Why use atpesa? Give your people a way to chip in

Use atpesa if you have people who know your work, or know what you are trying to do, and you want a single link where they can send money to support it. A support page gives them somewhere to read the request, decide for themselves and contribute. You can share it in the places you already talk to people. The page is open to anyone who has a legitimate reason to ask, whether or not they describe themselves as a creator.

This guide explains what you can put on a page, what a visitor sees and where you still have work to do yourself. A link can make an ask easier to act on. It cannot tell you who will give or what amount you are likely to raise.

Start with a reason to ask

Before opening the editor, write down what you are asking people to help with. Use the language you would use if someone you know asked what you have been working on. If you are asking for ongoing support, say what you do regularly and what it takes to keep doing it. If your request is tied to a specific piece of work, tell readers how far along it is and what needs to happen next.

The most useful detail is something you know firsthand. Link to work you actually made, a recording you are allowed to share, or a public update that puts the request in context. If your work is still in progress, say so and share what you can show. You do not need a polished trailer, a dramatic story or a success claim. If the only thing you can stand behind today is an early draft and a clear next step, say exactly that.

Think about whose story you are telling. If the page is for a group, agree on who speaks for it and who will keep the page current. Get permission before using someone’s photo, name or personal information. Give readers enough context to understand the request while keeping details that belong in a private conversation off the public page.

What you actually set up

Sign in to create and manage a page. The editor lets you describe the page and add an image or an optional intro video link. Put the clearest explanation in writing even if you add a video. People may open your page without headphones, on limited data, or in a situation where they cannot watch. A good written introduction gives them the same essential information.

A target is optional. Set one if you can explain what reaching it would make possible. Use the amount you have a basis for and be clear about what is still an estimate. Leave the target off if you are sharing an ongoing support link without a specific finish line. If you do name a target, tell readers how you will keep them informed if your plan changes or you stop collecting.

Use your dashboard to check the status of a page, make edits and find its sharing tools. A saved draft and a live page are different stages. Once yours is live, use the public link in the share screen. Open that link in a private browser window before you send it out. This catches a common mistake: sharing the address of the editor or dashboard, which belongs to your signed-in account.

What someone sees when they open the link

Look at the page as a reader who just arrived. They should be able to recognise who is asking and understand why the page was shared with them. Check how the title and cover look on a phone. If you added an intro video, see what it looks like when the visitor first arrives and make sure they can close it and continue. A video can add your voice, but the page should make sense without it.

At the contribution form, the supporter can choose a listed amount or enter a custom amount within the rules shown on the page. They can also choose to keep their support anonymous on the public page. If they choose M-Pesa, they enter the relevant phone number at checkout and approve the prompt on their own phone. A contributor should never send a PIN or an approval code to you. If the person has a question about the payment, point them to the checkout and the site’s support channel.

Walk through the page up to the point of payment so you can describe it to someone accurately. You can check whether the controls are readable and which options appear without making a payment. If you have not completed a payment yourself, avoid telling people you tested delivery. Say what you checked. That distinction is useful if someone later asks you to help them work out where they got stuck.

Share the link with people who have a reason to care

Put the link close to the work it relates to. A listener should be able to find it from the episode that mentions it. Someone who receives it in a group chat should be able to tell from the message why it belongs there. Add a short sentence about what the contribution will help you do so the person does not have to open an unfamiliar link to understand the message.

Start with people who already read, watch, attend or talk to you about the work. Ask permission before posting in a group if you do not know its rules. If you are sharing in person, use the dashboard’s QR tools and include the short address in readable text beside the code. Test the printed version with another phone before displaying it. A QR code that works on your computer screen can be harder to scan under event lighting.

When someone asks a sensible question about your page, use it as feedback. Read their question before explaining what you intended to say. If the page omitted something readers need, fix the page so the next person can find it. One update that clarifies the ask can be more useful than reposting the same link to a bigger audience.

Keep the page up to date

Decide what progress you can report. You can post an update when you have a dated milestone, a change of plan or something you are ready to share. Use a sentence that distinguishes what happened from what you hope will happen. If you pause the work, say whether you are still accepting support and what people who already contributed should expect to hear next. You can be brief and still be clear.

Review the names, images and links whenever the purpose changes. Check that the link still opens as a visitor and that a reader can tell which request is current. If a second project has a different purpose or audience, a separate page can make both requests easier to follow. Keep the links labelled so your community can choose the one they meant to open.

atpesa fits best when there is a clear request and a way to share it with the people it matters to. If you need a recurring subscription, a shop that delivers products or a formal campaign with specific reporting requirements, compare tools that are built for that job before publishing. If the request is simply to chip in, start with your own words, check the public page and share it where it makes sense.