Mokala Tech is a newly formed Kenyan-based business dealing with the use of technology in enhancing social entrepreneurship.

Mokala Tech is in the process of developing an online marketplace for buying and selling of products made by African MSMEs.

Mokala Tech seeks your support in the form of partnerships, as well as technical and financial assistance, for the development of this platform.

Problem

This project will try and bridge the digital divide between Africa and the rest of the world, in terms of online space for promotion of products made by African MSMEs. The persistent problem of African products lacking connections to the international market has created a need for innovative solutions to counter this problem. This project will seek to be the channel through which this need is met, by creating an online marketplace whereby African MSMEs can showcase their products and sell them to the global market. Consumers and businesses alike will have an easy task of sourcing products from African MSMEs in a central location. This platform will enable African MSMEs to thrive and create more employment opportunities, while contributing to the development of their local economies.

Solution

To achieve this goal, an online platform will be created that will resemble a B2B or e-commerce website. Mokala Tech will go about searching for MSMEs which specialise in African arts, crafts, textiles, light industrial, horticultural and agricultural products, and will contact them to introduce this new platform as an additional market for their products. MSMEs which express interest in participation will then be screened, and their products inspected and tested for quality standards. Photographs of some of their products will be taken, and a profile of their business done. This information will then be uploaded to the online platform, and buyers can then see the name of each MSME, a profile of their business, a list of their products with images, and their geographic location. When a buyer makes an order for a product, Mokala Tech will obtain the product from the respective MSME selling it, inspect and test it for quality, and package it and send it to the buyer's location.

Exemple

The vast majority of African MSMEs are owned and run by youth and women. This group also happens to be among the majority borrowers and users of micro-finance products. Two of the foremost barriers to the growth of African MSMEs are access to capital and access to markets. The goal of creating an online marketplace for African-made products is to eliminate the second barrier - access to markets. One of the key drivers to the growth of any business is adequate and sustained sales that will bring sufficient revenue and increase the bottom line. This in turn creates a multiplier effect in that with increased sales, the producers will purchase more inputs and thus also stimulate the growth of the factors market. Moreover, the additional revenue will encourage the depositing of savings and the growth of investments, thereby also increasing the net worth of the producer and enabling him/her greater access to additional financial products such as credit facilities to further grow their business. All in all, this will stimulate both the local and national economies. The first step, however, would be to provide the much needed access to the markets that will provide a great number of sales for products. An online marketplace will offer access to billions of people who are active online and who are both willing and able to purchase good quality African-made products. The increased demand for these products will also encourage the producers to enhance their creativity and innovation, and ensure that their products are of international quality.

Marché

There are a few similar online platforms for African-made products. However, none of them is exactly like the one proposed by Mokala Tech. Some of them include: Red Apple B2B, Bumbou, Africa B2B Network Directory, Africa Trade Market. The online platform proposed by Mokala Tech will have a distinct competitive advantage. It will focus on promoting social entrepreneurship, enhancing local and national economic development, and stimulating intra-African e-commerce. Aggressive marketing and advertising will be done on social media platforms, search engines and online classifieds, to ensure that awareness and participation of a large market is achieved. This platform will build a reputation for total quality control, excellent customer service and efficient product delivery for all buyers.