4. The Birth of OurPlazi App – A Vision for Connection
While I was selling eggs, something about the way people ordered kept catching my attention. Smartphones. Everyone had one. It was the way people reached out to me — most of my orders came through WhatsApp. It was convenient, but it had its limits. I realized, what if I could build something better, something that would make connecting with local farmers and suppliers much easier?That’s when the idea of creating an agriculture-focused marketplace app started to take shape. There were apps for everything from fast food to rentals but none for local agriculture. Especially in rural areas like mine, where farming is crucial, yet there was no platform to help connect people in the agricultural world. Social media groups existed, but they were cluttered, hard to navigate, and didn’t serve the community the way a dedicated app could.
I began to see the need there was a gap. Local vendors and farmers, like me, needed a way to connect with customers and suppliers nearby, but everything was scattered. People needed to find fresh produce, but the process was too complex and distant. So, I thought, what if I could bring the market closer? An app that would make it simple for everyone from suppliers to customers to find each other, exchange ideas, and do business without barriers.
I also noticed a challenge: many people in my community didn’t have access to business skills. People wanted to start their own businesses but lacked the knowledge to do so. I saw this in the egg-selling days when I spoke to customers who told me how much they wished they could sell something too. But they didn’t know where to start. What if this app could be more than just a marketplace? What if it could be a tool for learning too? A space where people could get the basic skills needed to run a business, and connect with others who shared the same dreams?
That’s how OurPlazi was born. It would be a platform where anyone could easily find suppliers, post products, and communicate directly with customers. The beauty of the app was that it wasn’t just about selling veggies or eggs. It was about building a community. I wanted to create a place where locals could find each other without the confusion of searching through social media groups. Where small businesses could get noticed, learn, and grow together.
I knew that language was a barrier for many in my community, so I made sure the app was translated into Zulu first making it accessible and relatable. It had to be easy to use, too, because I didn’t want technology to get in the way. If someone could use WhatsApp, they could use this app. And I made it simple, so no one felt left behind.
With this app, I could make it easier for vendors to connect with suppliers, share their business hours, and even chat privately with customers. For buyers, it would be simple to find fresh, local produce in their area. No more guessing, no more waiting everything in one place.And for me? It was about solving a problem I knew too well. Connecting people, making agriculture accessible, and helping my community become more self-sufficient.
This app wasn’t just about making business easier for me it was about creating opportunities for everyone. Whether it was a young person wanting to start a small business, or a local vendor looking for reliable suppliers, this was going to be a platform that gave people the tools they needed to thrive. I wasn’t just selling eggs or veggies anymore I was building a community.And that’s what drives me now. I’m still growing veggies, still selling eggs, but I know this app is going to change lives in my community.
Example of Jabu’s Journey – From Unemployed to Entrepreneur with OurPlazi
Meet Jabu. He’s a young man from a small village, recently unemployed after losing his previous job due to the lack of opportunities around him. Jabu always wanted to do something with his hands, something that could sustain him and his family. But like many young people in his position, he didn’t know where to start. The idea of selling goods like vegetables seemed like a distant dream especially because he didn’t have connections or know where to source his products.
Then, one day, while scrolling through his WhatsApp groups, Jabu came across a post about the OurPlazi App, a platform for local vendors to connect with customers and find suppliers without the hassle of going through the traditional, costly methods. This piqued his interest it sounded like the solution he’d been waiting for.Jabu downloaded the app, registered himself, and immediately began exploring the marketplace. He saw that there was a lot of activity people were looking for fresh produce like tomatoes, onions, and spinach. But there was one thing that stood out to him: there were no vendors selling carrots in his area, and that’s where he saw an opportunity.Two Possible Approaches Jabu’s DecisionJabu had two possible approaches to this situation. Here’s how he could’ve gone about it:
Approach 1: Test the Market First
Jabu didn’t need to spend money upfront to buy a large quantity of carrots. He used the testing feature on the app, posting a quick poll asking the local community: “Would you be interested in buying fresh, locally-grown carrots?” The response was overwhelming people from his area were interested, and some even asked how soon he could start selling them.
Using this feedback, Jabu was able to assess the demand without spending any money on inventory. His next step was to contact a local supplier through the app, someone who could provide him with fresh carrots. Thanks to the storage hub, which allowed vendors to purchase goods at lower prices, Jabu was able to buy the carrots at an affordable price. The low transport costs made it easy for him to buy in smaller quantities, making it possible to start his small business with very little risk.
Approach 2: Full Investment
Alternatively, Jabu could have chosen the more traditional route, jumping in headfirst and buying a large amount of carrots from the market without knowing if anyone would actually buy them. This route would’ve required more investment and a higher level of risk because he wouldn’t have known if there was real demand for carrots in his area. But with no way to test the waters, he might have ended up with unsold inventory.Fortunately, OurPlazi gave Jabu the freedom to test the market first without committing to a high upfront cost, making the process much easier and more manageable.Jabu and Sindi – A Perfect Match
Once Jabu decided to go ahead with his plan and secured his carrots from the storage hub, it was time for him to market his produce.Sindi, a local customer, had been looking for a reliable source of fresh vegetables. She wanted to buy carrots, but the usual vendors were either too expensive or far away. When Sindi heard about Jabu’s carrot stand through the OurPlazi App, she was curious. She didn’t have to make a trip to his stall or call him everything was handled through the app.
Through OurPlazi, Sindi could see Jabu’s profile, browse his products, and even chat with him directly without having to exchange personal numbers. She placed an order for fresh carrots, and the app sent her real-time updates on when the product would arrive.Sindi didn’t have to leave her home or worry about buying from unreliable vendors. Thanks to the secure payment system on the app, she paid for her carrots, and within 24 hours, Jabu delivered them to her door.
Jabu and Sindi’s transaction was a win-win: Jabu gained a new customer and made a sale, while Sindi got fresh produce without the hassle of finding a local vendor. This was the power of OurPlazi it connected people and allowed them to build trust with one another through a user-friendly interface.The Beauty of the Two Approaches: Market Test vs. Full InvestmentWhat makes this story so powerful is the fact that Jabu had two approaches to choosing how he could sell his carrots, and OurPlazi gave him the tools to test the market first. This way, he could gauge the demand for his product before making a big investment. It allowed him to start small with little risk and scale his business over time.
For Sindi, it was the opposite she didn’t need to spend hours driving around or trying to find someone who was selling fresh vegetables. OurPlazi gave her the option to connect with a reliable local vendor and get the vegetables she needed conveniently. This streamlined process made her shopping experience simple and stress-free.In the long run, this symbiotic relationship between Jabu (the seller) and Sindi (the buyer) is exactly what the OurPlazi App is designed to do it brings people together and creates opportunities for both sides.
Jabu’s journey from unemployed young man to entrepreneur is just the beginning. As more people in his community use OurPlazi, Jabu will be able to grow his business, find new products to sell, and connect with more local buyers. And for customers like Sindi, they will have access to fresh, affordable, and local goods without the hassle of traditional shopping methods.