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Games Industry Africa
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The Nairobi-inspired transit game completed its first live crowdfunding effort on Jiwe IO. The funds support two new buses and ten new routes.
Funding secured. The campaign reached 100% of its KES 25,000 goal.
The Nairobi-inspired transit game Ma 3 Simulator has completed its first live crowdfunding effort on the Kenyan platform Jiwe IO, achieving 100% of a modest target and raising KES 25 000. The campaign, managed by Zawadi Games under developer Kennedy Kimeu, aimed to fund the addition of two new buses and ten new routes that expand the matatu-culture simulation. Of the total, KES 10 000 came from local supporters while two international backers contributed KES 15 000, with a final KES 9 000 pledge arriving in the last two hours to secure the finish line.
Promotion relied on a lean, community-driven approach: a three-person team leveraged LinkedIn, WhatsApp groups, an email list and three TikTok streamers to generate awareness without a large marketing budget. Jiwe IO’s model focuses on financing specific development milestones within existing projects rather than launching entirely new games, positioning Ma 3 Simulator as an early success story for this approach.
The campaign’s completion marks a milestone for both the developer and Jiwe IO, illustrating how African game creators can secure targeted funding from local and international audiences. The initiative demonstrates the viability of micro-crowdfunding for incremental updates in culturally resonant titles, and it underscores Jiwe IO’s role as a growing infrastructure for African game development.
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