At your fingertips

Yolanda Nel - After a break-in at her home three years ago, an entrepreneur decided to develop an app that provides emergency contact numbers at the touch of a button.“After the armed robbery, I realised that I had no contact details on my phone for anyone – not any armed forces or the neighbourhood watch – that could respond quickly,” says Jaylee Venter, who developed HomeDome after her ordeal.The home invasion took place on Independence Day at 03:00. Fortunately she was able to hide her phone from the perpetrators. Once she found a number, the police were not answering their phones. Thankfully Jaylee was able to phone a friend that could help her.“At that moment it dawned on me that Namibia is in need of an innovation. I didn’t want any other woman in Namibia to be in the same position of helplessness,” Jaylee says. Also, she realised that people are often in a state of shock after an event like this and can’t remember telephone numbers off the top of their head.Enter HomeDomeExcept for emergency contact numbers, Jaylee’s HomeDome focuses on trustworthy and reliable service provides in Windhoek. “In basic terms, the app is like the Yellow Pages,” she says. Here you will find all available contact information (including map locations) in a top ten list of plumbers, electricians, caterers, landscapers and many others. In addition, HomeDome also supplies subscribers with the contact details of Neighbourhood Watches along with emergency numbers for hospitals, police, real estate, shopping centres and entertainment for the kids.According to Jaylee, putting the overall structure for HomeDome together and finding trustworthy SMEs to add to the app took about a year, while another year went into completing the design to the point where it is today. The app has an additional feature where the community can rate the service they experienced from listed service provides. “Their input is the cornerstone for the top ten listed companies in each category. This helps ensure that only the best of the best is available to everyone.”Ease of useThe app is extremely user friendly. Once downloaded you simply tap the icon on your mobile phone’s homepage and it will take you through the standard terms and conditions. Upon agreeing to the T&Cs, the app will open on its home page where you will see two buttons. Top left is a button that displays a list of different sections along with information and an application form. The top right “arrow” button will allow you to share the app via Skype, WhatsApp, SMS, email or Bluetooth.Jaylee says an additional “Emergency Button” will be added in the near future.“The app is for every home owner and tenant. It takes little to no space on your mobile and is free to download,” Jaylee says. “It may not be a necessity today, but you may need it tomorrow.”With HomeDome you can find a trusted company to help you with your home situation in a flash – at your convenience and within your budget.The only costs involved are for the companies who wish to advertise on the mobile app platform. Currently advertising is free until February 2019. Public download is free to the public and will remain so for the foreseeable future.Ploughing backJaylee says she is inspired by the beauty of Namibian people and the country’s endless possibilities in terms of economic growth, through community and governmental support. This is also why she likes giving back in her free time.“I spend most of my free time assisting and technically supporting a private school for disabled and autistic children. The rest of my time is spent on innovating and upgrading the app with new and useful ideas,” she says. That is also why, as of March 2019, HomeDome will be giving the community an opportunity to vote for one of three charity organisations chosen by the HomeDome team to receive a donation.The app is currently available on Google Play, under HomeDome. She says the iStore is currently doing a review of the app, but the plan is to launch it on that platform sometime this month.So, don’t delay – download this app today, and keep all your emergency contacts safely in one place.

At your fingertips

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Namibian Sun 2026-08-26

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At your fingertips

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Namibian Sun 2026-08-26

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