About Southshore
Learn more about our history.
Our Story
Amid the Covid-19 pandemic peak, stringent preventive SOPs highlighted the need for global internet access. In Uganda, our telecom service centres closed shop, so Ssemulugo Martin led Mulungi Praise and Mutesi Rehema Hussein, to pitch an idea of setting up internet kiosks at Covid-19 vaccination centres to local telecom firms. In 2 months, 10 kiosks were operational hence the need for effective management led to the birth of South Shore. We have impacted over 25,000 individuals and businesses and still reaching far. We have evolved and transitioned from temporary kiosks to providing WiFi community hotspots.
Currently, our main focus is catering to University students in Kampala's hostels within Kampala metropolitan. In this digitalized era, we value their education journey thus we capitalize on the wide spanning optical fiber infrastructure to bring to them cheap and super-fast internet.
Amid the Global crisis courtesy of the Covid-19 Pandemic, the normal was shattered and the new-normal took pace. Remote operations took shape in the education, business and employment world. Sad to note is that this remote mode of daily activity was derailed by high internet costs i.e. One Gigabyte of mobile internet in Uganda costs, on average, 1.32 U.S. dollars as compared to Rwanda where the same costs, on average, 1.10 U.S. dollars.
In response Mr. Martin Ssemulugo and colleagues co-founded South Shores with less than 100USD and a borrowed 4G smartphone. Our first home was at Entebbe Mayor's Garden, which was a major Covid-19 Vaccination Centre in Entebbe. Initially, our aim was to provide affordable internet access to individuals and businesses to enable them thrive in the digital world.
At that time, we took proactive measures by establishing multiple temporary internet access points near various polling stations in Entebbe to provide essential VPN services during the 2021 general election when Internet access was shut down by the central government.
Given our dedication, our team has expanded to 14 members from 6 members, and reached over 5,000 people within Entebbe City in Uganda. Vaccination centers were our springboard and now we are into establishing community hotspots as south shore and where necessary, we partner with interested stakeholders and entrepreneurs within Kampala metropolitan areas.
Our services and products portfolio ranges from: SIM Cards, internet data bundles, internet access devices like smartphones, and Mi–Fi Routers which have been consumed by over 25,000 people to date and birthed over 250 jobs. We also boast of over 10 outdoor internet kiosks with the most recent being situated at Biko Hostel in Bugolobi Kampala with over 400 students.
Timeline
This timeline encapsulates the journey of South ShoreCommencement of operations
South shore launched operations at vaccinatin centers thru collaboration with ISPs. Initial range of services and products included SIM card sales and registration services, bill payments, technical IT support.2021Expansion in Entebbe city
Our footprints reached 6 surbubs of Entebbe city. Retail and Shopping: (Entebbe S&S Shopping Mall, Imperial Mall, Entebbe Central Market). Recreation and Leisure: (Entebbe Mayor's Gardens, Entebbe Children's Park, Entebbe Leisure Gardens, Entebbe Botanical Gardens).2022Expansion in Entebbe city metropolitan
Agriculture and Markets: (Entebbe Farmers Market Kitooro, Kawuku Trading Centre, Entebbe Abayita Ababiri Market, Kajjansi Market)Transportation: (Entebbe Bus Park, Nakiwogo Landing Site, Kasenyi Landing site).2023
Expansion to Kampala
We introduced community hot spots in kampala i.e. Biko Hostel.We have over 200 subscribers in just 2.5 months 2023