Who hasn’t experienced this? You’re organizing a wedding, birthday party, or fundraising event. Contributions arrive in cash – bills in envelopes, oral promises never kept, amounts disputed after the fact. The financial nightmare of every African organizer.
In 2026, this problem has a simple solution: Mobile Money. With over 600 million active accounts in Africa, it has become the most natural, secure, and transparent way to manage event contributions.
This guide shows you exactly how to set up an effective collection system for your next event.
Why Cash Poses Problems at Events
Let’s be honest about the limitations of cash during an event:
- Security: Who keeps the money during the party? Who counts it? Who verifies it?
- Traceability: Impossible to know exactly who gave how much
- Thanks: How do you thank someone if you don’t know they contributed?
- Distance: Relatives abroad or in other cities can’t contribute
- Unfulfilled promises: “I’ll send it Monday” – we all know how that ends
- Disputes: “I gave 50,000, not 30,000!” – without proof, it’s word against word
Mobile Money solves each of these problems.
Mobile Money Operators in East Africa
MTN Mobile Money
- Presence: Rwanda, Uganda, DRC, Ghana, Cameroon, Ivory Coast
- Users: 60+ million active accounts
- Advantage: Largest network in East Africa
- USSD Code: *182# (Rwanda)
Airtel Money
- Presence: Rwanda, DRC, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania
- Users: 35+ million active accounts
- Advantage: Often lower transaction fees
- USSD Code: *182# (Rwanda)
Other operators
- M-Pesa: Dominant in Kenya and Tanzania
- Orange Money: Leader in francophone West Africa
- Tigo/MoMo: Present in Ghana and Tanzania
3 Methods to Collect via Mobile Money
Method 1: Personal Number (Basic)
How: Share your MTN/Airtel number and ask guests to send.
Advantages:
- Simple, everyone knows how to do it
- No setup cost
Disadvantages:
- You receive ALL transfers on your personal number
- No distinction between event contributions and personal money
- Tedious manual tracking
- Balance limit on your account
Verdict: Acceptable for a small family event (20-30 people). Not recommended beyond that.
Method 2: Merchant Account (Intermediate)
How: Open an MTN/Airtel merchant account dedicated to your event.
Advantages:
- Separation of personal money / event
- Clear transaction history
- Higher balance limits
Disadvantages:
- Opening procedure (2-5 days, documents required)
- No shareable contribution page
- No automatic thanks
- No tracking dashboard
Verdict: Good for medium events, but lots of manual management.
Method 3: SHEREHE Integrated Platform (Recommended)
How: Create your event on sherehe.io, activate the contribution page, share the link.
Advantages:
- Public contribution page with professional design
- Support for BOTH MTN Money AND Airtel Money
- Automatic WhatsApp thanks to each contributor
- Real-time dashboard with collection goal
- Complete history (who, how much, when, message)
- Data export for accounting
- Secured via PawaPay (certified banking API)
Disadvantages:
- Platform fees (small commission per transaction)
Verdict: The best option for any event with 50+ people.
How to Set Up Collection with SHEREHE
Step 1: Create your event
On sherehe.io or via Keza on WhatsApp, create your event with details (date, location, description).
Step 2: Activate contributions
In the event settings, activate the “Contribution Page”. Define:
- Collection goal: Target amount (e.g., 5,000,000 RWF)
- Minimum amount: Minimum amount per contribution (optional)
- Thank you message: Customize the automatic message
Step 3: Share the link
Share the contribution link in your invitation or separately:
- Via WhatsApp (individual or group)
- On social media
- By email
- Via printed QR Code (for physical invitations)
Step 4: Track in real time
On your SHEREHE dashboard, view:
- Total collected vs. goal
- Number of contributors
- Detailed list (name, amount, message, date/time)
- Progress charts
Security: What You Need to Know
The security of financial transactions is non-negotiable. Here’s how SHEREHE protects your money:
- PawaPay: SHEREHE uses PawaPay, a certified payment aggregator that integrates directly with official APIs of MTN, Airtel and other operators. No dubious intermediary.
- Encryption: All transactions are end-to-end encrypted (TLS 1.3)
- Instant confirmation: Each payment generates a confirmation with unique transaction ID
- No sensitive data storage: SHEREHE never stores your PIN codes or banking information
- Fast disbursement: Collected funds are transferred to your account within 24-48h
Tips to Maximize Contributions
- Communicate the goal: People give more when they see a progress bar and clear objective
- Share the link EARLY: Send the contribution link at the same time as the invitation, not after
- Thank publicly: With contributors’ consent, share thanks in the event’s WhatsApp group
- Show the impact: “Thanks to your contributions, we’ve booked the DJ!” – show what the money is for
- Facilitate small contributions: Don’t set the minimum amount too high. 5,000 RWF x 200 people = 1,000,000 RWF
- Follow up with latecomers: A gentle reminder at D-7 can generate 20-30% additional contributions
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Mobile Money fees charged to the contributor or organizer?
With SHEREHE, transaction fees are generally charged to the organizer (commission deducted from the collected amount). The contributor only pays their operator’s standard fees for the transfer. This is more welcoming and avoids friction.
Can we collect in foreign currencies for the diaspora?
Currently, SHEREHE collections are in local currency (RWF, CDF, etc.). For the diaspora, we recommend services like WorldRemit or Sendwave that allow direct sending to a local Mobile Money number.
What happens if a payment fails?
In case of failure (insufficient balance, network problem), the contributor receives a message with a link to try again. No amount is debited in case of failure. The organizer is notified of failed attempts for possible follow-up.
Can we set a mandatory contribution amount?
You can set a suggested minimum amount, but it’s not recommended to make it mandatory. Culturally, contribution is a voluntary gesture. Allowing freedom in the amount paradoxically generates more total contributions.
Collect Safely
Create your contribution page in 2 minutes. MTN Money, Airtel Money – everything is integrated.
