MaishaPoa Mzalendo

The healthcare cost burden in Kenya is a pressing issue that contributes significantly to poverty and financial instability. According to recent data from FinAccess 2021, approximately 1.5 million Kenyans are pushed into extreme poverty each year due to health-related expenses. This alarming trend underscores the urgent need for accessible and affordable healthcare financing solutions to mitigate the economic hardships faced by vulnerable populations.

Access to affordable healthcare in Kenya and Africa at large remains a significant obstacle to financial freedom for many adults, leaving them vulnerable to economic shocks and at risk of permanent debt or even modern slavery. With only 20% of the population having health insurance, out-of-pocket healthcare payments are a common phenomenon in Kenya. This puts families without insurance at risk of significant financial devastation in the event of a sudden illness. The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) reports that health insurance uptake is highest among Kenyans aged 50 and above, highlighting the old age-related disease burden on households in the country. Uptake among the economically active population is also relatively low, with only 28.7% of those between 15-49 years having health coverage, according to the findings of the Kenya Demographic Health Survey (KDHS) 2022. 

The National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF), established by the government to provide affordable and accessible healthcare to all Kenyans, accounts for 84% of those who have health coverage. However, it is not enough for low-income Kenyans due to limited coverage, inadequate funding, administrative inefficiencies, and lack of public trust. NHIF only covers a limited range of services, leaving out critical healthcare services needed by low-income earners. Additionally, it relies on contributions from formal sector employees, leaving out the majority of Kenyans who work in the informal sector.

Kenya has 54 insurance companies in the industry with an annual gross written premium of about $2.2B, yet the penetration of insurance is pegged at less than 3%. This paints a grim picture for existing healthcare sector players as this translates to more than 42 million Kenyans paying for medical expenses out of pocket. These Traditional insurers have struggled to provide health insurance to low-income customers. The common myth with traditional insurers is that people won't subscribe to health insurance because it is too expensive and they cannot afford it. However, our previously conducted research with FSD Kenya revealed that affordability is not the biggest problem but trust is. To address this challenge, we utilize behavior science and human-centered design to provide sustainable healthcare financing for underserved communities in Kenya. Our goal is to offer affordable insurance solutions and close the growing gap of uninsured members of society by introducing innovative and workable solutions that enable as many people as possible to access quality healthcare without falling into financial distress

Our solution, Mzalendo, aims to address the issue of inaccessible insurance for vulnerable populations in Kenya and Africa by utilizing behavior science and human-centered design to develop micro-insurance products. We aim to provide affordable healthcare insurance coverage to over 20 million vulnerable Kenyans and more than 1 billion low-income individuals across Africa, bridging the gap of inadequate protection for those who need it most.

Mzalendo offers comprehensive outpatient and inpatient healthcare insurance, covering a wide range of benefits such as telemedicine, lab tests, chronic disease management, medication, expectant mother and newborn care, procedures, and maternity. The premium is set at an affordable $8.32 per family of up to four members per month, covering individuals up to 80 years of age, including the elderly who are often excluded from traditional insurance products.

To enhance accessibility to quality care, we partner with trusted low-cost private clinics strategically located within the communities where our target consumers reside and work. This reduces commute time and cost, which are significant barriers to access. Through partnerships with providers like Ilara Health & Sasa Doctor, we enable our clients to access over 2,000 clinics within the clinic network, ensuring access to first-level healthcare.

Our solution is underpinned by unique healthcare models aimed at controlling high outpatient claim costs and enabling lower premium charges. We also aim to address the rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases, such as cardio-metabolic diseases, which account for over 55% of hospital deaths in Kenya. These diseases have adverse effects on low-income countries, impacting economic productivity and draining family resources.

Moreover, our product takes a proactive approach to healthcare by including a comprehensive wellness program. This program guides members, especially those affected by chronic diseases, on acquiring knowledge, attitudes, skills, behavior, lifestyle management, and the commitment required for daily disease self-management. This is unlike most health insurers that limit or exclude coverage for chronic conditions to reduce the claims burden.

To achieve scalability, we plan to employ various sales approaches and distribution strategies validated through human-centered design. Gig workers will be targeted through their respective gig platforms on a B2B2C model, while informal traders and smallholder farmers will be reached through informal groups and aggregators. Additionally, our healthcare provider partner facilities will distribute and promote the product, ensuring widespread access.

Our solution, Mzalendo, utilizes an end-to-end tech-enabled platform supported by blockchain models to efficiently distribute and manage insurance products. This platform allows users to access and manage their coverage, make claims securely, and receive timely support. Additionally, it enables us to streamline administrative processes, optimize resource allocation, and tailor product offerings to user preferences. Overall, our solution ensures a seamless experience for both users and administrators while maintaining the integrity of our insurance products and processes.

In summary, our solution, Mzalendo, addresses the critical need for accessible healthcare insurance for vulnerable populations in Kenya and Africa. It comes at a crucial time as the healthcare sector continues to recover from the effects of the pandemic, providing much-needed access to affordable healthcare insurance.

Maisha Poa's mission is to transform healthcare accessibility and financing for vulnerable populations in Kenya and Africa, focusing on gig workers, smallholder farmers, and informal traders. These groups, often marginalized and overlooked by conventional insurance providers, face unique challenges in accessing quality healthcare services due to their precarious employment status, limited financial resources, and geographic remoteness.

Gig workers, who constitute a growing segment of the workforce, face significant barriers to accessing healthcare coverage. Many work in the informal sector, where employer-provided benefits such as health insurance are rare. Additionally, their irregular income streams make it challenging to afford individual insurance plans, leaving them vulnerable to financial hardship in the event of a medical emergency.

Similarly, smallholder farmers, despite their crucial role in sustaining food production and economic stability, often lack access to adequate healthcare. Their limited resources and remote locations make it difficult to access healthcare facilities, and they prioritize spending on essential farming inputs over health insurance premiums. As a result, they face considerable challenges in accessing timely medical care and managing chronic conditions.

Informal traders, operating in bustling marketplaces and urban centers, also confront obstacles in securing affordable healthcare coverage. Many operate without formal business registration, limiting their access to financial services and insurance products. Their irregular incomes and lack of awareness about available insurance options further exacerbate their vulnerability to healthcare-related financial risks.

To address these challenges, Maisha Poa developed Mzalendo, a comprehensive healthcare insurance product designed specifically for vulnerable populations. Through strategic partnerships with low-cost private clinics and innovative distribution channels, Mzalendo ensures that individuals and families have access to quality healthcare services at affordable rates. The product covers a wide range of benefits, including telemedicine consultations, chronic disease management, maternity care, and essential medications.

Furthermore, Maisha Poa adopts a human-centered design approach, actively involving its target population in the co-creation of solutions. By understanding their unique needs, preferences, and behaviors, the company tailors its insurance products to better serve their requirements. This customer-centric approach not only enhances the accessibility and affordability of healthcare coverage but also fosters trust and engagement within the community.

Through our innovative solutions and collaborative partnerships, Maisha Poa aims to empower vulnerable populations to lead healthier, more productive lives. By addressing the root causes of healthcare inequities and providing sustainable financing options, we seek to create lasting positive change for individuals and communities across Kenya and Africa.

We have a multidisciplinary, culturally sensitive team with individuals who are committed to improving the health outcomes of the indigenous communities in Kenya and Africa.

100% of our team comprises individuals who have firsthand experience of being part of underprivileged communities and have managed to overcome adversity. They possess a profound understanding of the healthcare needs of indigenous communities in Kenya and Africa.

Our team comprises experts in human-centered design approaches and user research who lead the co-creation process and design insurance products that are accessible, affordable, and responsive to the needs of the target population. These experts are highly skilled in qualitative research methods, data analysis, and prototyping and testing solutions.

In addition, we have a team of Actuaries and insurance experts who design and deliver affordable and sustainable insurance products that meet the unique needs of the target population. They are well-versed in the regulatory environment and have experience working with microfinance institutions and other financial service providers.

To ensure the effective delivery of the solution, we also have a team of Project Management and Community Management experts who oversee the implementation process. They are skilled in stakeholder management and have experience working with local communities, government agencies, and NGOs. With this multidisciplinary and culturally sensitive team, we are confident in our ability to design and deliver a solution that is meaningfully guided by the input, ideas, and agendas of the communities we serve.

Our organization recognizes the importance of engaging the communities we serve as active participants in the development of our healthcare solutions. We employ community health promoters as field representatives and train them to be health ambassadors, providing education to their peers about our healthcare product and encouraging uptake. This approach allows us to build trust and ownership of the solution within the community, increasing its chances of success. The team lead from our organization engages the field representatives of the target communities respectfully and inclusively, establishing open and transparent communication channels to facilitate regular check-ins and updates. We understand the importance of cultural sensitivity and tailor our engagement approach accordingly, taking into account the customs, traditions, and language barriers that may exist.

To understand the needs of the communities we serve, we employ behavioral science and human-centered design approaches, working closely with community representatives as co-creators of the solution. We begin by researching to understand the community's needs and challenges through assessments, interviews, focus groups, and surveys. With a better understanding of the community's needs, we engage them as active participants in the development of the solution through weekly co-creation sessions, brainstorming, and designing solutions that meet their needs. We also prototype and test solutions with the community, gathering feedback and refining the solution further. Through this collaborative process, we ensure that the design and implementation of our solution are meaningfully guided by the communities' input, ideas, and agendas, resulting in a healthcare solution that is accessible, affordable, and responsive to their needs

The selection of the growth stage for Maisha Poa is based on the significant achievements and milestones the company has reached in its journey to provide accessible healthcare solutions to low-income earners and marginalized communities.

We have successfully built and tested our flagship health insurance product, which offers comprehensive coverage to our target demographic. This includes services such as outpatient and inpatient care, telemedicine, chronic disease management, and maternity care. Through iterative processes and feedback from our customers, we have refined and optimized our product to ensure it meets their needs and preferences effectively.

To date, Maisha Poa has served over 10,000 families with our health insurance coverage, demonstrating the substantial reach and adoption of our solution within the target demographic. This achievement underscores our commitment to making quality healthcare accessible to those who need it most.

In addition to providing insurance coverage, we have also implemented proactive healthcare measures, including conducting over 10,000 successful wellness checks. This proactive approach ensures that our users receive preventive care and timely interventions to maintain their health and well-being.

Furthermore, our telehealth services have been instrumental in expanding access to healthcare, especially in remote or underserved areas. We have completed over 7,000 telehealth cases, enabling our users to consult with healthcare professionals remotely and receive timely medical advice and treatment.

One of the most significant outcomes of our efforts is the financial relief we have provided to our clients. Through our health insurance coverage, we have facilitated over $98,000 in out-of-pocket savings for our users, alleviating the financial burden associated with healthcare costs.

Overall, these accomplishments demonstrate the tangible impact Maisha Poa has had on improving access to quality healthcare and reducing financial barriers for low-income earners and marginalized communities. As we continue to grow and expand our reach, we remain committed to our mission of transforming healthcare accessibility in Kenya and beyond.

We are confident that our health insurance product, Mzalendo, is an excellent fit for the Financial Inclusion Challenge by Solve, which aims to tackle financial inclusion challenges for individuals, households, and small businesses through innovative solutions. Mzalendo is an ideal solution because it addresses the financial inclusion challenges that underprivileged communities in Kenya and Africa face. These communities are often excluded from traditional insurance schemes due to their financial constraints. Mzalendo's affordable premiums and tailored coverage make it an accessible and sustainable solution that empowers these communities to access quality healthcare without experiencing financial hardship. By participating in the Financial Inclusion Challenge, we are eager to collaborate with other like-minded organizations and individuals to bring Mzalendo to more people in need.

However, we have encountered several barriers when rolling out Mzalendo, and we seek support from Solve to overcome them. First, Solve can assist us in identifying and engaging with potential partners to expand market access and increase awareness of our insurance product.  

We also recognize the importance of technology and digital infrastructure in the success of our health insurance product, Mzalendo. However, many of our target communities face significant barriers to accessing and using digital tools and platforms due to limited internet connectivity, low access to mobile phones and computers, and a lack of familiarity with such technologies. To address this challenge, we believe that Solve can help us leverage its technical expertise to develop and implement digital solutions that are user-friendly and accessible for individuals in low-resource settings. This could involve creating mobile applications or web-based platforms that are optimized for use on low-cost devices and can function effectively even in areas with limited internet connectivity. With the support of Solve, we can ensure that our health insurance product is accessible to everyone, regardless of their digital literacy or resources.

Expanding the reach of our health insurance product Mzalendo is a top priority for us. However, to achieve this goal, we need to invest in marketing, distribution, and customer acquisition to increase awareness and uptake of the product. Unfortunately, these activities require significant financial resources that may not be readily available to us. To overcome this financial barrier, we believe that Solve can help by providing access to funding and investment opportunities through its extensive network of investors and partners. In addition, Solve can also connect us with potential investors who share our vision and mission and are willing to invest in our product. By leveraging Solve's network and resources, we can obtain the necessary funding to accelerate the rollout of Mzalendo to the millions of uninsured Kenyans and Africans. Moreover, Solve can provide mentorship and guidance on how to attract and secure funding, including best practices for pitching and presenting to investors, which can help us improve our fundraising efforts and make Mzalendo more accessible to those in need.

Mzalendo, our innovative health insurance product, is reshaping access to quality healthcare for underprivileged communities in Kenya and Africa. Unlike traditional insurance schemes, Mzalendo offers affordable premiums and tailored coverage, ensuring accessibility and sustainability for individuals often excluded from conventional insurance plans due to financial constraints.

Our approach is multifaceted and groundbreaking. Firstly, we strategically partner with affordable private clinics situated within communities where our target consumers reside and work. This strategy directly addresses the practical challenges of accessing healthcare in underserved areas, setting us apart from traditional insurers who often overlook these clinics.

Moreover, Mzalendo covers pre-existing conditions, a significant departure from conventional policies that typically exclude such conditions. This critical feature ensures equitable access to healthcare for individuals with existing medical conditions, removing financial barriers to treatment.

Additionally, our 24/7 call center and dedicated customer support team deliver seamless service, exceeding customer expectations and enhancing their overall experience. We utilize digitized case management systems to enhance patient care, reduce costs, and streamline operations, ultimately improving efficiency and the quality of care provided.

Furthermore, our telemedicine program facilitates remote medical consultations and drug delivery, offering significant time and cost savings associated with traditional hospital visits. By leveraging digital technology, we are transforming the insurance landscape, making it more accessible, convenient, and affordable for all.

Looking ahead, our impact goals for the next year include increasing our customer base to 100,000 through community marketing campaigns and strategic partnerships. We aim to enhance customer satisfaction by 15% and expand our coverage to more regions in Kenya by collaborating with additional clinics and hospitals.

These innovative strategies have enabled us to stand out in the market:

1. Human-Centered Design (HCD) Methodology: Our project embraces HCD, integrating customer-centricity into product and service design. By immersing in and empathizing with customers, we align desirability, feasibility, and viability to ensure successful solutions.
2. Technology: Technology plays a pivotal role in transforming insurance, offering opportunities to serve customers better, faster, and more comprehensively. We leverage technology to enhance and support the delivery of our solution to the public.
3. Capitation: Introducing a unique outpatient cover based on capitation transfers the risk of claims to medical service providers. This ensures adherence to high standards of care and reduces unnecessary medical procedures, making coverage more affordable.
4. Insurance Premium Financing (IPF): Recognizing financial constraints, we offer a solution that finances premiums upfront and allows payment in installments aligned with income patterns, making insurance more accessible.
5. Tele-Medicine: Telemedicine enables remote access to healthcare advice and follow-up, supporting access to care, patient education, and retention initiatives, contributing to improved healthcare outcomes and cost savings.
6. Wellness Management: Wellness programs promote early diagnosis and healthy lifestyles, reducing the cost of claims and keeping insurance affordable.
7. Patient and Clinician Education: Digital health tools and training standardize the patient journey and support patient education, transforming patients into active participants in their care.

Through these innovations, we are committed to transforming the insurance industry and improving access to quality healthcare across Africa.

MaishaPoa tackles the challenge of limited healthcare access for low-income populations through a multi-pronged approach. This theory of change outlines the organization's activities, how they translate into immediate outputs, short-term and medium-term outcomes, and ultimately, long-term impacts on individuals, families, and communities.

Activities

• Partnering with local clinics to ensure essential healthcare services are available where needed.
• Designing tailored insurance products that are affordable and comprehensive.
• Providing 24/7 customer support for timely assistance and guidance.
• Offering telemedicine services to overcome geographical barriers to healthcare access.

Immediate Outputs:

• Increased Access to Affordable Healthcare Insurance: Our partnerships with clinics and tailored insurance products lead to more individuals and families gaining access to affordable health coverage. This protects them from financial hardship in the event of medical emergencies.
• Improved Customer Support: Our 24/7 customer support services ensure that members receive prompt assistance and guidance, enhancing their overall experience with our healthcare insurance program.
• Convenient Access to Telemedicine Services: Through our telemedicine offerings, individuals can easily access medical consultations and advice from qualified healthcare professionals without the need for physical appointments, saving time and resources.

Short-Term Outcomes:

• Increased Enrollment in Healthcare Insurance: With improved access to affordable insurance products and supportive customer services, more individuals and families choose to enroll in MaishaPoa's health insurance program, expanding coverage among the target population.
• Enhanced Satisfaction with Healthcare Services: Members experience greater satisfaction with the quality and accessibility of healthcare services, leading to positive feedback and word-of-mouth referrals within their communities.
• Timely Medical Consultations and Treatments: The availability of telemedicine services ensures that individuals receive timely medical advice and treatments, reducing the likelihood of delays in healthcare provision and improving health outcomes.

Medium-Term Outcomes

• Reduced Financial Burden Due to Healthcare Expenses: With increased insurance coverage and access to affordable healthcare services, individuals and families experience reduced financial strain related to medical expenses, protecting them from falling into poverty due to healthcare costs.

• Prevention and Management of Health Conditions: Timely access to medical consultations and treatments facilitates early detection and management of health conditions, reducing the prevalence and severity of preventable diseases within the target population.
• Improved Overall Health Outcomes: With better access to healthcare services and preventive measures, individuals experience improved health outcomes, leading to fewer hospitalizations, lower mortality rates, and enhanced overall well-being.

Long-Term Outcomes:

• Socio-Economic Development: Improved health outcomes contribute to greater workforce productivity, reduced absenteeism, and increased economic stability within communities, fostering socio-economic development and prosperity.
• Poverty Reduction: By mitigating the financial burden of healthcare expenses and preventing catastrophic health expenditures, MaishaPoa's interventions help lift individuals and families out of poverty, breaking the cycle of poverty and improving livelihoods.
• Empowerment and Resilience: Access to affordable healthcare insurance and supportive services empowers individuals to take control of their health and well-being, building resilience against health-related shocks and enabling them to pursue opportunities for personal and economic growth.

Through a comprehensive approach, MaishaPoa demonstrates its potential to create positive and sustainable change for underprivileged populations.

At Maisha Poa, we are deeply committed to ensuring that our efforts make a tangible and positive impact on the lives of the communities we serve. To achieve this, we employ a rigorous system of monitoring and evaluation, tracking a variety of indicators that provide insights into different facets of our operations and their effects on our target population.

One of the primary indicators we monitor is the number of new customers we acquire through various channels such as marketing campaigns, referral programs, and partnerships. This allows us to assess the effectiveness of our outreach efforts and determine the extent to which we are reaching underserved communities. Additionally, we regularly conduct feedback surveys to measure customer satisfaction, enabling us to evaluate the quality of our services and identify areas for improvement.

A key focus of our work is to ensure that women in Kenya, who often face barriers to accessing quality healthcare, receive the support they need. Nearly 60% of the communities we have impacted are women, and we have achieved this by providing comprehensive care during pregnancy and the postnatal period. By ensuring that women receive proper treatment without struggles, we are making significant strides in improving maternal and child health outcomes.

Furthermore, we track the expansion of our network of healthcare providers and the geographical coverage of our insurance plans. This ensures that our members have access to quality healthcare services within their communities and that we are continuously expanding our reach to serve more people.

In addition to providing insurance coverage, we prioritize proactive healthcare measures, such as conducting over 10,000 successful wellness checks. These checks allow us to identify health issues early and provide timely interventions, ultimately leading to better health outcomes for our users.

Our telehealth services have also played a crucial role in expanding access to healthcare, especially in remote or underserved areas. With over 7,000 telehealth cases completed, our users can consult with healthcare professionals remotely and receive timely medical advice and treatment, overcoming geographical barriers to care.

Perhaps one of the most significant outcomes of our efforts is the financial relief we provide to our clients. Through our health insurance coverage, we have facilitated over $127,000 in out-of-pocket savings for our users, easing the financial burden associated with healthcare costs and improving their overall financial well-being.

By diligently tracking these indicators and evaluating our progress, we ensure that we are on track to achieving our impact goals and making a meaningful difference in the lives of our members and their communities. Through our unwavering commitment to excellence and innovation, we strive to continue improving access to quality healthcare for all.

At Maisha Poa, our core technology revolves around a comprehensive digital platform that integrates various modern tools to deliver innovative and accessible healthcare solutions to underprivileged communities. Here's a detailed overview of the technologies driving our solution and how they contribute to our mission:

1. Mobile Applications: Our mobile applications serve as a gateway for users to access our health insurance services conveniently. Through these apps, users can enroll in insurance plans, access policy information, schedule telemedicine consultations, and receive important health notifications.
2. Telemedicine: Leveraging telemedicine technology, we offer remote medical consultations to our members, overcoming geographical barriers to healthcare access. This enables individuals to consult with healthcare professionals from anywhere, saving time and costs associated with traditional hospital visits.
3. Data Analytics: Our platform incorporates robust data analytics capabilities to analyze healthcare trends, track user behavior, and identify areas for improvement. By mining data related to healthcare utilization and patient outcomes, we optimize our services to better meet the needs of our users.
4. Blockchain: We utilize blockchain technology to enhance the security and transparency of our insurance transactions. By recording policies and claims on a decentralized ledger, we ensure data integrity and reduce the risk of fraud or tampering.
5. Artificial Intelligence (AI): AI algorithms power various aspects of our platform, automating processes like claims processing and customer support. AI-driven chatbots assist users with inquiries and claims submissions, enhancing operational efficiency and user experience.
6. Cloud Computing: Our platform relies on cloud infrastructure to securely store and process vast amounts of healthcare data. Cloud technology enables scalability, accommodating growing user demand, and ensuring high availability of our services.
7. Internet of Things (IoT): IoT devices such as wearable fitness trackers and remote monitoring tools enable real-time health monitoring and disease management. These devices collect health data, allowing providers to intervene proactively when necessary.

By harnessing the power of these technologies, Maisha Poa is revolutionizing access to quality healthcare for underprivileged communities. Our digital platform facilitates seamless service delivery, personalized care, and proactive health management, ultimately empowering individuals to lead healthier and more fulfilling lives. Through continuous innovation and technology adoption, we remain committed to our mission of improving healthcare access and outcomes for all.

10 Full-time staff, 5 part-time consultants, 2 Interns, and 1 casual worker

Two and half years.

Maisha Poa has an established Diversity and Inclusion Committee that is dedicated to addressing diversity and inclusion issues within the organization. The committee is composed of members from various backgrounds and roles to ensure that diverse perspectives are represented. The committee's goal is to promote a culture of inclusivity within Maisha Poa by addressing any challenges related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. This includes developing and implementing policies and initiatives that ensure equal opportunities for all employees regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic. The committee also provides training and resources to employees to promote understanding and awareness of diversity and inclusion issues.

At Maisha Poa, we strive to promote gender balance and diversity across all levels of our organization, including our top leadership positions. We're proud to have a gender-balanced board of directors and executive team, with representation of both men and women. We are working with the LGBTQ community to develop a fund to manage their health risks that aren’t covered by traditional insurers. Additionally, one of our Directors identifies as a member of the LGBTQ community. We aim to create an environment where everyone is given an equal opportunity to succeed and contribute to the company's growth and development. We believe that incorporating a range of perspectives and experiences strengthens our organization, making us better equipped to serve our clients and communities. Our gender-balanced leadership sets an example for the insurance industry, showing our dedication to advancing gender equality in the workplace.

Maisha Poa has implemented policies that support female employees, including providing 5 months of maternity leave and allowing half-day work for up to 3 months after the initial 5 months of maternity leave. These policies aim to reduce stress levels for women who are managing multiple responsibilities, such as caring for children or elderly relatives while also working. By providing these benefits, Maisha Poa is able to attract and retain talented female employees and contribute to a more gender-balanced workforce.

Maisha Poa is committed to offering equal employment opportunities to all candidates regardless of their gender, race, age, religion, or any other characteristic protected by law. To achieve this, the company has put in place policies and practices that ensure fairness and equality in the recruitment, selection, and promotion of employees. During the recruitment process, Maisha Poa uses job-related criteria such as education, experience, and skills to evaluate candidates. Maisha Poa also provides equal opportunities for training and development to all employees, regardless of their background or experience. The company encourages employees to take advantage of training programs to enhance their skills and knowledge, which can help them advance in their careers.

In addition, Maisha Poa has established a zero-tolerance policy for any form of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation. This policy applies to all employees, including managers and executives, and emphasizes the importance of creating a workplace that is free from any form of discrimination. We foster a Safe and Inclusive Work Environment where all employees feel respected and valued

Maisha Poa is an Insurtech startup that is revolutionizing access, quality, and financing of affordable insurance for middle and low-income workers. As a healthcare tech startup, we partner with insurance companies to provide innovative technology solutions that enhance the insurance industry's efficiency, accessibility, and affordability. Like traditional brokerage companies, Maisha Poa works with insurers to offer a range of insurance products and services to their clients. However, Maisha Poa distinguishes itself by leveraging digital technologies to streamline the insurance process, making it faster, more transparent, and more cost-effective. By partnering with insurers, Maisha Poa aims to provide better insurance coverage to populations that may have been underserved or excluded from the insurance market, helping to improve their financial security and well-being.

Our business model centers around providing better insurance coverage to populations that may have been underserved or excluded from the insurance market, improving their financial security and well-being. We partner with healthcare providers to offer our clients access to quality healthcare services at affordable prices. Our range of health insurance plans is tailored to the specific needs of our clients, including individuals, families, and small businesses. We use digital technologies, such as mobile applications and cloud-based systems, to enhance communication with our clients and healthcare providers, as well as to automate routine tasks, such as claims processing and underwriting.

In terms of revenue, Maisha Poa earns through 3 main channels; Commissions from insurance companies, revenue share from our service providers e.g. Telemedicine, and Consulting fees from organizations looking to learn from us.

Our focus on digital technologies and data analytics enables us to operate more efficiently and effectively than traditional brokerage companies, resulting in higher margins. Our personalized insurance products and negotiation for better rates also attract and retain clients, leading to long-term revenue growth.

Our business model also leverages technology to streamline operations and improve the customer experience. We use digital technologies, such as mobile applications and cloud-based systems, to enhance communication with our clients and healthcare providers, as well as to automate routine tasks, such as claims processing and underwriting. This allows us to provide faster and more efficient service to our clients while reducing costs and improving our bottom line.

Becoming financially sustainable is crucial for our mission to increase the insurance penetration rate in Kenya to 50%, especially among underprivileged communities that have been neglected by traditional insurers.

Our plan to achieve financial sustainability is focused on expanding our customer base by targeting new segments and geographic regions, such as partnering with other businesses to offer insurance to their employees and launching new insurance products to meet diverse customer needs.

Further, we are currently exploring opportunities to increase revenues, such as offering value-added services or upselling additional insurance products to existing customers, negotiating better rates with insurance partners, and streamlining our commission structure to maximize revenue. We also plan to diversify our revenue streams beyond traditional insurance brokerage commissions, including offering consulting services to insurance companies and partnering with other businesses to offer insurance-related services. Currently, our proprietary insurance product, Mzalendo, allows us to earn more commissions than traditional brokerage companies.

To optimize our operations and improve efficiency, we plan to automate more processes, consolidate services, and renegotiate contracts with vendors to reduce costs. We also aim to improve customer retention by offering personalized insurance products and services, excellent customer service, and leveraging data analytics to better understand customer needs and preferences.

Share some examples of how your plan to achieve financial sustainability has been successful so far.

As a company, we have been able to establish a growing customer base that is already generating revenue for us. Our sales team is consistently working towards bringing in new revenue streams to support our operations. In addition to this, we have been fortunate enough to secure two grants from Financial Sector Deepening Kenya (FSD-K) and the Swiss Capacity Building Fund (SCBF), which have been instrumental in sustaining our operations up to this point.

Looking toward the future, we are actively engaging with investors and development organizations to explore opportunities for additional funding. This will enable us to continue expanding our operations and improving our services, ultimately leading to even greater revenue generation and sustainability.