Jalule

The government imposed a lock down in March after Uganda recorded its first COVID-19 case.Although the lock down was a public health measure, the period has  seen many businesses stop operations and others have been completely phased out due to their nature of operation.This is mainly because the biggest part of the informal sector do not have the necessary digital skills to continue operations.

Jalule aims at enhancing the capacity of local business to leverage digital skills, tool and network to continue operational even in such emergencies. It is important for businesses to embrace remote production, online sales and even growth and expansion by leveraging already existing platforms like social media.
Our solution includes a communication package to help businesses keep in touch with clients, make new customers and hence increasing sales. This is done by designing content and relevant content for each target customer segment.

DIgital illetracy remains a big challenge in Uganda.By June 2018, there were nearly 10 million mobile internet connections in Uganda – a penetration rate of 23% which has been steadily growing. The presence of social media has seen many Ugandans embrace digital technology mainly for their personal activities. Although many people are on social media, 2.2 million subscribers of Facebook in Uganda, few have learnt how to leverage it for their businesses.

Uganda has now confirmed over 700 cases of COVID-19 of which 400 have recovered. However,with rise in community infections, the government has lifted the lockdowned imposed in March with high restrictions on public transport and some businesses in malls still not allowed to operate. This has left many businesses to totally close off operations, sales and engagement with clients. For many, it would mean resuming afresh with a lot of struggle once the COVID-19 lockdown reduces.

Connected Ugandans

Facebook users in Uganda

Implementation of Jalule begins by identifying businesses that can operate remotely and those that need to keep customers engaged.They are then taught in the importance of digital skills to their businesses and then enrolled. We develop content for them, design it on fliers and target their clients using available so media platforms. This is because there are already a big customer segment on these platforms and they have a quick turnover with the right content and messaging.We help the business to learn how to manage and respond to orders.

Our second stage is to add businesses that have proven digitally familiar to our JALULE platform which is a new directory for online operated businesses in Uganda.Jalule will enable small business to build their brand, increase production, make more sales and have new clients. It will also enable them to be more efficient in production through use and leverage of digital tools and technologies.
It will also enable Uganda to avert the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic like lack of enough essentials and commodities. Once businesses are familiar with digital skills, they will recommend some of these tools to the clients hence reduction on the digital illiteracy burden.

In Uganda, over 50% of GDP (UBOS, 2014) is attributed to the informal sector. Up to 80% of the labour force works in the informal economy and most of this is essentially “underemployment” since most of the workers still don’t earn enough to escape poverty.The majority of Greater Kampala’s informal sector work is in trading and services. These firms will typically operate either in a trader’s market, from home or will trade from the street, with no physical premises.With the emergence of COVID-19, the informal sector has suffered most from the lockdown although it has an opportunity to grow through this challenge. With many of these people lacking digital skills, its hard to reach to clients during this period.Therefore the Jalule digital skills training package will target such people and small business to ensure continuance of production and sales.Ever since the lockdown, we have supported ten businesses in Uganda to keep in touch with their clients through our social media package of $30 per month.

In this way, we are able to advise the business on better approaches to meet demand from the  clients and how to build their brand better even during the lockdown.

Informal Sector in Uganda

WIth rising cases of COVID-19 in Uganda, many  people are loosing their jobs due to restrictions from the lockdown. The motorbike taxi business in Uganda has been identified as a potential spread of the virus and therefore limited to carrying of  cargo.Although this presents loss of jobs to the riders, it is also an opportunity if they can leverage digital skills to increase their service. Other business, are still not operating because they are housed in areas like shopping malls which have been identified as corona virus  hotspots  and so Jalule's offering can help avert these challenges. 

Our solution includes a communication package to help businesses keep in touch with clients, make new customers and hence increasing sales. This is done by designing content and relevant content for each target customer segment. This helps them to build their brand.
In this, we also offer a short digital skills toolkit for clients to help them learn how to use tools like zoom for meetings, Whatsapp Businesses, how to work remotely, receiving online orders and adding them to our Jalule platform.
The Jalule platform is intended to profile local businesses that provide online solutions.

Facebook for reaching clients since its already an existing technology.

A wordpress and php website to profile business solutions and an sql database

We are planning to build a mobile app in future for the linkage

Implementation involves reaching out to business owners and distributing the digital skills learner package as well as the value proposition to their business. We then pick their key activities and clients and a communication plan is developed.
CONTENT - DESIGN - PUBLISHING - ENGAGEMENT - MANAGING ORDERS.

From the time the lockdown was instituted, we are working with 10 businesses and organisations with more others in discussions to enroll for the package.

10 local businesses ever since the lockdown was instituted

To support over 50 bussinesses within this year and over 500 busineses in 5 years

Social distancing constraints may make it difficult to conduct digital skills training

Some businesses may not afford the $30 per month social media package  to keep up with their clients

Introducing remote digital skills training

As businesses increase, the cost of social media package will reduce due to decrease cost of production.

Jalule is a subsidiary product of Doppler Technologies LTD, a legally registered technology company in Uganda

5 full time staff

DONALD WARUHANGA - Team Lead - (5 years experience in implementing Digital solutions, Project management skills and Masters Student of Leadership) - Bsc. CSC Muk
TEBBA ANDREW - Resource planning - (Project management skills, Celebrated former student leader)
PETER TURYASINGURA -Business Partnerships cordinator (Experience in Google Digital Skills Training and celebrated leader)
ARINDA LEONA - Content developer (Experience working with Media House YoTV)
ISAAC KIBALAMA - Graphics designer - (5 years graphics design experience, Web development ) - Bsc. Telcom Engineering (MUK)

None

Expenses - Staff renumeration , Boosting costs with facebook, Facilitation of digital skills training

Revenues - Monthly social media package, Digital skill training costs, Subscription fees to Jalule platform

Operating costs - Rent, Transport, Monitoring and Evaluation costs

Jalule is a for profit initiative however, the digital skills are given free as a way of reducing the digital illetracy burden in Uganda. The package costs around $30 a month to enable affordability to the businesses.