Danson Wanjohi an M-Pesa agent in Mwea, Kirinyaga County has wowed many with his ingenious innovation; a money-sanitising machine to help curb the spread of Covid-19.
A timely invention that if replicated could help Kenyans heed calls by the Ministry of Health to avoid cash transactions to avoid the risk of contracting the virus, in favour of electronic payment.
Wanjohi used wood, plastic, a motor, a rubber band and gears which enable the note to move in and out of the machine.
The sanitiser is placed on top of the equipment to trickle down to the rubber bands which then allows notes to pass and get sanitised.
This happens to all cash that is being brought by the customer and the money handed back to customers as change or as withdrawals.
"I took like two weeks to think about the concept, I was with my friend called Denis. Corona is not a joke and can wipe out people, even if here in Kirinyaga there is not a single case you never know where the customer got his cash.
"He could be on the shamba (farm) and the person who paid him is from Thika and you never know where the person who also paid him is from.
"We came up with the idea to create this machine so that we can protect people from this Coronavirus," explained the M-Pesa agent.
His current challenge is acquiring the requisite finances in his quest to roll out mass production.
"I plan to make others but for now the materials I was using are used up and I have to buy others like a switch for regulating speed is needed because there are customers who come with a lot of money and want to be served quickly.
"There is a rush especially when it gets to curfew time. We plan to make more for M-Pesa shops and markets.
"Money is one of the weakest links in curbing the spread of the virus because you have to use money and you never know where it is from. Getting Corona is free but catering for treatment is not free," stated Wanjohi.
It has not been smooth sailing for Wanjohi as he has lost some customers who were in a rush and wanted to bypass his system of sanitising money.
"There are some who come in a hurry and don't want to get their IDs and money sanitised and leave because they say I am slow. I urge them to move to another shop because I have to follow the rules of M-Pesa," narrated the shopkeeper.
Wanjohi, however, had some who encourage him by complimenting his genius idea and are patient when being served.
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