(Photo: Oberthur Technologies website)

Previously relied on a paper coupon system, building an aid network through Mastercard

Oberthur Technologies (OT), a provider of embedded security software products, services, and solutions, announced today that it is providing chip cards pre-loaded with features that support the MasterCard Aid Network, enabling people in need to receive basic necessities such as food, medicine, and housing.

"We are very proud that OT has contributed to the Mastercard aid network by enabling many people around the world to easily access first-level aid using chip cards," said Eric Duforest, Managing Director of OT Financial Services. "OT's chip card technology is a very convenient means of facilitating the distribution of aid supplies while maintaining a high level of security."

Mastercard established the Mastercard Aid Network, an end-to-end, non-financial service that enables the smooth distribution of aid even in areas without telecommunications infrastructure, to address the difficulties philanthropic charities face in providing aid in politically or economically unstable regions. Residents in areas where the Mastercard aid network has been established will be able to easily obtain basic necessities simply by inserting their cards into the terminals.

Aid supplies have traditionally relied on a paper coupon system, which is slow to distribute and carries a high risk of fraud. To modernize this distribution system, OT is now providing chip cards equipped with a re-evaluation function that allows recipients to select items based on a point value system. Recipients simply need to insert the card into a dedicated terminal, tap a picture of the desired item on the screen, and enter their Personal Identification Number (PIN) to verify that the process has been securely handled.

The Mastercard aid network has been tested in real-world scenarios and proven to be far more efficient and transparent than the existing cumbersome paper coupon model. With its extensive service network, OT can provide customized pre-loaded chip cards anywhere in the world where aid is needed, even under very tight deadlines.