Transforming Lives Through Technology

The company’s journey through the years has always ensured it understood how its products and services serve its operating communities. Ensuring that the development of the community is linked to the growth and transformation of the company itself, Zain recognized how meaningful connectivity can address many societal challenges.

According to the Report titled ‘Universal Meaningful Digital Connectivity Targets 2030’ by the United Nations Office of the Secretary General’s Envoy of Technology and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) it states:

“To maximize its impact on society and the economy, digital connectivity must be universal and meaningful… “Universal connectivity” means connectivity for all. “Meaningful connectivity” is a level of connectivity that allows users to have a safe, satisfying, enriching and productive online experience at an affordable cost. The two dimensions are complementary: neither universal connectivity with poor quality nor meaningful connectivity for the few will yield significant, society-wide benefits.”

The company recognized the need to emphasize and drive the implementation of Meaningful Connectivity across its markets as it is essential for systemic change. To realize our ambition, Zain ensured that it is embedded in the mission of its 5-year Corporate Sustainability strategy.

By providing meaningful connectivity, the company is also providing access to human rights including access to connectivity which opens access to information, financial services, education and healthcare. The GSMA’s Connectivity for Good, focuses on areas on how access to connectivity a fundamental human is right whilst also providing access to other fundamental rights:

1. Financial Technology (Fintech)

Fintech, a combination of Financial Technology, is a newly popularized method of digital banking which many firms utilize to compete with traditional banks. Due to its lower entry barrier and ease of operations, many fintech companies can reach a wider range of consumers from around the world, including vulnerable populations that include lower-economic segments and rural communities. Resulting in, many previously isolated segments of society unable to open bank accounts or receive loans are now able to enjoy the benefits provided by fintech applications. The benefits include simply being able to download an application and apply for a microloan or send and receive payments at a much faster rate. In this effort fintech is successful in tackling financial exclusion, providing people access to financial services especially the most vulnerable.

Such new technologies reduce the transactions and services’ costs for both the consumers and providers, boosts the overall market efficiency, and improve financial access and inclusion as people who once had no access to financial services are now able to gain access remotely. This level of access improved the levels of advancements made towards poverty reduction and its associated issues. The benefits of this service helped improve the lives of many by making it possible to access fintech’s ability to provide microloans, especially to individuals in need of financial support. Examples of instances where vulnerable people benefit from such access includes providing farmers the necessary capital needed to grow their operations, or to foster educational opportunities to families who previously could not afford such basic essential services. Moreover, fintech helps promote gender equality and empower the youth by allowing individuals to have greater levels of control over their finances, strengthening their ability to become financially independent. In most instances women living in impoverished communities are more likely to operate in the informal sector, or to be employed in small or micro-businesses, as such most financial institutions will exclude them from many of the benefits that are provided by financial institutions such as loans or easy transaction processes. Fintech fills the gap by providing the necessary financial tools that many women require to become successful entrepreneurs. A study in Burkina Faso found that women who were able to gain access to the tools provided by fintech were more likely to venture into entrepreneurial roles as well as to become as successful as their male counterparts in running a small to medium sized business.

Fintech is uniquely placed to support the growth of previously financially excluded segments of society due to its ease of operations and wide reach. Previously unbanked individuals now enjoy the services and functions offered by traditional banking institutions. Zain Cash allows disadvantaged segments of society such as women, the youth, or individuals from rural communities to apply for loans or to send and receive cash when needed. Offering them the freedom and ability to operate independently and carve their own path moving forward.

Fintech’s growth across the MENA region, provides the company the opportunity to expand its services in four of its seven markets including Zain Cash in Iraq and Jordan and Tamam in Saudi Arabia and M-Gurush in South Sudan.

	Percentage of women using the service	Percentage of youths using the service (under 25 years of age)	Percentage customers living in rural areas using the service
Tamam KSA	23%	26%	44%
Zain Cash Iraq	16%	27%	N/A
Zain Cash Jordan	25%	23%	6%

2. Internet of Things

Access to connectivity enables online retail and advertising, cloud computing, social networking, and the Internet of Things (IoT), opening new opportunities for economies to thrive and adapt to people’s needs. IoT a term coined in 1999, is a network of interrelated devices that connect and exchange information and data with other devices online. Examples include sensors, wearables, smart factories, and waste management software.

The rapid advancement of IoT has resulted in a stark increase in products and services produced leading to growth in data collection, processing, and usability. The benefit of such advancements is bringing forth increases in access to information related to education, healthcare, agriculture, or food security. For education, smart classrooms and online learning have opened opportunities for ensuring education is provided including the monitoring of attendance. It also provides school administrators and teachers the opportunity to learn new skills and f teaching methodologies. IoT has also enabled vast benefits for the healthcare sector in the area of Remote Patient Monitoring, glucose, and heart rate monitoring, in addition to connected inhalers for patients dealing with asthma. Lastly, people with disabilities have also benefitted from IoT as it provides them with more independence and opportunities for social participation. Smart homes provide people with disabilities with the ability for customizable commands for switching on and off the lights or send for emergency if needed. Facial recognition technologies are another example that help people with disabilities to navigate spaces and conversations with others. Such technologies can help them identify and detect people or places through photographs.

Although IoT enables various opportunities to further advance the rights of people, it can also hinder them through privacy challenges. Transparency mechanisms such as notice, and consent can provide challenges to marginalized segments such as children and people with disabilities. In addition, facial recognition can pose challenges as other parties might not be aware of such devices especially if taken in private or sensitive spaces. Proper regulations and security measures must be put in place to ensure people’s right to privacy is protected.

3. Humanitarian Response

Humanitarian crises, natural disasters, armed conflicts, or other complex challenges such as famines or epidemics are inevitable occurrences that must be prepared for in order to provide the necessary aid needed by those suffering as a result. Such emergencies extend beyond the capacity of one single agency and pose great threats to basic human rights of the community impacted. The most vulnerable tend to be mostly affected and harmed.

Such complex catastrophes impact the rights of people from all aspects that include:

Right to Life and Security: Violence and Displacement

Right to Adequate Standard of Living: Food, Clean Water, Shelter and Healthcare

Right to Health: Increased mortality rates and Spread of diseases

Right to Education: Disruption of education systems, Denying children and adults access to education

Civil and Political Rights: Restriction to freedom of speech, Abuses from armed and security forces

In times of crisis, disaster response is instrumental in ensuring that people’s rights are upheld. In the context of rehabilitation and recovery, the reconstruction of essential infrastructure demands an inclusive approach and substantial financial commitment.

The GSMA’s Humanitarian Connectivity Charter highlights the mobile industry’s role for those affected by natural disasters and other humanitarian emergencies. Zain has been a signatory of its principles since 2016. Connectivity is considered a lifeline for those affected as it facilitates access to information in addition to coordinating assistance among NGOs, governments, and the international community. Case studies across different mobile operators include:

Zain: On August 23, 2014, an explosion resulted in major damage to one of Zain's core sites located In Iraq. The result was a complete outage of 850 network sites across six Iraqi provinces. Swiftly implementing contingency plans allowed the company to restore connectivity to three and a half provinces by the following day, with full-service restoration achieved within two days.
M-PESA: In partnership with the government and Safaricom, M-PESA provided 36,696 households affected by drought with KES3,000 to help avert food shortage. As this was happening during the COVID-19 pandemic, the facilitation of cashless transfers ensures individual’s safety and protection.
India’s Early Warning Systems: India is considered a high-risk country when it comes to cyclones with a total coastal area of 7,516 km and exposure to around 8 percent of the world’s tropical Due to its frequency, the country developed comprehensive national disaster plans that helped alleviate some of the damage caused to the affected populations. Telecom operators play a pivotal role in recovery plans and the support they provide vary from deploying portable base stations, scalability of sites to handle demand in spikes, and inter-operator roaming agreements.

Transforming Lives Through Technology