New platform seeks to turn skills into jobs amid rising unemployment

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As many Ugandans, especially young people and workers in the informal sector, continue to grapple with unemployment, a new digital platform is aiming to help bridge the gap between skills and income opportunities.

Ugandan technologist Allan Tumuhimbise Katungye has launched ProGigFinder, an online marketplace designed to connect individuals with practical skills to people and businesses seeking services.

The platform allows workers to create digital profiles showcasing their abilities while enabling clients to post tasks or short-term jobs ranging from household chores to professional services.

Katungye said the idea behind ProGigFinder was inspired by the realities of the African labour market, where many skilled workers rely on informal networks and word-of-mouth referrals to find work.

“Most platforms were built for people who already have structure around their work—a bank account, a professional profile, clients with clear budgets. If you do not fit that picture, those platforms were not really built for you,” Katungye says.

In Uganda, many workers in fields such as cleaning, construction, plumbing and domestic services struggle to build a visible track record despite having valuable skills.

“Take a cleaner in Kampala. Right now, their entire livelihood depends on word of mouth. Someone has to know someone who might recommend them. There is no profile, no track record, no scheduled bookings, no way to show what they have done or what they are worth,” he says.

Through ProGigFinder, workers can build a record of completed jobs and receive reviews from clients, helping them gradually establish credibility and attract more opportunities.“On ProGigFinder, that same cleaner gets booked through the platform, builds a history of completed jobs, earns reviews from real clients, and can track their income and schedule in one place,” Katungye adds.

The platform also integrates mobile money payments, allowing workers to receive payments quickly without requiring a bank account or specialised equipment.

“Someone can post a small gig to get their clothes washed or their compound cleared, and on the other side, someone who needs income today can respond, do the work, and have money on their mobile money account by the end of the day. No bank account needed. No laptop. Just a phone and a skill,” he says.

According to Katungye, the platform aims to make work more accessible for people operating in the informal sector, who often have the skills but lack the systems to connect with potential clients.

“That is the gap we are closing. Not just connecting professionals to clients, but connecting the African economy to itself, across every level of work that actually happens here,” he says.

Develop solutions

Beyond the platform itself, Katungye is also encouraging young entrepreneurs to develop solutions grounded in the challenges they experience in their own communities.

“Look at the problems you live with every day as an African. The solutions to Africa’s challenges are going to come from people who grew up here and understand these problems because they have felt them personally,” he said.

He advised aspiring innovators not to wait for perfect plans before taking action.

“You do not have to be perfect right from the get-go. Think big, start small, move fast. Start before you are ready. Africa cannot afford to wait for perfect,” Katungye said.

As Uganda continues to grapple with unemployment and limited formal job creation, technology-driven platforms like ProGigFinder are emerging as new tools that could help skilled individuals transform everyday abilities into sustainable sources of income.