Bill Gates wins Africa’s Financial Inclusion Medal Of Honor

Bill Gates Bestowed with Africa’s Financial Inclusion Medal Of Honor – at #DIAA2019 #IncludeEveryone. HiPipo, through its Include Everyone program has announced Bill Gates as the winner of the Digital Impact Awards Africa honor.

The award is given to an individual or organization that is has made exceptional contribution to Africa’s Digital space, by specifically taking lead in ensuring that there is provision of affordable, reliable and accessible financial services across the continent.

The GSM Association which is a trade body that represents the interests of mobile network operators worldwide issued a report in 2018 that mobile money is now available in 100 countries through over 300 services globally.

The number of verified mobile money accounts is reaching a total of half a billion globally with strong growth in Sub-Saharan Africa.

This fast-growing mobile money penetration that has greatly improved financial inclusion to the poorest of the poor is thanks to the tremendous work done by development partners that have invested time and money in research and delivery of sustainable financial solutions for the poor. Notable among such partners is the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The different researches and productions/live projects that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is supporting are mammoth contributions that demonstrate how different industries can innovate and positively transform life using mobile financial services.

It is against this background that Digital Impact Awards Africa appreciates this noble contribution and thus presents the “Africa’s Financial Inclusion Medal of Honor, 2019” to Bill Gates, the Co-chairman of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Bill Gates was also seconded with a Special Fiber Mosaic Art Piece.

Special Fiber Mosaic Art Piece is an original and unique piece with a patterned surface consisting of various simple patterns of quite collaborated color effects made with small pieces of banana fibre, plywood and glue.

The medal was crafted by Godfrey Kabaale Phipo who says that it took him 6,570 man hours to finish.

“This art piece is a patterned surface made with small pieces of banana fibre, stuck on plywood with art glue. This art piece took me 6,570 man hours to finish. It required a detailed and customized attention for any slight distraction would make me lose truck. This art piece will forever be a very special art piece to me because it has made me discover the potential I never imagined I had.”

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