When you think about Gaza, a country with fierce political and business restrictions, it does not seem to be the best place for an entrepreneur to start up a business. Mariam Abultewi is a young entrepreneur who, despite these restrictions, was able to create a business that provides lots of value to the citizens of Gaza.
Wasselni is the name of her business and it is similar to the ride sharing company Uber, but has some key differences. This ride sharing application allows people to find nearby taxi drivers and facebook friends willing to give rides. The main difference from Uber is that Wasselni does not allow people to get rides from strangers, only facebook friends and registered taxi drivers.
Some of the challenges that the company faces is the country’s lack of a 3G network, limited electricity, and a blockage on the boarders of Gaza. Regardless of these limitations, Wasselni has still grown into a successful company and seems to have a bright future.
I like the initiative and insight that Abultewi had with creating this service. He saw how a mobile platform was already being used for taxi services in other countries, and adapted it to his location. Hopefully his service will be improved with better government and infrastructure.
This is a great idea! I really like the fact that it brings a secure aspect to it by only allowing you to connect with Facebook friends and registered taxi drivers. Also, I find it very encouraging that in spite of all the challenges facing them they are still doing well.
It is really cool to see young entrepreneurs work within their means and countries. Hopefully this allows many people to travel safer!