Mpesa AND Western Union international money transfer services

Mpesa mobile money transfer service from Safaricom has partnered with Western Union to offer international money transfer service to Kenyans from over 45 countries. This service is currently available in 45 countries and transactions can be done by visiting a participating Western Union Agent. The most distinct feature from other normal cash to cash transfer services is that the sender specifies the recipient's mobile phone number at the time the funds are sent.

 Western Union is a well known international money transfer service provider having a presence in many countries world wide. Unlike normal Mpesa transactions, the person sending cash need not to have a mobile phone, however, he can specify his mobile phone number just in case something doesn't work out right. After sending cash, the sender is issued with a receipt and a text message from Western Union notifying him that money has been send.
Requirements;

·         Recipients in Kenya must have an Mpesa account to use this service or register within 21 days after receiving a text message regarding the transaction.
·         The sender is not required to have an Mpesa account to use this service.
·         The maximum amount that can be sent is approximately KShs.35,000. Other factors depend include the country the money is sent from. 
·         The sender will be charged a transaction fee depending on the country he is sending money from while the recipient will not be charged for this transaction.

After the transaction has been done, the recipient will receive a notification text message and the a mount can be withdrawn immediately from any Mpesa agent country wide. This service has been in used between UK and Kenya since 2009 and this development comes as an expansion to other territories however, it was launched in 2008 between Safaricom and Western Union.

Participating Countries;
NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS, AMERICAN SAMOA, MALAYSIA, HONG KONG, SINGAPORE, GREECE, SENEGAL, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, CAMEROON, JORDAN, YEMEN, COTE D’IVOIRE, MALI, BENIN, NETHERLANDS, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, UNITED KINGDOM, CANADA, SWITZERLAND, TANZANIA, ITALY, BURKINA FASO, UGANDA, ZAMBIA, KUWAIT, OMAN, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, PAKISTAN,  GUAM, NIGER, RUSSIA, BELGIUM, DENMARK, SAUDI ARABIA, SWEDEN, IRELAND, SPAIN, BOTSWANA, BAHRAIN, QATAR, RWANDA, FRANCE, LEBANON, NORWAY, FINLAND.