The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has asked McKinsey to design a basic financial-services offering for residents in remote communities in Mexico. The majority of Mexico's rural population is relatively poor, relying in part on government benefits for their livelihood. Since they tend not to have bank accounts, they usually collect those benefits in cash from a limited number of state-owned bank branches. These branches are often a long way from where the recipients live, so it can take a lot of time and effort to collect benefits. In addition, while traveling to the branches, people can be at risk of falling victim to crime. The Mexican government also owns and operates a chain of 22,000 stores throughout Mexico, called Diconsa, which provide basic food, clothes, and other essential goods to rural populations. These stores are supplied through a network of central and regional warehouses and several thousand delivery trucks.