Listen "From Spaza Shops to Scale: How Vuleka is Changing Township Economies with Brian Makwaiba"
Episode Synopsis
What if the key to transforming township economies isn’t outside investment—but collective buying power?In this episode, I sit down with Brian Makwaiba, founder of Vuleka, the multi-award-winning platform helping township spaza shops and informal businesses compete on equal footing. We unpack how Vuleka’s hybrid online-offline model makes bulk buying simple, builds credit profiles for unbanked entrepreneurs, and turns everyday shopkeepers into a powerful economic force.From navigating tech adoption in low-connectivity areas to using data to unlock new opportunities, Brian shares the grit, innovation, and community-led thinking driving Vuleka’s growth. This is a masterclass in building tech that works for the people who need it most—while keeping impact and sustainability at the core.
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