A digital address system has been unveiled by a Ugandan based tech startup that allows people to possess addresses and in turn ease service delivery. With the digital address system in Uganda, people can create, personalize and possess simple and unique addresses. Today, people have more access to fundamental services in online spheres. However, access to these services is a challenge for those without formal addresses.
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The new digital address system in Uganda will make people more traceable
The unique solution to this challenge is called the Africa Digital Address System (ADAS), an online platform aimed at providing people who live across the country with addresses with the objective of mitigating the problems of tracing people without adequate formal addresses.
ADAS works like the recently launched online postal services by government intended to facilitate delivery of services through creating digital addresses for people. One of the applications of this innovation is enabling online creation and management of Post Office Addresses (previously called P.O Box Numbers) which were previously handed out through a manual process.
According to The Independent, Yusuf Kayiwa the developer of this platform says African communities have similarities in the way their settlements are structured and face the same issues related to traceability or finding locations. “Urban and peri-urban settlements in Uganda, Kenya, Cameroon, Nigeria and many other African countries share the same characteristics. There is a challenge when identifying someone’s location,” says Kayiwa.
He explained, “With ADAS, anyone can create a digital address for exactly where they are. The service provider will then be able to locate you, using GPS and reduce chances of getting lost and wasting time.”
This new digital address system in Uganda seeks to solve this challenge by allowing more people to create addresses that are dependable and traceable.
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“One can create an address that’s unique to where they are standing at a particular moment, or even for a room in a large mall. ADAS provides permanent digital addresses for people’s homes, offices or businesses premises as well as temporary addresses you can use on the go or during an emergency situation.”
He adds that with ADAS, anyone can create a digital address for exactly where they are, even along the way if they get an emergency. The service provider will then be able to locate them using GPS and reduce chances of getting lost and wasting time’’ The app also does not need one to have a phone permanently in order to use it.
In addition to all the benefits, the new digital address system in Uganda is quite easy and quick to use as the user can create a digital address for themselves in less than a minute. “The address is created in less than a minute and has the benefit of pinpoint accuracy. We have seen complaints of users being misled by other location apps but with ADAS, we are sure to guide your way” Kayiwa explains.
There have been growing concerns surrounding digital platforms and how they manage user data. Yusuf says they had it in mind, that privacy is important. He says that ADAS addresses are created with a random numeric code. Therefore, whereas one’s code could be UG-273-205, the next-door neighbor’s code could be something like UG-408-012.
The ADAS APP is available on Google Play Store and App store via www.adas.app
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