nguzo

Nguzo is a peer-to-peer marketplace for buying and selling
second-hand goods locally in Burundi.

List an item in under 2 minutes. Browse by category, price,
and GPS proximity. Message sellers directly in the app —
without sharing your personal phone number.

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THE PROBLEM NGUZO ADDRESSES

In Burundi, buying and selling used goods currently depends
on WhatsApp group posts, word of mouth, and informal roadside
markets. These channels share common limitations:

- Listings disappear quickly in busy group chats
- Search is not possible across items or sellers
- Buyers and sellers have no way to verify each other
- There is no geolocation — you cannot find what is near you
- There is no record of transaction history or seller reputation

The result: usable items are discarded, fair prices are hard
to reach, and transactions often do not happen at all.

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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Every item sold on Nguzo is an item that does not end up
discarded prematurely. Functional goods — clothing,
electronics, kitchenware, furniture — often enter landfills
not because they have stopped working, but because their owner
could not find a buyer.

Nguzo creates the missing channel. Each completed transaction
extends the useful life of an object, reduces demand for new
manufactured goods, and keeps materials in circulation longer.

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ECONOMIC IMPACT

Burundi's informal economy represents approximately 70% of GDP.
Most households own items of value they no longer use — clothing
their children have outgrown, appliances replaced after an
upgrade, tools no longer needed after a move.

Nguzo turns these idle assets into accessible income. No initial
investment is required. No physical store is needed. A seller
only needs a smartphone and the items already in their home.

This applies equally to individual households looking to recover
value from a single sale, and to small traders who can use the
platform to reach buyers beyond their immediate neighborhood.

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SOCIAL IMPACT

Nguzo operates on GPS proximity. Buyers see listings from
sellers in their own area — their quartier, their commune.
This means transactions happen between neighbors, not strangers
at a distance.

Seller profiles build a record of reliable behavior
over time. In-app messaging creates a traceable, accountable
channel for communication. These features together build the
kind of local trust that informal markets rely on, but in a
structured and searchable form.

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HOW IT WORKS

1. Create a listing — photograph your item, add a description
and price, and publish. GPS coordinates are attached to help
nearby buyers find it.

2. Browse locally — search by category, filter by price, and
sort by distance. Listings persist until sold or removed.

3. Connect in-app — message a seller directly through the app.
Your personal phone number is never shared.

4. Meet and trade — arrange to meet in a public place, verify
the item, and complete the exchange in person. All
transactions happen offline, between people.

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PLATFORM DETAILS

- Free to download and free to list
- Available on Android and iOS
- Designed for low-end Android devices and variable
connectivity conditions
- Interface available in English, French, Kirundi, and Kiswahili
- Governed by the laws of the Republic of Burundi
- Privacy Policy and Terms of Use available at https://nguzo.netlify.app/privacy

Contact: support.nguzo@gmail.com