Every fundi deserves a reputation
they can prove.
We built Kazinum to solve one problem: skilled workers in Nairobi do great work every day, but they have nothing to show for it. A WhatsApp forward and a prayer. Kazinum turns an agreed job and both parties' confirmations into a portable record without taking custody of payment.
The problem
Trust is broken in both directions.
A customer in Karen has no way to verify that the plumber she found in a WhatsApp group has ever actually completed a job. She goes on gut feeling, referrals from friends, and hope. She pays upfront and sometimes gets ghosted.
A plumber in Kasarani has done over 200 jobs in four years. He is honest, skilled, and reliable. But to a new customer, he looks identical to someone who has done two jobs poorly. His experience is invisible. He competes on price instead of trust.
Both sides lose. The customer overpays for uncertainty. The worker undersells his real value. The informal labor market — which is how most of Nairobi gets things done — runs on borrowed trust that breaks regularly.
"He has done 200 jobs. But to a new customer, he looks identical to someone who has done two jobs poorly."
That is the problem Kazinum exists to fix.
How we got here
Built from a real story.
Problem identified
A fundi friend gets ghosted after completing a painting job in Kilimani — the customer claims the work was never done. He has no proof. The customer gets away with it. This happens thousands of times a day across Nairobi.
Early prototype
First version tested with a small group of plumbers and electricians in Westlands. We learn that the pain point is not finding work — WhatsApp groups handle that. The pain point is trust before, during, and after.
Job Record prototype
We test a lightweight agreement and two-sided completion record: the customer pays the worker directly, private receipt details stay private, and only the confirmed outcome strengthens the worker's Card.
Expanding across Nairobi
Kazinum goes live across twelve Nairobi neighbourhoods. Electricians, cleaners, fundis, and gardeners begin building profiles backed by real work evidence.
What we believe
Our operating principles.
Proof, not promises
Trust should be based on what a worker has actually done, verified by an independent system — not what they say about themselves on a flyer.
Built for how Kenya actually works
WhatsApp and M-Pesa already handle communication and payment. Kazinum adds a Job Record where both sides can confirm the outcome without Kazinum holding the money.
Workers own their reputation
Your Kazinum Card belongs to you — not to any single app, platform, or employer. As you do more jobs, your score grows with you, permanently.
Honest incentives
Customers browse for free. Workers may choose Pro for added profile capacity and customization — never to buy a stronger trust signal or reputation tier.
Where we operate
Nairobi, Kenya.
We are currently focused on Nairobi — building the foundation properly before expanding. Active neighbourhoods include Kilimani, Kileleshwa, Westlands, Kasarani, Karen, South B, Lavington, and Ruaka. More areas are added as workers join and build their records.
An honest note
We are early. We are real.
Kazinum is a young platform. We do not inflate our numbers or fabricate social proof. We keep missing signals missing and label two-sided confirmations honestly. If you are one of the first customers or workers to join, you are part of building something that did not exist before. We would rather earn trust slowly and keep it than manufacture it and lose it.