I once hinted at the business idea of starting an errand business service in Zimbabwe. This business idea can be rolled out for any industry – there are countless possible approaches. I was recently impressed when I came across someone who is now pursuing that line of business. With the tagline “life is busy, we can help”, Tuma Kerri offers several errand services. They range from medical prescription picking to airport pickups and drops, grocery shopping and personal shopping. They also include courier and delivery services; party planning, and project management. They also do appointment scheduling, wedding, and anniversary planning assistance. Moving coordination, de-cluttering, sorting, and organizing are also their areas of focus. Overall, it is essentially any errand that you might want to be done. I recently had a conversation with the brains behind the business and this is how it went down.

Kindly Tell Us Who You Are Including Your Goals And Objectives

I am Kerita Tawana Choga aged am 34. I am the founder of Tuma Kerri Errand Services. Our goals are:

  • To serve our customers to their maximum satisfaction.
  • To take away the burden of day to day errands and ensure we complement our customers by taking care of their errands while they concentrate on other issues.
  • To run projects for our clients wherever they are located. To help the diasporans in having projects or errands done back home.

Our objectives are:

  • To take the burden away from busy executives, business people, employees, and individuals doing their errands in and around Zimbabwe.
  • To ensure that our clients’ loved ones are catered for in times when service delivery is needed. We know life is busy so we want to free up time for our clients.
  • To efficiently and timeously handle errands and projects for the diaspora community. Being the plug they can rely on, offering stage by stage accountability.

When And How did Tuma Kerri start?

Tuma Kerri started in November 2020. I was going through a terrible heartbreak; l could barely eat or sleep. In that turmoil l just started brainstorming; l wanted something that could occupy me, keep me busy. Generally, l love driving and playing music so errand services suited my personality. I had been doing errands for a cousin in Canada and a friend in Johannesburg. I just asked myself, “what if l can get 10 more people like these two.”

I realized that people in the diaspora struggle to have things done back home. Some have elderly parents who need regular doctor visits; others have construction projects and so on. My idea was to bring a reliable solution. We all know some have been duped by family and friends in looking for solutions. Thus l said to myself, “why can l not be there for them and handle their things professionally whilst providing accountability and honesty.”

Then boom the idea became a business plan and after consulting my mentors, Tuma Kerri was launched on the 12th of November 2020.

What Is Your Long Term Vision?

Diaspora remittances in Zimbabwe recently reach over a billion dollars. My vision is to have just 5 per cent of it passing through Tuma Kerri – an audacious vision! We look forward to having a fleet comprising a wide range of vehicles from bikes, trucks, SUVs, to sedans. These will essentially be vehicles that suit each errand. Our vision is to also engage the corporate world where they will outsource our services as they focus on their core business. We aim to be reliable personal assistants always, on the go.

Tell Us About Your Team – Its Size And Composition

At present, I am still doing most of the work on my own. However, I have established relationships with experienced people in critical fields. If l get overwhelmed my dad, mum and brother always help. I also subcontract other players where possible.

Currently, How Do You Cater For Your Financial And Material Needs?

We are currently funding our business from the initial capital outlay and also from cash flows generated from our daily operations.

What Form Of Assistance Would You Need To Optimize And Grow Your Work?

We are looking at growing the business and would appreciate partners who can come in and work with us. We would greatly appreciate it if we can get assistance in establishing relationships with our diaspora market. If we can get assistance in marketing to the diaspora constituency, that would be great.

That is what you need to know about Tuma Kerri. Those willing to assist and establish relationships with Tuma Kerri can contact them through their business number, email, and social media sites. The business number is +263 717 605 397 – it is for both voice calls and WhatsApp. The email address is keritachoga@gmail.com.  You can connect with them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Trust Tuma Kerri; they have got you covered for all your needs and transparency in all they do is their motto. Time is of the essence!