Layata is a mobile application that enables travelers who are seeking for a lift to an upcountry destination in Uganda to easily find travelers who are willing to offer a lift in exchange for some contribution to their fuel.

Every day, a lot of people travel upcountry. Some go for work and business; others travel for pleasure. It is common to find people who work in one district – and stay in another district – and they have to commute from one district to another.

The largest percentage of Ugandans do not own a car. And even those who own a car, a large percentage cannot afford the fuel expenses of driving on a long trip from one district to another.

Because of this, many Ugandan opt to travel by public means – while others resort to finding good Samaritans to give them a lift.

In an ideal world, it ought to be easy for anyone seeking for a lift to find a good Samaritan who is willing to offer the lift. Unfortunately, this is never the case – especially in Uganda.

The lack of adequate information makes it difficult to know if – and when – there exists someone heading to a particular destination that is willing to offer a lift.

On one hand, you have someone looking for a good Samaritan to give them a lift to their upcountry destination. On the other hand, you have a person who is willing to offer a lift to others – provided they contribute to his or her fuel.

These people have mutual interests and can benefit from one another. But the real dilemma is that these people seem to exist in two different worlds and do not know about each other’s existence. No one has made them aware that there exists someone who can help them fulfill their need.

It is important that these people get to know about each other’s existence; and it is against this background that we decided to create a platform that will make it easier for travelers who are seeking for a lift to find travelers who are willing to offer a lift in exchange for some contribution to their fuel.

The primary goal of Layata is to promote and improve the flow of information and knowledge between travelers who are seeking for a lift and travelers who want to offer a lift in exchange for some contribution to their fuel expenses.

Our specific objectives are

1. To enable travelers to discover other travelers who are heading to their destination for the purposes of planning a joint trip where one traveler will offer to transport other travelers provided they reach an agreement; such as to share the fuel costs.
2. To enable travelers request or offer lifts to other travelers
3. To enable travelers who have agreed to pursue a joint trip to effectively plan their journey trip
4. To facilitate communication between travelers through the use of messaging and notifications

Layata makes it easier for travelers who are seeking for a lift to find travelers who are willing to give them a lift. However, the project also has additional benefits.

1. The project seeks to help upcountry travelers to cut on costs of transport
2. The project provides an opportunity for travelers to meet new people while on their trip and even make friends
3. The project helps to turn the dreaded long and lonely trips into hours of fun in the company of other travelers.