Tonde is a mother of three and a tradeswoman who sells various types of sweets to kids.
Tonde France Sibo has two daughters and a young son. They live with her partner Jean-Louis Gbaou in Yopougon commune, Wassakara, Côte d’Ivoire. She first heard of the digital credit product VitKash through a girl in her neighbourhood. She didn’t think much of it initially, until her son became ill.
“His teacher called me to tell me he was sick. I didn’t know what to do,” says Tonde. “I managed to find a doctor who would see him at no charge, but the examination revealed that my boy had anaemia and malaria.” Both diseases are dangerous but treatable with medication, however the prescription was more than Tonde could afford. She decided to go back to the neighbour who told her about VitKash.
“We dialled the required USSD number and just like that, I managed to qualify for a loan and to get medicine for my child. He got so much better so fast. Had it not been for access to credit that day, my child might not have survived,” she explains.
Today Tonde’s son is a healthy 7-year-old in the fourth grade. She was able to pay back the debt within one month and has not looked back. Tonde recommends mobile financial services as they are easy to use and accessible to everyone. Her advice is that once you’re eligible for a loan, you should ensure you pay it back as soon as possible so you and others can continue to benefit.
