A new mobile app is trying to remove the embarrassment some people feel when buying condoms in public. Fikisha allows users to order condoms, lubricants and other wellness products through a phone and have them delivered discreetly.
The service was developed by AD Visions and is designed to work in a similar way to ride-hailing apps. Instead of booking a cab, users select the products they want and place an order for delivery.
Gladys Muthike, head of sales at AD Visions, said the app was created after problems with the earlier Dial-a-Condom service. She said the team sometimes struggled to locate customers who had requested deliveries.
“This is an improvement from Dial-a-Condom because we realised that sometimes we could not locate a customer who called to request a condom delivery. With the app, we can see where the client is and deliver,” said Gladys Muthike.
Laban Muruthi, the programme manager, said the target users are young people who are comfortable with technology and may find it easier to order privately on a phone.
“The youth have been facing stigma when it comes to buying condoms over the counter. We expect that because they embrace technology better, this app will make more sense to them,” said Mr Muruthi.
How the app works ¶
After downloading Fikisha from the App Store or Play Store, users register with a name or nickname and a phone number. They can then choose the brand and type of condoms they want delivered.
The app also includes lubricants and other wellness products. Muruthi said the order is sent to the nearest driver or sales agent, with delivery expected within an hour.
“It is delivered in a plain and unlabelled envelope to maintain maximum privacy,” he said.
The developers said demand for condoms is highest around weekends and among office workers who want privacy when buying such items.
Fikisha is also expected to expand into reproductive health information, pregnancy test kits and HIV self-testing kits.
Muruthi said the platform could also create jobs for young people as sales agents or drivers, but they would first need accreditation and orientation before being activated.
The app has received support from the Kenya HIV Private Business Council and the National Aids Control Council, along with other partners. They hope it will reduce the stigma around buying condoms, lubricants and related products in public.
According to the National Aids Control Council, young people account for 50 per cent of new HIV infections in Kenya, with 125 young people infected every day.
The developers said they hoped Fikisha would help close that gap by making sexual and reproductive health products easier to access discreetly.
