At the national stage, it competed against 245 applicants. On the international stage, they were well over 1300. 

Cameroonian startup Services for Aged –founded by Cameroonian-born Olivia Kamga (photo, left)- quickly gained credibility in the national and international tech community in recent months.  Launched in mid-2023, it has already won two awards for its digital platform that connects the elderly with home care in rural areas.

The two awards were issued by French telecom group Orange in the framework of its  Orange Social Venture Prize in Africa and the Middle East (POESAM) competition. At the national stage, the startup won the “special women’s prize”, on July 20. Last October 18, it also won the "Coup de Coeur" in Kigali, Rwanda, in the framework of the international phase, whose winners were unveiled on the sidelines of the Mobile World Congress Africa 2023.

Services for Aged gives busy rural populations and the diaspora the ability to hire care personnel to look after their elderly relatives.  The startup specifically targeted the elderly in rural areas given that they are often vulnerable to social exclusion, isolation, and health problems.  

It offers four types of monthly and à la carte subscriptions. They include medical and preventive care, personal hygiene and body care, home consultations, shopping, leisure, and social activities, among others with regular care reports sent to its subscribers. Its services are available in several regions across Cameroon, including the Centre and the West regions.  To meet the growing demand for its services, the startup has deployed a network of qualified caregivers across the country.  

With its mobile and desktop applications, Services for Aged demonstrates that the digital transformation ongoing in Africa, and Cameroon in particular,  offers the opportunity to maintain social ties with loved ones, even remotely.