Empowering Informal Workers in Tanzania with an Automated Voucher Selling System: Co-design with Street Traders in Tanzania

Joel Rumanyika
College of Business Education (Dodoma Campus)
Department of Information, Communication Technology and Mathematics
P.O. Box 2077, Dodoma-Tanzania
E-mail: rummjoe@gmail.com
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6048-8947

Abstract: Street trading is a dominant form of informal work that sustains livelihoods in urban Tanzania. This study designed and developed an Automated Voucher Selling System (AVSS) to address challenges associated with the manual paper-based voucher system at Machinga Complex, Dodoma, including inefficiency, inaccuracy, fraud, insecurity, and environmental waste. The system design was guided by a Design Science Research (DSR) approach integrated with a co-design process. Qualitative data were collected through in-depth interviews with 31 street traders, followed by a focus group discussion with eight key informants, to identify user requirements. The AVSS was subsequently developed, demonstrated, and tested through iterative stakeholder engagement and training sessions. System evaluation was conducted via a survey of 79 street traders, assessing transaction speed, reliability, and usability. The results show that the AVSS effectively reduced operational challenges and contributed to environmental protection by eliminating paper-based vouchers. The study demonstrates that participatory, low-cost digital solutions can enhance efficiency and reliability in informal trade. It is recommended that similar initiatives be scaled to empower other groups of informal workers in Dodoma and across Tanzania, enabling broader application of digital technologies to support business growth and market expansion.