Jalule

Following the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, many businesses suffered drastic consequences during and after  the lockdown that was imposed because no online presence. Sales dropped, operations stopped and some even shut off completely. It's only those with a digital presence that have seemed to minimise these effects. Uganda has one of the youngest and most rapidly growing populations in the world and has been ranked among the most entrepreneurial countries  however most businesses do not transition to scale.Globally 4 billion people are using the internet and over 600 million internet subscriptions in Africa, Jalule aims to tap into this vast resource and enhance the capacity of local businesses to leverage digital skills, tools and networks to operate remotely in emergencies like COVID-19. It is important for businesses to embrace remote production, online sales and even growth and expansion by leveraging already existing platforms like social media.

Jalule aims to address the existing issue of low of digital skills  within Uganda and Africa. Over 75% of Ugandans are youth below the age of 30. With an internet penetration rate of 23%, the youth unemployment rate is still low at 13.3% with low utilisation of digital skills to create employment opportunities.  Jalule aims at providing an affordable, and business centered digital strategy toolkit so that this affected businesses can make more sales, attract new clients and retain their old clients over digital platforms. Additionaly , Jalule will provide an online marketplace that links these businesses to clients and hence increase their sales.

The Digital Business Toolkit has been designed to enable businesses to Attract, Engage and Delight customers for better sales outcomes and is a combination of the Marketing Mix , Tested Digital engagement strategy and our experience working and helping local businesses keep a digital presence. 

Given the rise in internet usage following the COVID-19 pandemic guidelines like lockdown, now more than ever businesses need to adopt and keep a digital presence and tap in the increased digital boom. 

Jalule is a business tailored solution that helps AFrican grassroot businesses keep an online presence through digital skills for business training and an online market palce for increasing sales. Incorporating experience from local businesses we have worked with, digital inbound marketing and marketing mix strategies, businesses will be provided with be be provided the expertise and the support that they need to reach their full potential.  

Through a digital toolkit, businesses in Uganda and africa as a whole will now know how to use online platforms to make more sales and attract more customers.The toolkit also contains business operation level strategies like packaging, distribution to help business improve service for clients.

Jalule shall also provide an online marketplace for products and services of these local businesses and thus enable them tap bigger markets and conveniently get extra income from their businesses.

With an increased online presence as noted by Ugandan telecom companies, the Jalule aims to leverage this increase in social media usage to support growth of businesses.

Our primary focus is to empower the youth especially young women below 30 years who consist 75% of the population in Uganda. We shall also target youth led bussinesses that have been affected by the pandemic to help them recover by utilising digital platforms. The flexibility of the Digital Toolkit enables businesses to adopt to digital platforms at their pace.

In-order to ensure full support, we shall offer tailored business support agent to business to ensure that they fully onboard on these platforms depending on the type and level of business.

Jalule provides an affordable solution for local business especuially those led by the youth to attain skills to contribute to their local communities. Our online marlet place will ensure that products and services of businesses at the grassroot gain visibility to a bigger client base and hence make more sales and lead to individual and community development.

Our problem, solution and our target population are aligned with the goals of the Fellowship.  Our solution covers the digital skills training of the grassroot businesses in Uganda.   The target population are the youth especially young women who own businesses or plan to start businesses.  The Jalule Digital Business training toolkit provides a way for businessses to self launch onto digital platforms.

We selected growth because currently we have completed the pilot with over 30 local busineses and organisations across the diffrent sectors of the economy and developed a standardised toolkit for scaling to businesses that need to adopt online presence.

What makes Jalule so innovative is the flexibility and applicabilty of digital skills in the diffrent sectors and how our toolkit supports businesses to make sales.

Businesses are given a guide on how to get an online presence and are provided with support to ensure that they increase sales and tap into new and bigger markets. The combination of Sales level and digital strategies plus experience supporting local businesses directly will provide hands on guide to businesses to fully utilise the digital platforms.  Having a mix of business and digital strategies is crucial for business owners to efficiently run and grow their businesses.  

We have currently worked with 30 businesses as our pilot ever since the Covid broke out in Uganda. in 2020 we plan to keep reach and support 1000 businesses and 5000  youth with digital skills. We plan to reach atleast 1000 businesses every year in Uganda and beyond throughout Africa. We shall carry our digital business  training camps both virtual and physical and plan to reach 5000- 10000 youths every year. Once we have established a refined technique, we will open it up to hundreds, even thousands of learners. 

Number of local businesses integrating digital technology and platforms to expand clientele as a result of Jalule

Number and proportion of businesses owners (male/female) stating that they will use our Digital Toolkit

Number of Toolkits developed and disbursed.

Number of local businesses featured on our e-commerce platform.

5 full time

3 part time staff

Doppler Technologies and Investments LTD (DTI)  is an award winning startup  legally registered Information Communication and Technology (ICT) Company based in  Ntinda, Kampala Uganda.

Our Vision is “to create  Africa’s most innovative and creative Technology driven enabling environment for creation of new opportunities and wealth driven by Technology”

Jaluleteam has had agreat track record of experience working with local busineses in Uganda and helping them to make more sales, get new customers and keep their clients. We are multi- gender , diverse team of highly competent Youth who are committed to driving in the digital age into Uganda by accerelating usage of digital platforms through digital skills training. Through such platforms and digital skills training, Doppler envisions to leverage the power of technology and the potential of Youth and especially young women to drive creation of wealth.

Doppler Technologies has developed award winning innovations including Jalule in the #AfricaVsVirus2020 challenge of the Africa Development Bank and prides in having a pool of staff who have conducted digital skills training in the past of over 20,000 youth in Uganda under partnerships with Google digital skills for Africa and Sentam learning. Doppler Technologies has offered services to a number of firms in different sectors including Uganda Chamber of Mines and Petroleum, Joska Advocates and Legal Consultants, Union Consulting LTD, Uganda Parliamentary Forum on Social Protection, 236 Events, Rundental Clinic, Golden Palm Restaurant, Coronation Hotels  among others.

Our solution focuses on youth especially young women since they are left behind in terms of digital skills and employment opportunities. Our digital skills training shall not discriminate against anyone on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, ancestry, or national or ethnic origin.

Solve will provide the resources that our organization needs to adequately  develop our technology aspect of EA Ecoversity.  If chosen, we plan to use the $10,000 for staffing to hire a highly qualified Software Developer.  Over the span of three months, we hope to use about $8,000-$9,000 for other staff expenses while using the remainder for supplies, licensing, and any other expenses. We hope to use about $5000 into advertising and $7000 into printing and distribution of toolkit.

An ideal partner in this solution will be able to provide marketing , advertising and communication support to create awareness of our solution. Also we would partner with digital training skills partners to help us deliver sufficient skills to businesses.

Although we do not have any specific organizations in mind, our team is willing to extend our reach to groups that might have this specialized skill.  Having a partner that could contribute to our solution will allow for more businesses to benefit from our solution in the long-run.  By equiping businesses with the right digtal skills, we will be able to create impact at the grassroot.

Jalule provides a career exploration and job training programs that will re-skill and up-skill the workforce as a result from COVID-19, as well as providing a digital skills outlet to allow businesses to explore new career fields since many jobs have been dissolved as a result of COVID-19. Moreover, one of the learning focuses also encompasses operational skills for businesses to attract, delight and keep  clients.

A Ecoversity provides a career exploration and job training programs that will re-skill and up-skill the workforce as a result from COVID-19, as well as providing an educational outlet to allow learners to explore new career fields since many jobs have been dissolved as a result of COVID-19. Moreover, one of the learning focuses also encompasses financial literacy for young adults, along with many other 21st century life skills.