Vyetu.

We identify products that are of local African origin (manufactured in local African areas) and provide a virtual marketplace that facilitates business-to-consumer sales to local and international customers.

Vyetu is an eCommerce platform that provides a virtual marketplace for products that are of African origin. The platform connects local producers from different part of Africa who produces different products that originate from their destination areas. The process involves helping young local producers to market and sells their products to a wide range (Locally and Internationally) by using the App.

African has an abundance stock of local products that are not yet available in so many parts of its local market and to be introduced into the international market. This has been due to the unavailability of a one-stop centre where young African producers can advertise and sell their products. Young local producers also lack knowledge on the use of eCommerce services that has resulted in them only depending on the nearby local physical markets. 

As a result, most of the creative and innovative products that are created locally has failed to penetrate into the wider local market and international market. Therefore most of the businesses remain to be small, fail to create more jobs and eradicate poverty.

According to UNCTAD, Intra-African trade, defined as the average of intra-African exports and imports, was around 2% during the period 2015–2017.

Vyetu is targeting to help young product producers aged between 18 - 24 years old who are currently found in the rural and urban areas of Tanzania. We are looking to undergo a baseline survey that will help us to track down their local products. This will be accompanied by a series of training on entrepreneurship skills, financial management and how to use the digital world for marketing their products as well as the use of the importance and benefits of selling their products into our platform. We are looking forward also to working with the government to help these young entrepreneurs to be able to register their products into the responsible authorities as well as to be trained in meeting the Standards Required for export their product outside the country.

Our team has a collective experience of volunteering with the youth-led organizations here in Tanzania that are working to fulfil and meet Sustainable development goals. One among the areas that members of our team have been working at is the area of economic empowerment whereby we had volunteered to help young entrepreneurs to create a digital footprint of their products locally and one among the most requested help by these enterprisers that we have been working with is the platform that will allow them to sell their products and be able to expand their market beyond the physical one that they currently depend on.  

Prototype: We have established a series of training with local product produces (entrepreneurs) in our region and we were able to capture different views from them concerning the process of marketing, value-added, registration and selling their products. This influences us to create a platform that will be able to provide a virtual marketplace for their product and on the other hand, help them to meet the standard required by the government of Tanzania for local products in the local and international market. Vyetu is looking to establish a new business model that will not only help young entrepreneurs to sell their products but also to help them to gain different knowledge such as marketing, branding and officializing the existence of their businesses. 

Vyetu is not only a virtual market place rather than is a value-added chain for young entrepreneurs starting from identifying the unique and innovative African products, adding value to it through marketing, branding, capacity building to producers on financial management, team leading, e-commerce selling, helping young entrepreneurs on legalizing their products and meeting the required standard by the authority and finally selling them on our virtual marketplace which is in form of a mobile App. (Ecommerce Mobile App).  

We are looking to serve 1000 young people in the next year 

Our Impact goals are 

1. To identify local African products and their stories; We will conduct a baseline survey for African local products produced by young people and be able to document their stories.

2. To help young African producers (Entrepreneurs) to legalize their innovative products: We will be working closely with the government to help young entrepreneurs to be able to register their products for the minimum cost. 

3. To create a virtual marketplace that will help young African entrepreneurs to sell their products locally and internationally. Our team will work to develop an app that will help them to sell their products. 

4. To strengthen the knowledge and skills of young entrepreneurs through different series of training. 

1. Number of local products that have been identified, registered and entered into the platform

2. Number of  local producers that have been trained 

3. Number of sells made through out the platform

1. Fund to establish the platform, conduct baseline survey and trainings to entrepreneurs.  

Lameck Lawrence is a Tanzanian enthusiast for Digital Technology, Health, Gender and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's Champion), he pursued his Bachelor Degree at Mzumbe University. He is an activist on Entrepreneurship and Health specific in Mental Health and Comprehensive Sexual Reproductive Health. By the use of technology, Lameck has proven to be a  digital activist by using social media and other digital platforms to conduct his activism activities. He is also the co-founder and CEO of a digital technology company “Kreative Karakana” which uses data and technology in solving community challenges. 

Athman Sungura is the founding director and the driving force behind Kreative Karakana, He is driven by the desire to make an impact by focusing on the delivery of innovative programs. His focus and attention to detail is exceptional and that is the engine that inspires the entire organization to look outside the square in the development of products that are aligned to the ever-changing landscape of the region.

myService consult: is Human resources management, project management and event management consult that is based in Dar es Salaam Tanzania. We have been working together on various projects in areas of training, capacity building activities, marketing branding. www.myserviceconsult.co.tz 

Impact Hub Dar - Enterprenusrship hub for local businesses to reach into global space. www.daressalaam.impacthub.net 

Ramani Group - Marketing Firm https://ramanigroup.co.tz/

Transcend Group - www.transcendgroup.co.tz 

Our team will be using HP Girls Save the World Prize to venture and focus on empowering teenage mothers who are participating in entrepreneurship activities through 21st Century Digital Skills such as Literacy Skills (Information, media and technology), Learning Skills:(Critical Thinking, Creativity, Collaboration, Communication) and Life Skills: (Flexibility, Leadership, Initiative, Productivity, Social Skills), and Microfinance training. Our assessment has found that these community programmes have an immediate impact. 

The majority of young mothers are left to fend for themselves, as they are socially marginalised and often face rejection and lack of support even within their families. Without a completed school education, hardly any of the young women have an independent future perspective, with the result that many earn their living with odd jobs. In addition, not only the young mothers themselves suffer from the discriminatory living conditions and educational opportunities, but also their children. Their young lives are often marked by a lack of education and medical care.

This program is based on training “Mama Wadogo” adolescent girls who have gotten pregnant and failed to progress through the education system and transit to the labour market. The focus will be on accelerated Learning on entrepreneurship, Peer Education, Hairdressing, Cookery,  Microfinance training and digital skills in participatory, creative, and transformative approaches while capacitating them with SRHR education and information. The aim of this project is to equip and empower teenage mothers and break the poverty chain.