Remote work is great until the power goes out (a not-so-new norm in South Africa). Unless you’ve got a UPS or the good-old generator, you’ll either have to wait it out or find a place to work from and hope they’ve got electricity.
Necessity is the mother of innovation and the need for electricity has sparked great ideas on the continent.
Western Cape app developer, Tristan Klement has launched an app to help you find workspaces with electricity. You’ll be directed to places like restaurants and cafes – though if you’re able, maybe bring a portable Wi-Fi with you. After struggling to find spaces to work and study from, thanks to Eskom’s load shedding, Klement developed Remotable – an app with about 60 locations that you can work from. Klement plans to add more locations as time goes on and the user base (hopefully) grows.
Another one: Kazi can help you meet your next employer or service provider
In Kenya, Granville Wafula and Mwenesi Musalia created the Kazi app. The app allows job seekers and potential employers to meet, negotiate and set terms for available jobs on an ad-hoc basis. You’ll also find remote work opportunities on the app. A built-in feature can locate jobs in your area so you don’t have to spend much on fuel if you find a job that you need to physically go in for.
Read More: Guess who’s back — it’s load shedding
“Finding suitable people for jobs isn’t easy in Nairobi. Traditionally we rely on networking – contacting friends or relatives in the hopes that they know someone that they can recommend. You would then need to contact the worker involved and hope they have the time to help out. It can be a drawn-out, stressful process, especially if a need is urgent,” says Granville.
The app offers job opportunities for both qualified skilled job seekers and unskilled labourers looking for work. Applicants are vetted and official documents, including ID d and formal qualifications, are recorded. The app requires you to submit references so your new employer can do a background check.
Kazi does not seem to be that different from most apps that advertise jobs, but it does seem to make the recruitment process faster and offers more engagement between job seekers and employers.
Source: GoodThingsGuy
