Innovation on Every Shelf: DIME’s journey to safer, smarter township retail

In the swirling energy of township streets — where spaza shops (local, informal convenience stores) are part of daily life — a quiet revolution is underway. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is driving this transformation through DIME (Digital Innovation for Modernising the Independent Economy). DIME is reimagining township retail from the inside out. Through women-led community imbizos, spaza owners shape the solutions they need. With the Sphazamisa App, food-safety standards move from policy to practice, giving shop owners real-time guidance to protect customers. Youth digital ambassadors and targeted training bring the know-how to every counter, turning innovation into a daily habit. And as peers across Africa take note, a continental exchange of good practice is emerging.

A Dialogue That Listens
DIME doesn’t start with technology. It begins with people. By convening women-led community imbizos (dialogue forums), the programme brings together spaza owners — particularly women — to share their experiences, voice their challenges, and shape the solutions they really need. These imbizos ensure that the future of township retail is not only digital, but rooted in respect, dignity, and lived realities. 

From Policy to Practice: The Sphazamisa App
One of DIME’s cornerstones is the Sphazamisa App, a digital tool designed to bring food-safety regulations down to the shop floor. Rather than being an abstract set of rules, food safety becomes a daily, practical habit: shop owners can use the app to check compliance in real time, store goods properly, and build safer environments for customers. 

Young digital ambassadors — recruited from township communities — support this process. They work side by side with spaza shop owners, helping them navigate the app and embedding digital know-how at every counter. 

Youth Leadership Meets Social Responsibility
DIME’s approach empowers youth not only with technical skills but also with a sense of purpose. Equipped with digital tools and mentorship, these ambassadors are becoming local leaders — advocates for food safety, trust, and innovation. Their role is more than operational; they represent a bridge between technology and community, modernising the informal economy one shop at a time. 

Redefining Pride and Ownership
In the shops themselves, change is tangible. Through DIME’s support and the Sphazamisa App, shop owners are reorganising products, improving storage practices, and elevating hygiene standards. But beyond compliance, there’s something deeper: a sense of pride. For some, it’s not just about meeting regulations — it’s about serving their community with dignity. 

Women at the Center
Township economies rely heavily on women — they run households, feed families, run spaza shops, and sustain informal markets. DIME recognizes that. Its imbizo series amplifies women’s voices, ensuring that technology and policy don’t just reflect but respond to their lived experience. 

Scaling Impact Across Africa
What started in South Africa is catching the eye of leaders across the continent. UNDP has invited Resident Representatives from countries like Lesotho and Senegal to cross-border exchanges so they can learn from the DIME model. The message is clear: informal retail doesn’t have to lag behind — it can lead. 

A Movement, Not Just a Project
This isn’t a short-lived pilot. DIME is building a network of community champions — thousands of spaza shop owners, youth leaders, and local stakeholders — to drive long-term, systemic change. By injecting innovation into everyday corners of township life, the initiative is reimagining how local economies work: safe, digital, and inclusive. 

Why This Matters

• Food Safety: By making compliance accessible, communities become safer.
• Economic Inclusion: Informal businesses, often overlooked, are plugged into the digital economy.
• Youth Empowerment: Young people take ownership of change, serving their own neighborhoods.
• Gender Equality: Women’s leadership in retail is recognized and strengthened.
• Sustainability: A model is emerging that can scale and be shared across Africa.