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How many times have you found yourself laden with luggage, with nowhere to keep it  and complete your chores before heading to your final destination? Well, you are not alone; many Kenyans have been forced to walk around town with loads of luggage for lack of short-term storage options. 

This  what prompted Carol Kanyi, a 30-year-old mother of two,  to come up with Weka Luggage, an on-demand storage mobile application. The App allows users to locate a vetted drop-off agent close to them. They then can drop their luggage  and pick it up at an appropriate time at their convenience. 

Once dropped off, security ties are attached to the luggage to prevent tampering. Insurance is also included in the storage fee, which varies depending on the type of luggage and duration.

Coffee date

“We are in the business of temporary luggage storage. With our App, you can now make the most of your travelling worry-free from carrying heavy luggage with you,” says Kanyi.

The idea was borne in 2017 when she was selling clothes, which she sourced from Gikomba market. One day, on her way from Gikomba back to her business, a friend invited her for a coffee and because she couldn’t let that opportunity pass, she had to think fast about where she could store the luggage.

Fortunately, on approaching a friend he agreed to keep the luggage for her on one condition; she won’t stay for long.  She also had to part with Sh100 fee. This  she did for the sake of her  coffee date.  And  out of this, her business was conceived.

Safe boxes

Although the business started as a spare key storage option,  but after six months, Kanyi converted it into luggage storage. 

“I had no clue where to start, but with the help of a friend, I came up with two options: one, to have automated luggage storage space and two, to create an app which would rope in people to work with as agents,” she explains.

However, the former didn’t materialise because of security issues. She turned to the App, now known as Weka Luggage registered under Love Solutions Information Technology Company. It currently has around 100 downloads.

“Weka Luggage gives you the peace of mind that your luggage is safe and secure and will remain so until you or your representative picks it up,” says Kanyi.

So far, three agents have come on board and are situated in different locations in the Central Business District. The agents can handle all types of luggage starting from the light ones to the executive ones. “For one to be our agent, there are some requirements. You must have enough space for storage and the required equipment such as a refrigerator and safe boxes, a good conduct certificate and a copy of your identity card.”

Weka Luggage targets locals, travellers, tourists, students from higher learning institutions, and online and e-commerce merchants without a physical outlet from where they can sell their goods. For students, they have a package that allows them to store luggage for a month at Sh3,000 only instead of going with it back home once they close for long holidays.

“The best thing with our service is that it is free for the first 30 minutes. After that, there are fixed rates depending on the luggage type,” Kanyi explains.

She reveals the business has a lot of potential if it receives the attention it deserves. “We are currently looking for funds to help us market the business since most people aren’t aware that there are storage facilities in town. This is one of the sectors, which has been ignored for long yet the potential is huge,” she says.

The company also offers long-term solutions for bulky luggage in their Utawala store.