Meet Mama Frida
Frida George has been cooking for her community for over a decade. Her small restaurant in Hai Malakal, Juba, is known for two things: delicious grilled fish and frustrating cash problems.
“Every day, the same problem,” Mama Frida says, wiping her hands on her apron. “Customers come with 1,000 SSP notes. I don’t have change. They leave. I lose money. They go hungry.”
For years, Mama Frida accepted this as normal. Cash shortages were just part of doing business in South Sudan. But six months ago, everything changed.
The Breaking Point
One Tuesday afternoon, Mama Frida had her worst day ever.
“I had five customers in one hour. All of them had large notes. I couldn’t break any of them. They all left. That was nearly 15,000 SSP in lost sales.”
That evening, her nephew, a university student, showed her something on his phone.
“Auntie, have you heard of Find & Pay?”
“I thought it was for rich people with smartphones,” she laughs now. “I didn’t know it was for people like me.”
The Decision to Change
Her nephew explained how Find & Pay worked:
- Customers pay with mobile money
- No change needed – ever
- The money goes directly to her mobile wallet
- She can withdraw cash at any agent or use the digital money to buy supplies
“I was scared at first,” Mama Frida admits. “I don’t understand technology. What if something goes wrong? What if I lose my money?”
But she had lost enough money to cash shortages. She decided to try.
The First Week
A Find & Pay agent came to her restaurant to help her set up.
“She showed me everything. How to see payments. How to check my balance. How to withdraw cash. She even gave me a small QR code to put on my wall.”
The first day, only two customers paid with mobile money.
The second day, five.
By the end of the first week, ten customers had used Find & Pay.
“I was surprised,” she says. “Young people especially. They said they prefer paying with their phones.”
The Transformation
After one month, Mama Frida noticed changes she hadn’t expected.
Change #1: No more lost sales
“I stopped turning customers away. Now when someone comes with a large note, I say, ‘You can pay with your phone.’ Most of them do.”
Change #2: Longer hours
“Before, I closed when I ran out of change – sometimes as early as 3 PM. Now I stay open until 8 PM. My evening sales are my best sales.”
Change #3: Easier record-keeping
“I used to write everything in a notebook. Now the app shows me every transaction. I know exactly how much I make each day.”
Change #4: More customers
“Word spread that I accept mobile money. People come from other neighborhoods because they know I won’t refuse them.”
The Numbers
Let’s look at the math.
Before Find & Pay:
- Daily sales: 25,000 – 35,000 SSP
- Lost sales due to cash shortages: 5,000 – 10,000 SSP per day
- Closing time: 3 PM – 4 PM
After Find & Pay (6 months):
- Daily sales: 45,000 – 60,000 SSP
- Lost sales: Almost zero
- Closing time: 8 PM
Increase: Over 60% more revenue
“I never imagined I could make this much,” Mama Frida says, smiling.
Challenges Along the Way
The transition wasn’t completely smooth.
“Some older customers didn’t trust mobile money. I had to explain it to them. Show them it works. Now even some of them use it.”
Occasionally, the mobile network is slow. “But that’s the same as cash. Sometimes you can’t find change. At least with mobile money, the problem is rare.”
Advice for Other Merchants
Mama Frida has clear advice for other business owners still using only cash:
“Just try it. You have nothing to lose. For the first month, accept both cash and mobile money. See what happens. I promise you will see the difference.”
She adds: “Don’t be afraid of technology. It’s easier than you think. And the Find & Pay team helped me every time I had a question.”
What Customers Say About Mama Frida’s
“I come here specifically because I can pay with my phone,” says James, a regular customer. “Other restaurants still have cash problems. Here, I know I’ll get my food.”
“My mother sends me mobile money and asks me to buy her fish from Mama Frida,” says another customer. “She trusts that the payment will work.”
The Ripple Effect
Mama Frida’s success has inspired other businesses in Hai Malakal.
“Three other shopkeepers on my street have joined Find & Pay,” she says. “We help each other. If a customer needs change, we tell them to pay digitally instead.”
The entire neighborhood is slowly becoming cashless.
What’s Next for Mama Frida
She has big plans.
“Next month, I’m adding breakfast service. And I want to hire a delivery person. People can order by phone and pay through Find & Pay. I will bring the food to them.”
She pauses, then laughs.
“Two years ago, I couldn’t imagine any of this. Now I’m thinking about opening a second location.”
Key Takeaways for Business Owners
- Cash shortages are costing you money – Every customer you turn away is lost revenue
- Mobile money is not complicated – Get help setting up, and you’ll learn quickly
- Customers want digital payments – Especially young people and professionals
- The investment is minimal – Just a phone and a mobile money account
- The results are real – Mama Frida increased sales by over 60%
How to Join Find & Pay as a Merchant
Ready to follow Mama Frida’s example?
- Sign up – Visit our website or call +211 92 205 4112
- Get set up – A Find & Pay agent will help you register (free for first 6 months)
- Display your QR code – We’ll provide a code for your wall or counter
- Start accepting payments – Customers pay with mobile money, you get the money instantly
Special offer: First 100 merchants to sign up this month get 0% transaction fees for 3 months.