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    Categories: Guides

How to Top-up Credit in Kenya From Diaspora

One of the challenges of Kenyan business innovators in the 21st century has been to look for ways to connect Kenyan diaspora communities to opportunities in the country. This includes the sending of instant mobile phone airtime top up.

Whether on special occasions such a birthdays or festivities such as the Easter holiday, Kenyans in the diaspora like every other family member or friend are always looking for ways to send money, gifts or even packages to their loved ones in Kenya.

Recently, techpreneurs are taking advantage of the niche to develop platforms that allow people in the diaspora to send mobile phone airtime straight to the receivers phone within a few minutes. It doesn’t come cheap though since you will probably spend 10% more to send that airtime.

Here’s a list of websites that you can send mobile phone airtime by Safaricom, Airtel, Orange and Yu Mobile from the diaspora.

TelephoneKenya.com

In association with mobile operators in Kenya, TelephoneKenya by KeepCalling, a US Telecom provider supports recharge services for Safaricom, Airtel, Yu and Orange numbers with support for payment through Visa and Mastercard, Discover and Paypal. All you have to do is enter the recharge detail, make the payment and the amount will be sent to the chosen number. You will likely spend 6.15 USD (Kes 530) for a top amount of Kes 400. Other product offerings include telecom services such as voice credit, mobile recharge and virtual numbers.

Airpesa.com

A product by popular e-commerce website MamaMikes LLC, Air Pesa allows you to send airtime to any Safaricom, Airtel and Orange number in Kenya. A user can pay using Visa and Mastercard as well as Paypal. The unique thing about this service is that you can customize a message that will be sent to the recipient when the airtime is delivered. Air Pesa will also copy the recharge voucher to your email for reference. For a recharge of Kes 500, you will probably spend 7.76 USD (Kes 670). According to their website, the service is made possible by Tandaa Grant.

Topup.com

TopUp.com, a division of UniversalCalling Inc offer the similar top up services supporting all Kenyan mobile networks. You will likely spend 5.57USD (Kes 480) for a top amount of Kes 400 while a top amount of Kes 600 will cost you 8.35 USD (Kes 725). Like AirPesa, TopUp.com has the option of adding a custom SMS message. The service supports all debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, Diners Club International, BC Card, Union Pay, JCB, and Dinacard but use of paypal is not possible.

From topping up mobiles to sending money directly to mobile money accounts, the Kenyan diaspora is set up for array of online services that bring them closer with friends and family back home.
Leave a comment and don’t mind pointing us to any apps that might have been missed.

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