Kinyera Ivan Ouma, is a 28 year old Social Entrepreneur from Gulu city in Northern Uganda who set up Bodalivery in March 2020 with fellow social entrepreneur Odong Tony. Their vision was to create job opportunities for the youth in the Gulu city community. This driver of youth oriented job creation combines with their passion to bridge the gap between sellers and their customers.
Odong 
Kinyera
Bodalivery’s operating model is based on receiving phone calls and orders that customers make through their social media handles including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. They strive to understand what the customer needs and help them shop or to have their purchases delivered speedily. Bodalivery has quickly expanded to employ seven people who work in different departments of the company covering four different departments that are human resources, finance, mechanical and administration. Ultimate control is exercised by the board of directors. The team includes Kinyera as Chief Executive Officer; an operational manager; one public/ customer relations officer; one shopping agent and four delivery workers. As the CEO Kinyera oversees the daily operations of Bodalivery.
Bodaivery faces a number of operational challenges. At the top of the list are the mechanical problems of the delivery motorbikes and difficulties in obtaining the right human resource. There are important financial consequences in the daily operations of the company for example, when a client orders for expensive goods and the run short of money to meet our daily targets otherwise known as cash flow issues. Covid 19 has severely affected the company as has the slow response by the general public due to the negative bias or perception they have about modern delivery companies.
Bodalivery made an early decision to formally register their delivery business in Gulu city unlike other delivery companies that are not formally recognized. The Kinyera and Odong recognized this as an important step in building customer confidence around their brand and company. .
Unlike many other companies Bodalivery set out clear the social and educational aims of Bodalivery from day one. They aim to employ both directly and indirectly the community vendors at different market places within the city so as to eradicate poverty within the community and empower women financially. Bodalivery seeks to reduce the impact of its operations on the environment by campaigning on projects to sensitize such as reducing the use of polythene bags within the Gulu city community; delivering the customers goods in customized environmental friendly packaging bags; joining different social campaigns and workshops, for example, Immunization campaigns and rubbish collection campaigns within the community.
Bodalivery aims to change the world and people’s perceptions by introducing this new form of delivery service in Gulu city which uses customer related programmes like delivering packages with customized messages encouraging the community to embrace the digital world. They are also driving an agent coaching programme that is guiding and teaching employees on how to live in the community and behave respectfully boosting them morally and also give an impression to clients so that they understand that the people who work within Bodalivery operate with integrity and honesty and serve the community.
Feedback from customers is encouraging especially around the way the company has helped them during the pandemic in offering lifesaving services easing access to prescribed medicines and delivering them to their door steps rather forcing them to visit doctors or hospitals.