Kenya Fundis APP: Innovation assists one connect with artisans online

A growing number of young individuals around Africa are venturing into the informal sector, seeking to produce jobs.

They are using innovations to pursue their dreams while creating work while doing so. One of them is Alex Kamanga, a Kenyan business owner and founder of Fundis, an online app.

And as CGTN’s Wanja Mungai reports, Sharlyne Kamau aged 20, is already pursuing her enthusiasm as a plumbing technician.

She operates at Fundis, a start-up company based in Nairobi, Kenya.

“I signed up with the occupation in 2019, instantly I completed school.The experience has actually been great at Fundis, I have actually learnt a lot. I have actually found out more than plumbing.The factor as to why I decided to get into plumbing is the truth that there’s the complete satisfaction that includes it the social relations and the reality there are constantly chances,” Sharlyne says.

Fundis is a Swahili word for artisans. The start-up was developed in 2019, as an online platform that links artisans with customers.

Alex Kamanga Mwangi, CEO, Fundis App sends: “It is extremely difficult to discover a repair person when you need one. Where and how do you get a repair person when you require one? So what Fundis does is merely we smooth that process. We enable employees in repair work tasks get tasks routinely while you as a client from the point of just your mobile phone you have the ability to be signed up with to a service technician at any location.”

His app has a network of 2,000 craftsmens spread across the country. They include electrical contractors, plumbing professionals, painters, welders, carpenters and much more.

To book a service, one requires to select the required service on their smartphone and type in a description.

You ‘d likewise need to connect an image of the problem you need repaired.

The team will then link you with an artisan who will offer a task quote.

Kenyans appear to be pleased with this service.

Zawadi Kitsao from Ongoza Institute states, “They’ve been truly effective, we have actually been requiring a number of services related to office repair work ranging from painting, plumbing work and what I like about them is that it’s a matter of minutes and within 20-30 minutes you have a fundi.”

The inspiration behind Fundis was sparked back in 2017 by a lack of professional artisans in Kenya’s capital during a property boom. Now this development has helped fix more problems in the society.

Kenya is ranked as a leading tech hub in Africa, and with start-ups like Fundis turning up quickly, that could be the answer to the youth unemployment obstacle on the continent.

The Kenya National Bureau of Stats says unemployment rates in the country have actually doubled. The rate is at 10% compared to 5% in March when the nation tape-recorded the very first coronavirus case.

Those working with Fundis, consider themselves fortunate during these tough financial times.

“The return is excellent. Because now we have lots of customers so I can’t grumble. Fundis app has actually assisted us,” says Joshua Divai, an electrical expert, Fundis.

The task comes with its challenges. For Sharlyne, being so young and a lady in a male dominated field, provides a fair share of trials and adversities.

“The moment you step into someone’s substance and they resemble wow, you are the one pertaining to repair … there’s that part of it where people do not believe you can do it,” Sharlene.

Fundis intends to extend its services beyond Kenyan borders and to include more services in its app’s offerings.