Pledgecircle: a Mobile-first, Whatsapp-integrated Platform and the Digital Transformation of Communal Giving in Uganda

Communal giving, known locally as Ekibina or through various other cultural names, is a deeply entrenched socio-economic practice in Uganda, serving as a critical safety net and catalyst for community development. However, traditional models are constrained by geographical limitations, inefficiency, lack of transparency, and security risks. This paper proposes and analyses "PledgeCircle," a theoretical mobile-first fundraising platform designed to digitize and scale this practice. By leveraging Uganda's high mobile penetration rate and the ubiquitous use of WhatsApp, PledgeCircle integrates a USSD/SMS backbone with a WhatsApp Business API front-end to create an accessible, secure, and transparent system for managing communal funds. This research examines the socio-technical design principles of such a platform, its potential impact on financial inclusion, the challenges of implementation, and its role in the broader digital transformation of informal financial ecosystems in Sub-Saharan Africa. We argue that a context-aware, hybrid-technology model like PledgeCircle can significantly enhance the efficiency, reach, and trust in traditional giving circles, fostering greater financial resilience and community empowerment