The Khekheli Story
We started khekheli with a very simple idea: to bring buying and selling closer to the customer on social media, right where they spend most of their time.
Over time, social media has evolved from a public town square into something more personal — like a living room — driven by private groups, channels, and communities. The way content spreads has also changed. Follower counts no longer define reach; algorithms now amplify genuine content, allowing even small creators to go viral.
This shift has opened new doors for micro-vendors, enabling them to build communities and connect directly with customers. Across Africa, thousands of these micro-vendors are already active on WhatsApp, Instagram, and TikTok.
However the same algorithms that power discovery also make visibility difficult. Cutting through the noise requires paid ads — and that's where micro-vendors hit a wall. High advertising costs, complex dashboards, and steep learning curves make traditional ad platforms nearly impossible to navigate. As a result, most micro-vendors fall back on DIY posting, which often looks unprofessional and gets lost in crowded feeds.
Finding our Feet
So, we asked ourselves a simple question: What if the people already on social media could become micro-marketers themselves? That's the idea that inspired Khekheli.
We built a simple tool that allows vendors to upload flyers, set affordable budgets, add locations and CTAs, and publish ads — while enabling individuals, whom we call promoters, to share those ads within their own social circles. Promoters post these ads on WhatsApp Status, Instagram Stories, and Facebook, earning rewards for verified engagements.
Since launching our MVP, we've verified over 1,000 promoters who share ads daily and earn consistent income.
Khekheli makes social media and online advertising accessible, affordable, and authentic for every small and medium-sized business to:
- Boost visibility without managing complex ad dashboards.
- Get easily discovered by their ideal customers on social media where buying and selling happens more often.
- Turn everyday social media users into brand ambassadors who promote your products for you.
Reselling
But soon after launch, we discovered something unexpected. Many advertisers weren't just running brand awareness campaigns — they were trying to sell products. They'd include WhatsApp links in their CTAs, allowing potential buyers to chat directly. However, a major pain point quickly emerged: trust and payments. Vendors could generate leads but struggled to convert them because buyers were hesitant to send money directly.
To solve this, we decided to take the next step: reselling. Now, vendors will be able to list products directly on Khekheli. Promoters can discover these products, add their profit margins, and share them across their networks — effectively becoming micro-resellers. Khekheli handles the hard parts: order management, payment processing, delivery, and fulfillment.
Why We're Building for Social Media
Social media isn't just for chatting and connecting with friends and families anymore — it's where buying and selling mostly happens especially in Africa and other emerging markets. From product inquiries to payment negotiations, vendors depend on platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram, and TikTok to run their businesses. Features such as Status/Stories updates, Channels and even @ mentions; are now prime ideal real estate for marketing.
With Khekheli, your ad shows up not as a sponsored post buried in a feed, but as a trusted update on people's statuses, stories, and contents — where it's more likely to be seen, noticed, and acted upon by their audiences.
Whether you're a small business owner looking to boost sales, or a regular social media user seeking an extra income stream, Khekheli is for you.