USSD *134*3042#
Written by Shingai KotiNovember 30, 2021

Introducing paperless remitting for South Africa

USSD *134*3042#
*134*3042#

30.11.2021. The launch of a new USSD based remittance service for clients in South Africa by Access Forex could not be better timed.

Christmas time is when many Zimbabweans living in South Africa go home to spend time with their loved ones, usually returning to South Africa just after New Years to resume work and fend for their families. Following the detection of the Omicron variant, Ndumiso Chuma, like many other Zimbabweans is weighing up his options; “I work as a gardener in Wynberg, and my biggest fear is that if they decide to do a lockdown, I won’t be able to go back to Cape town and then what happens to my son’s school fees needed in January? I can’t risk it, better to stay.”

Using *134*3042#, it is now possible to send money to Zimbabwe from a cellphone. All you need is a South African line and network. The USSD uses zero data.

You can register, select beneficiaries, and initiate the transaction all without leaving your home or place of work. For those without bank accounts yet, the USSD allows them to complete the transaction by paying in the cash amount at any PEP, Shoprite, Game, USave, House & Home, Ackermans, Checkers, PicknPay, SPAR, Boxers or Makro. It makes remittance completely paperless and works with any type of handset. Effectively this means that you avoid queues and paperwork normally associated with cash pay-ins. The system will generate a code known as an SCode, and you simply proceed with this to any of the partner stores, submit the SCode to a teller there, together with the cash amount and your receiver gets their money in Zimbabwe, instantly.

To this end, the new channel of distribution will be launched today in a bid to make remittance products and services available and affordable to a larger number of Zimbabweans living anywhere in South Africa.

The head of sales & marketing for Access Forex, Shingai J. Koti, explained that the technological addition from the company is geared towards enhancing customers’ experience and ease of remittance transactions under the stable of Access Forex. She further added that the company will constantly look for ways in delighting its customers both in the diaspora and at home.

#omicron #PEP #Shoprite #Game, #USave, #House & Home, #Ackermans, #Checkers, #Pick nPay, #SPAR, #Boxers or #Makro #christmas #zimbabwe #diaspora #remittances

For more information call the Access Forex Call Centre +27678352591

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Written by TendaiNovember 23, 2021

Christmas On Access Forex

It’s a Mheee-rry Christmas with Access Forex

As far as Access Forex is concerned, this festive season is a G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All Time). This is a huge claim for a fluffy animal, but Access Forex has positioned this little 4-legged creature to “change the way we Christmas”.
Through an exciting new Campaign it has called “Mheee-rry Christmas”. Clients sending $30 or more with the well-known money transfer company stand a chance to win a live goat. While Access is encouraging winners to feast and have a braai, this promotion also presents a very clear opportunity for those with an entrepreneurial spirit.
“Many of our clients have families who depend on them not just for a Christmas feast but also the school fees and bills that follow in January, so this promotion means that if you plan your remittances well, your family will have a sustainable way of taking care of themselves and supplementing the hard-earned money sent from the diaspora”, said Access Forex Head of Sales & Marketing, Shingai Koti.

The demand for goat meat is increasing. People want to try a different type of meat other than beef, chicken or pork. Since goats eat a variety of foods, they are easy to keep and are very profitable. The feed costs for goats are also low. All you need to start a goat business is land, reliable source of clean water and good housing with proper ventilation. The local market for goats has grown considerable. One can supply goat meat goats to companies, individuals, hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, abattoirs and butcheries. As a country Zimbabwe is not yet producing enough goats that fully utilise the export market. Apart from the local market one can also export goats to other countries such as United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Angola and Kuwait.
The Access Forex promotion is running for clients in South Africa, Zimbabwe and the UK from the 15th of November 2021 to the 31st of December 2021 with winners announced weekly. The more one sends, the more chances of winning.
Whether you win one GOAT or several, Access Forex has you covered this festive season, and beyond.

Click here to view the Ts & Cs

Festive Season Promotion Terms & Conditions

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Access Forex UK
Written by Access ForexJune 9, 2021

Access Forex treats UK clients to a free breakfast to celebrate easier sending platform.

Access Forex UK
Access Forex treats UK clients to a free breakfast to celebrate easier sending platform.

As the UK gets ready to lift lockdown restrictions later this month, homegrown and run international money transfer company, Access Forex is preparing to deliver over 50,000 loaves of bread to the families of its large UK client base as it promotes usage of its easier new platform.

 

Starting this week, any new client who registers and sends money to Zimbabwe using the accessforex.com remittance platform will immediately receive 10 loaves of bread with the transaction. The company says the bread for breakfast will be delivered right to the doorstep of the receiver of the funds. Existing clients will receive free points worth up to £10 in the loyalty program that will be introduced at the same time.

 

This campaign will be run off an entirely new digital platform that the fintech launched this month. The new system is as close to zero KYC as any money transfer company has gotten with no need for an ID or address if you are sending £500 per transaction, £1,000 per month or £12,000 per annum. On most other money sending systems, remitters need to enter their information before making a transfer which leaves some sceptical about data protection. Access Forex says their new system is more secure and confidential information is only required when you are ready to make a transfer. You can calculate the rates and window-shop anonymously. “We are not worried about customers window-shopping and comparing prices because we are the cheapest and we actually encourage the comparison. Customers will see for themselves that when they add everything up, Access Forex offers the cheapest service to send money to Zimbabwe from the UK. You send more, for less”, explained Head of Sales & Marketing for Access Forex, Shingai Koti.

 

“Winter is traditionally also a very difficult time for many families in Zimbabwe and with this campaign we wanted to reward the people that look after their families from abroad” said Koti. “Some of our customers in the UK send money to supplement consumption and help with basic groceries. However, the UK lockdown has negatively affected income for many Zimbabweans working there, so we began to think about how we could help ease the burden of taking care of their families back home. The only way to ease the burden is to share it, so breakfast is on Access Forex this June,” explained Koti. 

Zimbabwe-focused money transfer firms have seen a boom despite predictions from the World Bank of a historic 20% drop to $445 billion in remittances to poorer countries this year due to the pandemic-induced economic slump worldwide.

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Written by Access AdminMarch 16, 2021

Zim remittances surge as women remitters lead the pack

53% of people sending money with us are women

ACCESS FOREX 

As formal remittances into Zimbabwe surged 58 percent in 2020 to a record $1 billion, data from a local think tank has unveiled that women remitters are leading the pack. 

According to a United Nations Women (UN Women) survey, analyzing the relationship between gender and remittances, migrant women workers have been leading the pack in sending money back home to loved ones.  

The research showed that while women tended to rely more on in-person cash transfer services in the past, the tide had turned with migrant workers now preferring formal channels for security. 

“The research found that, while women typically earn less than men and pay more in transfer fees, the average remittance amounts they send are the same as or even greater than those of men, implying that they tend to remit a larger portion of their earnings than do men,” the UN Women paper said. 

In Zimbabwe’s case, the survey also highlighted that the emergence of new players in the remittance play like Access Forex, Senditoo, and the traditional ones like World Remit and Mukuru had made it easier for women remitters to send money back home. 

Access Forex’s spokesperson Shingai Koti said the increase in trust by women was not alarming as the remittances firm, which services the United Kingdom and South Africa corridors, and others had put in place measures to stimulate remittances from the previously marginalized. 

“On our books, women make up 50 percent of the remitters and this is a huge step especially as we commemorate International Women’s Day. 

“It shows that emancipation and financial inclusion is finally reaching the previously marginalized and as a business, we continue to promote this through our wide distribution network around Zimbabwe also allowing women to send money locally,” Koti said. 

Koti said the trend was anticipated to surge further in the future on the back of sectorial liberalisation efforts by the central bank and the company’s efforts to promote financial inclusion. 

“In South Africa alone, 52 percent of our books is made up of women. This is a pattern we intend to maintain in the future as we grow as a business. We want to ensure that all our customers find a secure way to send money back home,” the Access Forex spokesperson said.  

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe’s diaspora remittances increased by 58 percent to US$1 billion last year surpassing US$635,7 million realised in 2019. 

In 2020, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe had projected that diaspora remittances would close the year at US$940 million. 

In his 2021 Monetary Policy Statement last month, RBZ Governor Dr John Mangudya attributed the improvement in Diaspora remittances to the liberalisation of the use of free funds in the country and improved channelling of remittances through formal channels. 

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Written by Access AdminOctober 25, 2020

Zimbabwe’s financially excluded find a home

Zimbabwe’s financially excluded find a home

Previously marginalized informal players in Zimbabwe are finally feeling a glimmer of hope at the prospect of financial inclusion.

Small to Medium Entrepreneurs (SMEs) have expressed optimism that the exclusion gap could soon become a thing of the past as Access Forex, a local remittances firm, has placed its hands-on deck playing its part in driving the financial inclusion agenda.

This drive is aimed at achieving the United Nations’ global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030, specifically SDG 8 and 10 which seek to promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth while reducing inequalities.

Financial exclusion has been dominant in third world countries as self-sustained entrepreneurs in the informal sector have faced challenges around finding robust financial solutions without exclusionary checklists.

To worsen the already existing problem, the global pandemic, Covid-19, has plunged the world into an economic crisis that, unfortunately, did not spare the informal market that has traditionally relied on informal channels to transact.

Worryingly, the global scourge was worsened by an extensive carnage on the job market bleeding economic and social spheres.

Being in the remittances business, Access Forex strives to identify with the struggles that were birthed by financial marginalization and has prioritized responding to the call to make the crisis lighter especially on hardworking migrants, local SMEs and the remittances beneficiaries.

Violet Mutemachani, a 42-year-old Mbare-based entrepreneur who operates from Siyaso Market could not hide her joy as she narrated how her business has found a home with Access Forex.

Mutemachani gets raw materials from suppliers in Mutare, a city 263 kilometers outside Zimbabwe’s capital, and uses the metal to make various essentials that range from baking tins, watering kettles, bathing basins and others.

“We have really struggled to send and receive money. Lately cash has been scarce, and, in some instances, we have been forced to send money with bus drivers. It was slow and involved a lot of risks,” Mutemachani said.

She also explained that informal channels of sending money were unpredictable.

“Sometimes the bus drivers would hike the sending fee when they got to the receiver and this was unsustainable for business. The other time a driver lied to me that the money had been lost and I lost my entire capital,” she said.

Bolden Mbeve Bizariero (29), who also operates from the same area as Mutemachani said the emergence of new players like Access Forex in the remittances play had significantly eased the burden of sending money across the country.

“Since I started using Access Forex, life for me has been simpler. The convenience that comes with knowing that I can send money instantly to my foreman in Bulawayo for him to receive the cash instantly has been unmatched,” Bizariero said.

Access Forex has a mandate to deliver solutions to Zimbabwe’s unbanked populace.

Already, the firm offers cash transfer services, a product driven by market demands.

Priority to serve has also been given to Zimbabweans living the Diaspora, especially those living in the United Kingdom and South Africa for them to send money back home at affordable rates.

Financial inclusion is indeed everyone’s responsibility and it is also complimenting the Government and United Nation’s efforts through sustainable development goals.

Research shows that countries pushing the financial inclusion agenda — which encompasses access to affordable, appropriate financial services — have achieved stronger GDP growth rates and lower income inequality.

For Access Forex, driving financial inclusion goes beyond the bottom line, its aim is to focus on ushering economic empowerment, equality, and access to financial products regardless of gender, social status, or race.

Authors: Mildret Kujinga, Ndakaziva Majaka

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Written by Access AdminSeptember 28, 2020

Access Forex Expands Domestic Footprint

HARARE, SEPTEMBER 21, 2020 – Remittances transfer firm, Access Forex, says it is looking at expanding its domestic remittances footprint to cover the whole country by year-end.
Mildred Kujinga Access Forex’s Business Development Manager said that the firm – which is already offering cross-border remittances for the Zimbabwe – South Africa corridor as well as the Zimbabwe – United Kingdom corridor – was moving to drive the central bank’s financial inclusion drive by targeting the financially marginalized.
“Access Forex has been aggressively growing the cross-border remittances targeting Zimbabweans in the Diaspora. We launched domestic remittances three months ago and have been expanding the domestic remittances market to take care of the receiver of the last mile,” she said.
Kujinga pointed out that this product was aimed at bringing seamless currency flow in the country in the wake of cash shortages.
“Through this product, Zimbabweans can send money to any part of Zimbabwe. This is not virtual money but hard cash that will find its way to the most remote parts of Zimbabwe bringing convenience to the country’s marginalized.
“We have deliberately partnered with players who will make it easy for Zimbabweans from all walks of life anywhere to access hard cash. We believe that this solution will save our customers the financial inconvenience of traveling to cities in search of cash,” Kujinga said.
Some of Access Forex’s partners include ProFeeds, Quest Financial, Jet Stores, MyCash and various others to make up a comprehensive network of convenience.
“We will have consistent service delivery at the lowest charges. Market response has generally been optimistic because clients from as far as the United Kingdom are now able to send money home to the very last leg.
“What drove us to launch this product is the fact that we discovered getting cash to remote parts of the country was a hustle as we were working on our ‘Feed a Million Campaign’ a programme where we are giving back to the community,” she said.
The Access Forex Business Development boss said the firm was looking at covering Zimbabwe’s 210 districts through strategic partnerships by close of 2020.

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Written by Access AdminSeptember 1, 2020

Access Forex Brings Zimbabweans in the UK and SA Closer to Home

Access Forex Brings Zimbabweans in the UK and SA Closer to Home

The Access Forex Remittance platform allows Zimbabweans abroad to send money home to loved ones seamlessly, quickly, and securely. Through Access Forex, recipients in Zimbabwe can collect funds sent conveniently, through a growing network of partners. Access Forex guarantees its customers payouts in USD cash, as well as a pleasant and smooth experience with excellent customer service and no queues.

Access Forex has 3 registered agents in Zimbabwe: MyCash Financial Services, Quest Financial Services, and Access Finance Bureau De Change. MyCash Financial Services is a payment service provider that also offers remittance services to customers. MyCash services are available at 47 TM PicknPay branches across Zimbabwe, collecting money sent from the UK or South Africa is swift and user-friendly.

Quest Financial Services was first licensed as an Authorised Dealer with Limited Authority (ADLA) in 2015. Since then, the company has become a force to be reckoned with in the Money Transfer sector. Quest Financial Services became an Access Forex portal agent in early 2020, and processes pay-outs for remittances coming to Zimbabwe from the United Kingdom and South Africa. Customers can collect money sent home by loved ones from Quest Financial Services branches in Harare and Bulawayo.

Through MyCash, Quest Financial Services, and Access Finance, Access Forex customers can collect their receipts from 30 branches across Zimbabwe: in Harare, Bulawayo, Victoria Falls, Gweru, Mutare, Masvingo, Plumtree, and Gwanda. Access Forex is currently rolling out operations in Chinhoyi, Mutoko, Kadoma, Ruwa, Marondera, and Norton as its footprint continues to grow and expand across the country. Through a fast and efficient digitized service, receivers are sent a pin to their mobile numbers when their loved ones abroad send money home. By visiting any Access Forex registered agent with the pin and their valid passport or National ID, receivers can collect their money with ease and convenience.

Access Forex shared its vision for its role in serving customers at home and abroad. “We are excited to have launched our home-grown solution in South Africa as well as the UK,” they stated. “Zimbabweans are best equipped to solve Zimbabwean problems and we are playing our part to equip and connect Zimbabweans at home and abroad.”

Remittances are growing in Zimbabwe and across Africa. Migrant workers across the globe make a fundamental contribution to their families and communities back home, helping the sustainable development of their countries. Many Zimbabweans have emigrated to South Africa and the UK, leaving their loved ones behind at home. Zimbabweans abroad regularly send money to contribute to the needs of loved ones at home, from school fees and medical bills to the building of homes. Remittances also go a long way in supporting rural communities, who are often marginalized. Access Forex connects families, and in so doing it supports the contributions of Zimbabweans abroad to the needs and development of communities across the nation.

About Access Forex
Access Forex, a 100% Zimbabwean-owned remittances business, brings Zimbabweans in the UK and South Africa closer to home. The business is licensed by the South African Reserve Bank and FCA in the UK as a money transfer operator for remittances into Zimbabwe from the UK and South Africa.

For more information email help@accessforex.com. Alternatively, reach the Access Forex Call Centre by phoning +263 8677 180 221, or Whatsapp +263 776 302 424.

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Written by Access AdminSeptember 1, 2020

Access Forex and African Basket Partnership Brings Zimbabweans Closer to Home

Access Forex has partnered with African Basket in Gauteng to bring Zimbabweans in South Africa closer to home. By partnering with African Basket, a Zimbabwean-owned retailer with 11 branches in Gauteng, Access Forex provides remittances to Zimbabweans. The Access Forex Remittance platform allows Zimbabweans abroad to send money home to loved ones seamlessly, quickly, and securely. The platform is accessible and makes sending money home more convenient than ever. Through Access Forex, recipients in Zimbabwe can collect funds sent conveniently, through local agents MyCash, Quest Financial Services, and Access Finance Registered Bureau De Change. Access Forex is now available at over 30 branches across Zimbabwe as it continues to grow its Access Forex guarantees its customers payouts in USD cash, as well as a pleasant and smooth experience with excellent customer service and no queues.

Within South Africa, the largest Zimbabwean population resides in Gauteng province. This makes African Basket particularly convenient to access, as well as the locations of their branches which are close to taxi ranks. Customers can send money home to Zimbabwe by visiting any of the 11 African Basket branches registering and depositing cash or swiping with their debit cards. Zimbabweans who reside outside of Gauteng province can visit the website www.accessforex..com and register on our self -service portal

Access Forex believes it has an important role in serving customers at home and abroad. “We are excited to have launched our home-grown solution in South Africa as well as the UK,” they stated. “Zimbabweans are best equipped to solve Zimbabwean problems and we are playing our part to equip and connect Zimbabweans at home and abroad.”

Remittances are growing in Zimbabwe and across Africa. Across the globe, migrant workers make a fundamental contribution to their families and communities back home by helping the sustainable development of their countries. Many Zimbabweans have emigrated to South Africa, leaving their loved ones behind at home. Zimbabweans abroad regularly send money to contribute to the needs of loved ones at home, from school fees and medical bills to the building of homes. Remittances also go a long way in supporting rural communities, who are often marginalized. Access Forex connects families, and in so doing it supports the contributions of Zimbabweans abroad to the needs and development of communities across the nation.

About Access Forex
Access Forex, a 100% Zimbabwean-owned remittances business, brings Zimbabweans in the UK and South Africa closer to home. The business is licensed by the South African Reserve Bank and FCA in the UK as a money transfer operator for remittances into Zimbabwe from the UK and South Africa.

For more information email help@accessforex.com. Alternatively, reach the Access Forex Call Centre by phoning +263 8677 180 221, or Whatsapp +263 776 302 424.

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Written by Access AdminJune 16, 2020

Celebrating Sending Money Home on International Day of Family Remittances

Every year on the 16th of June the International Day of Family Remittance is celebrated. The main objective of this day is to show the effect of remittance on families and their countries of origin.

What is Remittance?
This refers to money that is sent or transferred to another party. The term is derived from the word remit, which means to send back.
Remittance is not only limited to personal money but can also include business or service payments. One in seven people in the world is either sending or receiving money with an estimate of 800 million benefits from the remittance

How does Remittance Work?
Remittance services are usually used by migrants in need of a service that is focused on sending money with better exchange rates and implement the same security measures as traditional financial institutions. The sender usually goes to the office or use their online website or app to send money by filling their personal information and the beneficiary’s data. It usually takes minutes to complete.

Zimbabwe is one of the top five beneficiaries of remittances in Africa for the year 2019. Data provided by data.worldbank shows that in 2019 Zimbabwe received $1.8bn in remittance. Diaspora remittance aids the country in having much needed foreign currency for the importation of essential products and services while contributing to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

IFAD has stated that between 2015 and 2030 (the SDG timeframe), an estimated US$8.5 trillion will be sent by migrants back to their communities of origin in developing countries. Of that amount, more than US$2 billion will either be saved or invested. Zimbabweans abroad totaling over 3 million can aid in reducing poverty, hunger, and providing opportunities to quality education and economic growth.

How Zimbabweans are benefiting from remittance:
1. It allows the benefiting family to have access to better education, food, healthcare while improving their livelihood.
2. It improves our country’s per capita income and GDP
3. It provides peace of mind to the sender as they have knowledge of how the recipient is going to receive money and when.

It’s also important to note that in light of the global pandemic with more people not employed there is a slight decrease in money being sent home as the rate may not be as high pre-covid19. Remittances can be costly to send with the global average being seven percent of the amount sent and with that in mind as more and more families in Zimbabwe depend on remittance to survive we as Access Forex ensures that your loved ones can send money home at a favorable rate and paying out in USD cash guaranteed at all our registered agents in our growing network across the country

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