Business in a phone 4 underserved youth

70% of the population across Africa is below 30 years of age. Youth, though dynamic, account for 60% of all of Africa’s joblessness. Unemployment poses a great threat to the strength and growth of the continent. On the other hand, the youth could be a dividend providing labour and a large market for goods. Mobile phones have an over 50% penetration, faster internet speeds are becoming cheaper as well. Avunja Mobile has built a digital platform to enable youth to use their phones (which they spend 8 hours daily), to earn an income by selling services to earn a commission. The product categories include digital (airtime & bill payment), sales referrals and physical products. By increase their income to over $5 per day and by focusing on women, the livelihood of themselves and their families will be enhanced. We will also provide them with digital business and financial literacy skills. 

Youth unemployment. Lack of income results in a feeling of helplessness and poor living conditions and even danger of being compromised to earn money or gambling in hopes to find a way out of poverty. In Kenya, the World Bank estimates that between 2015 and 2025, 9 million people will have entered the labour market, in search of employment. To keep up with the pace of demand, Kenya needs to create 900,000 jobs every year. Last year, the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics reported that the Kenyan economy only added 78,000 jobs within the formal sector. That is only 8.4% of the total demand. 

In East Africa, 63.7% of the population use the internet however, for women, it is only 21%. Digital literacy that we will provide will enable women and youth to  use their phones to generate sustainable income. We've innovated with Insurance company partners to provide micro insurance solutions to enhance resilience of our Agents as well as their families. 

We are looking to change the mindset of youth to embrace will change an entrepreneurial mindset as they will be in charge of their sales. In, 2014, East African start ups created 160,000 jobs through digital capacities (OECD).

With Avunja, women and youth become distributed, independent, field sales agents, selling a variety of products and services for a commission. Avunja is a network of self-employed aspirational individuals who create convenience by distributing products door to door. They live in the community and are trusted neighbours.

Avunja Mobile creates the business partnerships to create a digital market place for youth to access products and services to sell.

How it works:

1. Install Avunja from the Google Play store or App Store for iOS

2. Review the expansive products and services available

3. Start selling to friends and neighbours

4. Earn referral commission and fees instantly. No delays. Agents can withdraw their income via mpesa or to their bank account.

We have built our Avunja Mobile App on Oracle Cloud to ensure we can scale across Africa easily. 

Increased income will enable them to access a better livelihood including healthcare and education for themselves and their families. 

Avunja provides sales training, financial and digital literacy skills as well as basic business management training via mobile phone and in the field.

We serve underserved youth with a focus women. They are aged between 18 - 35 years. We are starting out with Urban, densely populated areas and will then also expand to the rural areas. We are targeting to reach millions of youth in 5 years across 6 African markets.

During the COVID-19 Pandemic has seen the rise in unemployment. The fight towards the eradication of poverty has been set back 5 years. In Kenya, the Shujaaz Inc Barometer SMS youth survey showed that 70% of people have slept hungry. There is a stubborn divide on digital access between men and women. Further still, many women do not know how to use the internet and their phones to generate an income. Insurance penetration in Kenya is a paltry 2.7%. The products are unaffordable. Avunja is enabling income generation via mobile and teaching financial literacy skills to empower youth to thrive.

We have integrated with 2 of the largest banks in Kenya and all 3 mobile network operators. We have 80 agents operating in the field and have been selling and earning an income since April 2021. The range of income they are making is US$4 - 9 per day. We are selling Airtime, SIM cards, Insurance products and WiFi. We are working with 4 community based organisations to recruit underserved youth. We host training for the youth and accompany them to the field to help them to gain confidence. We have partnered with 7 companies that we are selling products on their behalf, from which youth earn a commission.

We have eliminated two large barriers to doing business. The youth do not need  capital to start or hold stock.  Avunja arranges all the corporate negotiations and have created a digital market place with services that they can access and sell via mobile phone.

Today 80 agents and 2,000 clients. 

30,000 agents in 1 year

In 2 years, 100,000 agents in 3 markets and 

3-5 years millions of agent in 6 African Markets

Avunja's target is to provide a pathway to increased income for millions of youth, primarily women in 6 African countries within 5 years. By providing them a means to earn on average US$110 per month within 6 months, they will not only lift themselves and their families out of poverty but will provide income opportunities for others. 

Creating opportunities to earn income

1. Number of people who were unemployed 
2. Number of people who increase their daily income by various ranges [$1-3], [$3-5], [$5-10], $10+
3. < of youth reached (18 - 35 years), % 60 Women

Agency - Self Confidence in making decisions

Owning a business puts control into the hands of the young people and women. Each woman is likely to support at least 4 other people in their home.

Enhanced Skills

Access to skills and enhanced confidence for women and young people to run their businesses and to manage their money sustainably.

4 full time

6 contractors

The Team: Over 60 years experience across 5 continents

The team has spent time researching the needs of marginalised women. We developed the app using human-centred design. Marianne Mwaniki, Co-Founder and Managing Director was the first-ever SVP Social Impact Head for VISA Inc 2018 - 2020. She was the Vice Chairman of the Visa Foundation. She worked closely with Women's World Banking (WWB) to ensure the Visa Foundation financing of US$20m to WWB delivered 5 projects to create a combined impact to 10m women. She was also the Head of Standard Chartered's Sustainability Strategy in 2007 including providing US$100m in financing to MFIs who had 90% women members.

Gateri Kinuthia

Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO)

He has extensive experience in the US, UK and Kenya spanning Consulting, Banking and Technology, over the last 23 years. He has worked with Ernst & Young LLP in Atlanta as well as with Chase Bank (US).  Gateri is an Honours Master of Arts in International Affairs in Finance from Ohio University.

Marianne Mwaniki 

Co-Founder and Managing Director

Over 22 years experience in Banking and Payments spanning 4 continents. Most recently SVP Social Impact at Visa International in San Francisco and Vice Chairman of the Visa Foundation. Prior,  20 years with Standard Chartered across Kenya, the UK, Hong Kong, Singapore and India. Marianne has an MSc from London School of Economics

One of our core values is creating unity through diversity. This means that everyone regardless of age, gender, race or education is welcome to use the platform and genearte new ideas that will be beneficial to everyone. Everyone is provided with the necessary knowledge  training and resources so as to thrive from the use of the application.