This archive report was first published on 17 May 2020.
As the world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, innovative solutions are emerging to combat its spread. In Kenya, an M-PESA agent from Mwea, Kirinyaga County has taken a unique approach to protecting customers from the virus by creating a wooden money sanitizer.
The device, which uses wood, plastic, a motor, a rubber band, and gears, sanitizes all cash that is brought in by customers and handed back to them as change or withdrawals. According to the agent, Wanjohi, the idea behind the invention was to protect people from the Coronavirus.
Wanjohi's invention has gained attention on Twitter, with many praising his creativity and initiative. However, not everyone is convinced that the device is effective, with some suggesting that sanitizing hands and wearing gloves is a more reliable way to stay protected.
When the first cases of Coronavirus appeared in Kenya, President Uhuru Kenyatta encouraged citizens to explore ways of deepening mobile-money usage to reduce the risk of spreading the virus through physical handling of cash. While this may be true for many Kenyans, it would prove difficult for M-PESA agents, who have to handle physical cash.
On May 14, 2020, the Daily Nation shared Wanjohi's invention on Twitter, and people in the comment section expressed their amazement and admiration for his creativity.
