Safaricom has launched Bonga For Good, an initiative that will see customers use Bonga Points to pay for essential goods and services.
The campaign has been rolled out as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic which has resulted to reduced income to majority of Kenyans. Those affected can use the Bonga points that they have so far accumulated with the telco to pay for food and other essential items as well as services. One can also be able to donate their Bonga Points to those in need as a show of goodwill.
So, for the next 30 days, customers will be able to redeem 1 Bonga Point for Ksh. 30 cents, a 50% increase from the previous Ksh. 20 cents per point, at over 140,000 Lipa na M-PESA merchants countrywide. Merchants accepting Lipa Na Bonga will receive a cash equivalent of the points redeemed, making it a normal business transaction.
To redeem or transfer points, customers will dial *126#. Customers can redeem as little as Ksh. 1 via Lipa na Bonga at key merchants including Naivas Supermarket, Tuskys and Eastmatt. The Bonga loyalty scheme allows enrolled customers to accumulate a point for every KES 10 spent on services on the Safaricom network.
Peter Ndegwa, Safaricom CEO, had this to say, “We have seen Kenyans lose some or all of their income as result of this pandemic, making it difficult to meet their needs. This initiative seeks to empower Kenyans to use the points earned from using Safaricom products over the years to pay for their essentials or to donate them to the most vulnerable in the society.”