Dinga na Co-op!

What do you get when you Shika Dinga na Co-op?

  • 80% asset financing.
  • Access to high-end vehicles.
  • 100% safe & reliable vehicle importation to your doorstep.
  • 3 months warranty on engine & transmission.
  • A privilege of choosing from a wide choice of cars from various source countries.
  • All cars come with accident-free and genuine mileage certificates.
  • No risk of stolen parts or non-performance.

To learn more of this deal and options available, click here.

One can alternatively visit the nearest Co-op Bank branch and speak to customer care agents.