DAR ES SALAAM — For years, thousands of young Tanzanians have faced a frustrating paradox: full of energy, skills, and ambition, yet locked out of formal employment and struggling to access decent work. But a homegrown digital platform, Daywaka, is changing that reality — restoring dignity, structure, and hope to the country’s job-seeking youth.
Access to capital, reliable markets, and consistent job opportunities often feels out of reach for many young people. But Daywaka, founded in 2023 by a group of Tanzanian tech innovators, is now connecting thousands of informal workers, freelancers, and artisans directly with verified employers — cutting out middlemen and bringing transparency to the job market.
“Our goal is to make job hunting a moment of pride, not desperation,” says Daywaka co-founder, Asha Mwampamba, a 28-year-old software engineer and social entrepreneur. “We believe that every young person, whether a mechanic, tailor, or data analyst, deserves to be valued for their skill and time.”
The platform operates as a digital marketplace where workers can create verified profiles, list their skills, set fair rates, and receive direct bookings for short- or long-term work. Employers, in turn, are able to post job openings, view worker ratings, and ensure secure digital payments.
Since its launch, Daywaka has grown to serve over 150,000 users across Dar es Salaam, Arusha, and Mwanza. The platform reports that over 60 percent of its registered users are aged between 18 and 30, many of whom were previously unemployed or underemployed.
One of them is Michael Mnyandu, a 25-year-old plumber from Temeke who used to rely on word-of-mouth for work. “Before Daywaka, I would sometimes go weeks without income. Now I get two or three jobs a week. I can plan my life, pay rent, and even save,” he says.
Beyond job matching, Daywaka is tackling one of Tanzania’s most persistent economic challenges: informality. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, nearly 78% of young workers are engaged in the informal sector, with limited access to contracts, social protection, or credit.
To address this, Daywaka integrates a digital verification system that authenticates users’ identities and work histories.
Through partnerships with financial institutions, verified users can access microloans, training scholarships, and health insurance packages — benefits that were previously inaccessible to informal workers.
“We’re building not just a gig economy, but a fair economy,” says Mwampamba. “We want digital work to come with respect, protection, and opportunity.”
Daywaka’s success has drawn attention from policymakers and private sector leaders. In June 2025, the platform signed an agreement with the Ministry of Labour, Youth, and Employment to train 50,000 young Tanzanians in digital job-readiness skills.
The initiative aligns with the government’s broader Youth Empowerment and Innovation Strategy, which seeks to create one million decent digital and green jobs by 2030.
Labour Minister Prof. Joyce Ndalichako praised Daywaka’s model, calling it “a powerful example of how technology can humanize the job market and create pathways for youth inclusion.”
In addition, Daywaka has attracted partnerships with mobile money providers like M-Pesa and Tigo Pesa, enabling instant and traceable payments — a critical step in formalizing gig work and reducing exploitation.
With its growing user base and strong impact metrics, Daywaka is now planning to expand into Kenya, Rwanda, and Zambia by 2026. Its founders envision a Pan-African platform for dignified digital labor — one where a carpenter in Dodoma can seamlessly access work in Nairobi or Kigali.
“We started with a small idea — to give young people back their confidence,” says Mwampamba. “Now we’re building a movement where Tanzanian innovation meets African opportunity.”
As the sun sets over Dar es Salaam’s busy Kariakoo streets, thousands of notifications light up on young workers’ phones — new job alerts, new opportunities, and perhaps, new beginnings.
For Tanzania’s restless, ambitious generation, Daywaka isn’t just an app. It’s a promise that the future of work can be fair, digital, and full of dignity.
