Uganda - Business creation project

Describe your project or startup in a few words

A digital system solution that provides affordable and easy access to legal counsel and support by the marginalized poor people and this will be done by harnessing technology, implementing alternative fee structures, and advocating for policy reforms.

01.01 Describe your project in more detail

The participatory poverty assessment (PPA) report on safety , security, and access to justice, conducted by JLOS IN 2002, indicates that “the poor have not utilized the formal justice dispensing systems due to expensive, cumbersome and complex procedures within judicial processes” (PPA, 2002:29). It was revealed that court fees, bribes, transport costs limit the poor from accessing legal services. I intend to start my own enterprise offering affordable legal counsel and information to minority groups through modern technology for wider outreach and easy access to legal information. I intend to develop and grow a digital platform that can be accessed on a cellphone offering legal support to the poor in hard to reach areas. The platform brings together a team of professional advocates, law students and volunteers using this digital system accessible via mobile phones by the target audience to provide easy access and affordable legal counsel.

01.02 What is the main problem you are trying to solve?

Despite the positive strides Uganda has made in improving the social welfare of it’s people, access to justice by the poor in marginalized economies is still a pertinent challenge. The Ugandan justice system has been reported to suffer from severe backlogs of pending cases, poor enforcement mechanisms, and extortion, all of which make justice less reliable and expensive. The poor are often forced to take matters in their own hands and resort to violence on the purported criminals which further perpetuates civil unrest. This has been the trend particularly in property, rape and gender based violence cases. Reliance on local council chairpersons who are unskilled and less conversant with the law breeds grounds for corruption, bribery by the more privileged, and gender biases in some cultures hence inequitable decisions being taken. This unfair deprivation of access to fair representation and hearing is more than just a violation of human rights and further deepens the income gap.

01.03 Tell us the major benefits and/or advantages of using the product/service that your project intends to provide (at least 3).

Reliance on local council chairpersons who are unskilled and less conversant with the law breeds grounds for corruption, bribery by the more privileged, and gender biases in some cultures hence inequitable decisions being taken. The digital platform eliminates the probabilities of gender bias and equips the individual with prior knowledge to protect themselves from extortion and bribery. This system will cut out transport costs of reaching a lawyer, increase general awareness of the public on legal processes and provide easy access to professional help when need arises.

01.04 Please describe who exactly your project is aimed at serving. Who are the targeted beneficiaries?

There are negative sentiments towards the Ugandan justice system and how it favors the rich. The participatory poverty assessment (PPA) report on safety , security, and access to justice, conducted by JLOS IN 2002, indicates that “the poor have not utilized the formal justice dispensing systems due to expensive, cumbersome and complex procedures within judicial processes” (PPA, 2002:29). It was revealed that court fees, bribes, transport costs limit the poor from accessing legal services. The Ugandan justice system has been reported to suffer from severe backlogs of pending cases, poor enforcement mechanisms, and extortion, all of which make justice less reliable and expensive. The poor are often forced to take matters in their hands resorting to mob justice or just drawn unfairly to silence. The targeted beneficiaries of this project are poor people in need of legal support and counsel.

01.05 When did you start working on your project?

2023-08-01

01.06 How many other partners are associated with your business venture?

1

01.07 Among the other partners, how many are female?

1

01.08 Please describe the profile of each of the other partners (skills, experience, etc.)

I am currently the vision bearer of this project and I hold a bachelors degree in Business Computing from Makerere University Business school. With time, i intend to onboard professional lawyers and law students to offer legal counsel to the target audience. Currently, i work with Uganda Registration services Bureau in the Business Registration department where i have obtained 90% of the exposure to the challenges faced by the poor people in obtaining legal counsel. In 2016, i volunteered at Tumwesigye Louis & co advocates where i was exposed to the hefty fees required for one to pursue a law suit to rightfully obtain what belongs to them. It is with this background that i have grown a desire to contribute a solution to this problem.

01.09 If you have a website, a social media page (Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin…), or app, please provide the link here:

01.10 Which industry best describes your project?

h) IT (digital services, equipment and software)

02.01.01 My project contributes to the No poverty goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification

By cutting down costs in obtaining legal counsel, we shall have narrowed the gap of access to services by the poor thus contributing to their economic development. The digital platform eliminates the probabilities of gender bias and equips the individual with prior knowledge to protect themselves from extortion and bribery. This system will cut out transport costs of reaching a lawyer, increase general awareness of the public on legal processes and provide easy access to professional help when need arises. Ultimately, the poor people save this money and invest it in other ventures that focus on improving their personal livelihood.

02.02.01 My project contributes to the Zero hunger goal

5

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification

02.03.01 My project contributes to the Good health and well-being goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification

02.04.01 My project contributes to the Quality education goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification

02.05.01 My project contributes to the Gender equality goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification

02.06.01 My project contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

5

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification

02.07.01 My project contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

3

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification

02.08.01 My project contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

5

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification

02.09.01 My project contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

5

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification

02.10.01 My project contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification

02.11.01 My project contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

6

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification

02.12.01 My project contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

4

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification

02.13.01 My project contributes to the Climate action goal

3

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification

02.14.01 My project contributes to the Life below water goal

2

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification

02.15.01 My project contributes to the Life on land goal

5

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification

02.16.01 My project contributes to the Peace justice and strong institutions goal

5

02.16.02 Peace justice and strong institutions - Justification

02.17.01 My project contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

4

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification

05.01 There are a large number of customers who already use a product/service very similar to the product/service we envision creating.

1 - Strongly Disagree

05.02 The product/service we envision creating represents an entirely new type of product/service.

6

05.03 The product/service we envision creating could be described as a new technology.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.04 The product/service we envision creating is an improvement on an existing product or service.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.05 The product/service we envision creating could be described as an extension of a range of products or services.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.06 The product/service we envision creating responds to a demand or need that has not been satisfied by other products/services.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.07 The product/service we envision creating is a new version of an old product/service.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.08 Justification

My project brings something new in the legal realm. This is due to the conservative nature of legal work. My project brings a new technology accessible by the poorest person in Uganda offering legal counsel over a phone call. It is an extension of existing legal information by passing it down to the locals, in their local dialect, by a professional with their interests at heart. I do not know anyone doing this in Uganda so far.

05.09 Who are your main potential competitors and what makes you stand out from them?

My main competitors are established law firms. However, they all suffer from high perceived costs by their clients, are not easily accessible by poor people in the villages and are not proficient in all languages hence can only serve a medium of the population. Our digital solution links the customer to a professional lawyer without consideration of place and time as it has been scheduled prior.

10.06 Are you initiating actions within your community to promote the role of female entrepreneurs?

Yes i am. I am very keen on employing females and forming partnerships with firms that are ready to support women especially in gender based violence crimes.