A recommender is
A person who knows you and says so to us.
- Does: Someone who knows you and your work
- Does: Reachable by phone so that we can confirm
- Does: Free to decline when our officer calls
How lending by recommendation works
A person who knows you vouches for you. Staff check it. Each loan then carries its own guarantors and collateral.
Why we ask for a recommendation
A payslip or a till book shows what you earn. It does not show whether you keep your word. A recommendation fills that gap: someone who knows you says so, and we check it.
- It lets us serve people whose reliability no credit file records.
- It means a real person has put their name to you.
- It is checked by two members of staff, so one person cannot wave it through.
- It sits beside guarantors and collateral. It does not replace them.
Who can recommend you
A recommender is someone who knows you and your work.
The person must be someone other than you, reachable by phone, and listed once. If they are a Goodname borrower, they must be active and have no loan in arrears.
Your employer
Someone in your workplace who can speak to your job and your pay.
A community leader
A local council official, a group chairperson or an elder who knows you.
A religious leader
A pastor, imam or priest from the community where you worship.
A borrower in good standing
A Goodname client whose own loans are up to date.
From application to repayment
Seven steps, and who acts in each one.
You
Step 1: Tell us who recommends you
On the website, in the app or with an officer, you give your recommender's details. An officer can also record them for you when you register.
- The recommender's name and phone number
- How you know them and for how many years
- A short statement of why they recommend you
Your recommender
Step 2: They are told, and asked to confirm
We message the person you named and a staff member calls them. If they do not know you, they can tell us.
- The message says who named them and gives our support number
- The officer asks whether they know you and stand by the recommendation
A second member of staff
Step 3: Confirmed by a different person
The person who recorded the recommendation cannot be the one to confirm it. A confirmed recommendation is what allows a loan to be submitted.
- The confirmation is recorded with a note and the staff member's name
- A recommendation can be declined, and you are told the outcome
You
Step 4: Pledge guarantors and collateral for this loan
Each loan names its own guarantors and any collateral. They are asked for when you apply, not when you register.
- Guarantors are contacted and verified before the loan goes forward
- Collateral is recorded with its estimated value and verified by staff
- On a top-up, the guarantors and collateral move to the new loan
Goodname Finance
Step 5: You see the full cost, then staff decide
Before you accept, the quote shows the amount, interest, fees and every instalment in whole shillings. Interest never exceeds 2.8% a month. A staff member approves the loan and authorises the payout.
- Nothing is added to the quote after you accept
- Larger loans can need a more senior approval
Goodname Finance
Step 6: Paid to your own account
Money goes to your MTN MoMo or Airtel Money number, or to your bank account. Group loans are paid only into the group's own account, never to one member.
You
Step 7: Repay, and your limit grows
Repay by mobile money or bank. Each payment is receipted. When you finish a loan on time, your borrowing limit grows.
- Late payments carry late interest, as set out in your terms
- You can ask for your statement at any time
What a recommender is, and is not
Be clear about this before you ask someone to vouch for you.
A guarantor is a different role. A guarantor stands behind one named loan, so a guarantor should read and understand what that means before agreeing. Ask your officer for the written terms.
A recommender is not
A recommendation is a statement about you, not a promise to pay.
- Does not: Asked to repay your loan
- Does not: A guarantor, unless you also name them as one
- Does not: Asked for money, a fee or a PIN. We do not ask a recommender for any of these.
Groups follow the same idea
A group is vouched for by its own members and its officials.
A group is registered with its members and officials and approved by a branch manager. It then borrows within an approved group limit.
Joint liability
Members carry the loan together, so each member has a reason to see it repaid.
The group's own account
The payout goes only to the account the group has registered, never to a member's phone.
A group limit
A group cannot borrow beyond its approved limit, which is checked at each application.
Records you can read
Officials and members are listed in the group's record, and payments are receipted.
Questions from borrowers
A payslip or trading record shows what you earn. It does not show whether you keep your word. A recommendation from someone who knows you fills that gap, and we check it before it counts.
An employer, a community or religious leader, or a Goodname borrower in good standing. They must be someone other than you, reachable by phone, and listed only once. A borrower recommending you must be active with no loan in arrears.
We message them and a staff member calls to ask whether they know you and stand by the recommendation. A different staff member confirms the result. You are told the outcome.
No. It is one required step. Each loan also needs guarantors and any collateral named at application, a staff review of the application and a staff approval before money is paid.
A recommendation can be declined. You are told, and you can name someone else who knows you.
A recommender vouches for you and is not asked to repay your loan. A guarantor is named for one specific loan and stands behind it. Guarantors are contacted and verified before the loan goes forward, and should read what the guarantee means before they agree.
For each loan, when you apply. They are not collected when you register. If you top up a loan, the guarantors and collateral move to the new loan.
Questions from recommenders
You are telling us that you know the person, how long you have known them and why you think well of them. It is a statement about them. You are not asked to repay their loan.
No. We do not ask a recommender for money, a fee, a mobile money PIN or any code. If someone does so in our name, call an officer on a number listed on our contact page.
By SMS or email, and then a staff member calls you. The message says who named you and gives our support number so you can check it is genuine.
Tell the officer when they call, or use the support number in the message. We will not accept a recommendation you did not give.
Tell us as soon as you can. Staff can withdraw a recommendation that has not yet led to a loan being approved.
A borrower who recommends someone must be active with no loan in arrears when the recommendation is recorded and confirmed. Keep your own repayments up to date to stay able to recommend.
Ready to start?
Name your recommender and tell us what you need. If you would like to talk first, ask for a call back.