The word Juakali originally refers to welders that work on the side of the street, translating as ‘under the hot sun’. The phrase has come to refer to informal artisans in general, thousands of who work in towns and cities across Kenya.
Ochuka and his team developed JuaKaliSmart for artisans in Eldoret, where he lives, and found it challenging to introduce the artisans to the concept of e-commerce. They are using mobile technology to give small workshop owners and artisans access to new markets for their products in order to increase their earnings and improve their living standards.
They have developed a user friendly mobile application that the sellers use to set up their profile and upload their products. Once their products are reviewed and approved, they are made available for customers to see on the JuakaliSmart marketplace. Customers can contact sellers directly via WhatsApp or through a phone call right from the marketplace. They can also request a call or message back and the seller automatically receives a message with their contact details.
They have recently introduced modern tools, machines and safety equipment for workshop owners and artisans on the mobile app. They are able to pay for these items at once or in instalments at their convenience via mpesa and they make deliveries across the country. They have integrated the MPESA Daraja API across the platform to facilitate payments using the popular mobile payments solution.
The platform considers the unique needs of the local sellers unlike others that simply copy paste ideas from other regions. For example, local products are mostly bespoke, the prices are negotiable and there is mistrust between both sellers and buyers on delivery of products vs payments. Unlike their competitors, they have found a problem solution fit for these unique challenges.
