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Wondrous Waitara

Explorer @ Thamani
Hero Light We’ve all been there. You’ve just paid your fare in a crowded Matatu or settled a bill at a busy shop. The conductor or cashier asks for “the message.” Suddenly, you’re performing a high-stakes digital dance. You’re zooming in on your font, or worse, you’re physically covering the bottom of your screen with your thumb to hide your M-Pesa balance from prying eyes. Whether you’re protecting your privacy or just don’t want to show off a “non budget-friendly” balance, that moment is filled with transaction anxiety.
At Thamani, we believe managing your money should feel empowering, not exposed.
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The Problem: Data vs. Humans

We approached this feature by looking at the raw friction of daily transactions. We didn’t just want to build a “viewer”; we wanted to build a safe space: a frictionless proof-of-payment experience. We started with three core questions:
  1. What is the current user behavior? (Zooming, hiding, and “the finger-shield”).
  2. How do we want you to feel when asked for proof? (Safe, private, and efficient).
  3. What do businesses actually want to see? (Proof of receipt, not your net worth)
The standard M-Pesa message is a marvel of utility, but it’s structured for data, not for humans. It’s a wall of text containing your transaction IDs, amount transacted, balance and marketing prompts all mashed together. When we looked at how people transact, we realized that the “Proof of Payment” moment was a point of friction. When you’re in a rush, finding the “signal” in all that “noise” is difficult for you and even harder for the person verifying your payment.

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The Solution: The Glance Feature

We needed a solution that was robust enough for the receiver but protective of the sender. We needed Glance. Glance is a simple, intuitive, minimalist overlay that strips away the noise and elevates the signal making it a robust solution for both the sender and the receiver.

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Anatomy of a Glance

We focused on three design pillars to make Glance feel like a superpower:
  • Hierarchy of Information: We elevated the four things that actually matter:
    • The Transaction Code: Large and legible for a quick scan.
    • The Time: To prove the payment is current.
    • The Recipient: Full name and phone number for verification.
    • The Amount: Bold and color-coded. We made these easily recognisable so they can be read from a distance in under two seconds.
  • Frictionless Accessibility: A feature is only useful if it’s accessible. We integrated Glance directly into your notification flow. Every time you transact, Thamani sends a notification. One of the direct actions on that notification is Glance.
  • Contextual Mindfulness: Because Thamani is about mindfulness, we included a quick Category dropdown. While you’re showing your proof of payment, you can categorize the expense in one tap, saving you the work of doing it later.
Note: The category dropdown visibility depends on the subscription tier you are on.
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Privacy by default: Your Balance is Your Business

Notice what’s missing? Your M-Pesa balance. We believe that your financial status is your business and Glance is built to guard that boundary. Privacy by Default means your M-Pesa balance is stripped away entirely from the main view, giving you total peace of mind in any environment. However, we know that in a world of screenshots, trust is earned. Some businesses might not immediately recognize a third-party UI, so we built the ultimate safety net: The Collapsible Message. This section acts as the Source of Truth. If a merchant needs deeper proof, you can expand the section to show the original M-Pesa message with a Thamani twist: we automatically mask your balance. Even when showing the official message, your privacy remains intact. It provides total assurance without the anxiety.

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Being Money Mindful

Glance is just the tip of the iceberg of what we are building at Thamani. By turning a mundane, anxious task into a seamless, private interaction, we’re helping you stay in control of your financial narrative. No more finger-shields. No more Matatu-shuffles. Just a quick glance, and you’re on your way.
Let’s be Money Mindful together. đŸ‘«