Kampala, Uganda — A new chapter for Africa’s digital workforce is unfolding with the rise of Upkazi, the continent’s first freelance platform built to connect skilled youth with real work opportunities while helping businesses hire quickly, safely, and fairly.
Founded by Charlie Brian, a young Ugandan tech entrepreneur and youth advocate, Upkazi was created to solve a problem many Africans know too well — talented individuals sending countless CVs with no reply, getting lost on crowded global platforms, or falling victim to online scams.
Upkazi provides a clear alternative: a secure, structured, mobile-first marketplace designed for African realities and open to the world.
“Africa’s youth are talented and hardworking. What has been missing is infrastructure that allows them to shine,” says Charlie Brian.
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“Upkazi is my way of saying: we don’t have to wait for opportunity to come from outside. We can build it ourselves.”
How Upkazi Works
Through Upkazi, freelancers can create detailed service listings that showcase their skills in areas such as design, technology, writing, translation, voice work, and business services.
Clients can find and hire professionals in three simple ways:
- Browse ready gigs and order directly.
- Request a custom offer tailored to their needs.
- Post a job request and compare proposals.
Every transaction is protected by escrow — payments are held securely and released only after the work is delivered and approved.
Unlike traditional job boards or informal social groups, Upkazi keeps all communication, delivery, and payments within the platform, ensuring transparency and building trust between freelancers and clients.
A Founder’s Journey Built on Resilience
Charlie’s path to founding Upkazi was shaped by personal experience. Like many young Africans, he faced unanswered CVs, professional setbacks, and the frustrations of being overlooked on global platforms.
Instead of giving up, he spent years building, testing, and refining a platform that would solve the key challenges facing African talent — lack of visibility, trust gaps, and limited access to reliable payments.
What began as a personal vision in 2023 evolved into a structured, functioning marketplace by 2025. To Charlie, Upkazi is more than a startup; it’s a movement born from lived experience and determination to create real opportunities for Africa’s youth.
Compliance and Infrastructure
Upkazi has been structured in full compliance with both local and international financial systems. This enables integration with African mobile money networks, regional banks, and international payment providers such as Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, Payoneer, and Stripe.
The goal is simple — to make it easy for African freelancers to transact, receive payouts, and work with clients anywhere in the world professionally and securely.
The platform is fully integrated with Mobile Money, bank systems, Pesapal Uganda, and PayPal, ensuring seamless cross-border transactions for freelancers and clients alike.
Trust and Safety
Trust lies at the heart of Upkazi’s mission. The platform addresses the risks of scams and unfair practices that have discouraged many from freelancing online.
All accounts are verified, payments are secured in escrow, and funds are released only when work is approved. A transparent review system and dispute resolution process ensure freelancers and clients can engage confidently.
“This platform was designed for trust,” Charlie explains.
“We want freelancers and clients to feel 100% safe at every step.”
A Pan-African Movement
Launched publicly in 2025, Upkazi is already attracting freelancers and clients from Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, and beyond. It represents a new generation of digital infrastructure — built by Africans, for Africa, with the world in mind.
Upkazi’s mission is clear:
- Give African freelancers a visible, trusted platform to turn their skills into income.
- Help businesses hire skilled talent quickly and affordably.
- Build Africa’s freelance infrastructure for the digital age.
By combining mobile-first access, verified profiles, secure payments, and fair processes, Upkazi aims to create genuine opportunities for youth and reliable hiring channels for businesses.
As Africa continues to lead the world in youth population and digital adoption, initiatives like Upkazi are reshaping how work is found, delivered, and rewarded across the continent.
For more information, visit www.upkazi.com
