Tanzania’s Essential Social Services (ESS) was selected the East Africa winner of the 2019 HiiL’s Justice Innovation Accelerator Challenge for its legal assurance scheme.
Essential Social Services (ESS) provides legal services to the 80% of Tanzanians that cannot afford legal representation but also are not eligible for free legal aid.
ESS came out on top and was awarded the winner of the 2019 Nairobi Regional Finals, followed by Sheria Kiganjani and Tenrent respectively.
According to HiiL, there is immense potential legal insurance (assurance) has in transforming the justice landscape especially for 80% of Tanzanians and ESS not only presents a good case for inclusive and affordable justice systems but has managed to create a small and thriving business in Dar es Salaam helping to prevent and resolve a key justice need.
Photo: The 7 East Africa Access to Justice Innovators
ESS was part of the top 7 startups which were screened from the more than 90 applications that applied from across East Africa. In the final 7 are a mixed bunch: 3 are from Tanzania, 3 from Kenya and 1 from Somaliland. The platforms, building a fair and justice society spent 3 days challenging and learning from each other before pitching to HiiL’s Justice Accelerator judging panel.
Photo: Panel discussion with Mr. Eric Kariuk(Moderator,) Mr. James Chege of Usalama Tech, Dr. Annette Mbogoh and Mr. Duncan Onyango, Team Leader and Investment Lead of Sustainable Urban Economic Development Programme (SUED) and Dr. Annette Mbogoh, Executive Director of Kituo cha Sheria.
Other startups that pitched included Sheria Kiganjani, a startup from Tanzania which enables users to access various legal information and services remotely from their devices. A&S, a legal insurance scheme from Somaliland and Reeltam Solutions Limited, a Kenyan startup that enables motorcycle owners to remotely monitor and recover their motorbike in cases of theft using their GPS-enabled tracking device.
Kenya’s Tenrent helps resolve any disputes between tenants and landlords.
Tanzania’s TAMA which promotes agricultural justice among marginalised women farmers was followed by Kenya’s Data Lock Limited which enables users to report suspected cases of child abuse using a mobile application.
Photo (from left to right): Francis Xavier Menge (Tenrent), Erick Mukiza (ESS), Neema Magimba (Sheria Kiganjani)
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