Mama Fua is an app that helps cleaning ladies get access to jobs in a convenient manner. This has helped reduce the hustle they go through knocking from door to door looking for work. Stephine Ngutah is the founder and CEO of the app.
Mama Fua has become popular in Eldoret where it was launched. According to a 2022 article by Qazini, it was revealed that the mama fuas using the app can make anything between Ksh1,000 to Ksh2,000 in a day.
Zachary and Stephine are brothers who saw the struggles their mother went through in a polygamous family. She died while they were still young and the app seeks to help women, just like their mother.
Here is the story as told by WoK.
Education
Stephine has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management from Daystar University and a bachelor in international relations and affairs from United States International University- Africa.
previously, Ngutah worked as the director of Campus Hub.
Mama fua app: how it works
Mama Fua was conceived by Zachary and Stephine while they were studying at Daystar University. They later partner with others to launch it. They wanted to dignify the mama fua profession by not only helping the women but the clients as well.
Before launching it, they visited mama fuas across Eldoret and Nairobi and gathered as much information s possible
“Our experience with mama fuas involved fluctuating prices, substandard services, poor time-keeping, lack of professionalism, theft and communication challenges. On their end, there were troubling experiences with clients including unjust pay, sexual assault, verbal abuse and more – these varied experiences are what birthed the business idea,” Stephine told Nation in 2022.
They launched the app in November 2021 in Eldoret with 250 trained service providers. The women are trained about laundry sorting and garment care, ironing and folding, surface cleaning different surfaces, using washing machines, financial literacy, GBV and first aid among other things.
How it works
Domestic workers key in their contact and profile. Those looking to hire can pick from the profiles and explain the services they require. Clients log in and can thereafter locate workers within their vicinity and choose whomever they want. They are then charged per hour or per basket of clothing.
“It is like hailing taxi that charges according to the pick up and drop points. The app charges according to the services and time spent in accomplishing the chosen household chores requested,” Stephine told Qazini. The app currently has more than 3000 domestic workers.
Their major clientele are the young professionals who belong to the upper middle class. They want efficient and fast services, such as someone to clean, iron, cook and take care of their children.
The app has itemized options with even laundry being an itemized service. There are various laundry services offered with each having a price attached to it. This enables a customer to click the service and determine the quality.
Security features
The client has to pay and check out before he/she is given the contact details of the worker. According to the founder, this prevents opportunities for gender based violence and ensures that only serious people use the app.
The app also has a hotline that is used in case of a security breach for both clients and service providers.
The founders also worked with law enforcement authorities to develop security responses. It also comes in with some built-in legal services which helps to reduce risks for both the worker and customer. Their E-contract is also binding to the users.
