Bleaglee
BWIF is an insurance-tech initiative tackling poverty, critical emergency health crisis and waste
How does it work?
Bleaglee Waste Health Insurance & Fund (BWHIF) is an insurance-tech initiative tackling poverty, critical emergency health crisis and waste in Cameroon by collecting recyclable waste from some of the country’s poorest people, giving them micro health insurance and health funds in exchange. The business model is based on collecting waste from poor people and then rewarding them with health funds per kilogram in exchange for their recyclable waste. These funds are then deposited into their micro-finance health savings accounts which are connected to a mobile money health account.
Why is it needed?
Very few smallholders have access to renewable equipment for solar drying, solar cooling, solar-powered cooking, solar water pumping and solar irrigation kits. The unreliability of local electricity supplies, the expense of conventional solar equipment, and the lack of technical expertise for the installation and maintenance all have led to the search for alternative solutions such as coal and diesel-powered equipment.
How does it improve life?
Bleaglee Waste Health Insurance & Fund (BWHIF) are classified as a social enterprise and are also focused on generating revenue by selling valuable waste to recycling companies or converting the waste collected into clean fuel for cooking, manure for small scale farmers and improved cooking stoves for households. This reduces waste while providing a health fund for low income people. Waste include plastics, metals, agricultural and biomass waste. With the health savings account, microfinance clients can also access savings and loans to meet lifesaving and emergency medical costs not currently covered by an existing pre-paid health program. Clients can go to the pharmacy and health care provider and use the mobile money health account round the clock without worrying about obtaining cash. The micro-finance savings accounts will allow clients to easily manage their health and financial assets simultaneously, thereby promoting increased use of health care services.