DGateway Introduces Organizations: Manage Your Association Digitally

DGateway is a unified payment and commerce platform for Africa that lets businesses accept mobile money (MTN, Airtel) and card payments through a single integration. Today, we are extending that infrastructure to a new audience: associations, clubs, and community groups.

Running an association, club, or community group in Uganda comes with a familiar set of challenges: tracking who paid their membership fees, collecting contributions for events, keeping savings records in notebooks, and accounting for how funds were spent. Most of this happens through WhatsApp messages, spreadsheets, and handwritten ledgers.

DGateway Organizations brings the full power of mobile money payments to your association — with member management, event contributions, savings tracking, fee collection, and accountability records built in.

The Problem

If you run a fitness team, alumni association, investment club, or community group, you have probably dealt with:

• Scattered records: Member lists in Excel, contributions tracked in WhatsApp messages, savings in a notebook
• Collection headaches: Chasing members for event contributions, not knowing who paid and who didn't
• No accountability: Money comes in and goes out, but there is no clear trail of what was spent on what
• Manual processes: Every transaction requires someone to manually record it, leading to errors and disputes
• No member self-service: Members constantly ask "how much have I contributed?" and the treasurer has to look it up manually

These are not minor inconveniences. They erode trust in the organization and burn out the people who volunteer to manage things.

Who Is This For?

DGateway Organizations is designed for any group that collects money from members. Here are real-world use cases across East Africa:

If your group has members, collects money, and needs accountability — this is for you.

The Solution: DGateway Organizations

Creating Your Organization

Setting up an organization takes less than 5 minutes:

1. Log into your DGateway app dashboard at dgatewayadmin.desispay.com.
2. Click "Organization" in the sidebar.
3. Fill in your organization details:

4. Click Save. Your organization is live.

Your member portal is now accessible at:

https://dgatewayadmin.desispay.com/org/greenfield-fitness/login

What the Admin Dashboard Looks Like

Once your organization is set up, the sidebar updates to show organization-specific navigation items. Standard DGateway items like Products, Templates, and Payment Links are hidden (since orgs have different needs). You see:

• Members — Full member list with search, filters, and bulk actions
• Events — Create events and track contributions
• Savings Groups — Manage savings sub-groups and monthly tracking
• Membership Fees — Define and track recurring fee payments
• Remittances — Record money spent for accountability
• Settings — Org branding, member portal configuration

Member Registration

Adding Members Individually

Click Members > Add Member and fill in:

When you save, DGateway automatically:

1. Generates a unique member number based on your org initials:

GFT/F/2026/001  →  [Org Initials]/[Gender: M or F]/[Year]/[Sequential Number]
GFT/M/2026/002
GFT/F/2026/003

2. Sets the default password to the member's phone number (e.g., 0770123456).
3. Sends a welcome email with their member number and login instructions.

CSV Bulk Import

For organizations with dozens or hundreds of existing members, adding them one by one is impractical. Use the CSV bulk import:

1. Go to Members > Import CSV.
2. Download the template CSV file.
3. Fill in your member data:

first_name,last_name,email,phone,gender,date_of_birth,address,next_of_kin
Grace,Namubiru,grace@example.com,0770123456,F,1995-03-15,Bugolobi Kampala,John Namubiru - 0771234567
David,Ssemakula,david@example.com,0780234567,M,1990-07-22,Ntinda Kampala,Sarah Ssemakula - 0782345678
Patricia,Achieng,patricia@example.com,0790345678,F,1988-11-10,Kololo Kampala,Peter Achieng - 0793456789
Moses,Kigongo,moses@example.com,0700456789,M,1992-01-28,Muyenga Kampala,Ruth Kigongo - 0704567890

4. Upload the CSV. DGateway processes each row:
   • Duplicate detection — If a member with the same email or phone already exists, the row is skipped.
   • Validation — Invalid phone numbers or missing required fields are flagged.
   • Auto-numbering — Each new member gets the next sequential number.
5. After import, a summary shows: X members added, Y skipped (duplicates), Z errors.

# Import members via API
curl -X POST https://api.dgateway.desispay.com/api/member/apps/your-app-id/org/members/import \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer your_jwt_token" \
  -F "file=@members.csv"
 
# Response:
{
  "data": {
    "imported": 47,
    "skipped": 3,
    "errors": [
      { "row": 12, "error": "Invalid phone number format" },
      { "row": 28, "error": "Email already exists" }
    ]
  }
}

Member API Endpoints

# List all members (paginated)
curl -X GET "https://api.dgateway.desispay.com/api/member/apps/your-app-id/org/members?page=1&page_size=20" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer your_jwt_token"
 
# Get a specific member
curl -X GET "https://api.dgateway.desispay.com/api/member/apps/your-app-id/org/members/member-id" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer your_jwt_token"
 
# Update a member
curl -X PUT "https://api.dgateway.desispay.com/api/member/apps/your-app-id/org/members/member-id" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer your_jwt_token" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "phone": "0770999888",
    "address": "Muyenga, Kampala"
  }'
 
# Delete a member
curl -X DELETE "https://api.dgateway.desispay.com/api/member/apps/your-app-id/org/members/member-id" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer your_jwt_token"

Event Contributions via WhatsApp Links

This is the feature that saves treasurers hours of work every week.

Creating an Event

1. Go to Events > Create Event.

2. Fill in:

   • Title — e.g., "End of Year Party 2026"
   • Description — Details about the event
   • Date — When the event takes place
   • Cover Image — Optional banner image
   • Allow Guest Contributions — Toggle on if non-members can contribute

3. Click Create. DGateway generates a contribution link with a WhatsApp-optimized Open Graph preview.

Sharing the Contribution Link

The generated link looks like:

https://dgatewayadmin.desispay.com/org/greenfield-fitness/contribute/end-of-year-party-2026

When you paste this link in a WhatsApp group, it shows a rich preview with:

• The event title
• Cover image (if uploaded)
• Organization name
• A "Contribute Now" call to action

The Contribution Flow (Member Experience)

When a member taps the link on their phone:

Step 1: Enter member number     →  "GFT/F/2026/001"
Step 2: Details appear           →  "Grace Namubiru - Greenfield Fitness Team"
Step 3: Enter amount             →  "50000" (UGX 50,000)
Step 4: Enter phone number       →  "0770123456"
Step 5: Select provider          →  MTN Mobile Money
Step 6: USSD prompt arrives      →  Enter PIN on phone
Step 7: Done                     →  "Contribution recorded successfully!"

The entire flow takes about 30 seconds. No app download, no login, no signup.

Guest Contributions

If guest contributions are enabled, non-members can also contribute. They enter their name and phone number instead of a member number. Guest contributions are tracked separately in the admin dashboard.

Real-Time Admin Dashboard

As contributions come in, the admin dashboard updates in real time:

Below the summary, a table lists every contribution: member name, member number, amount, phone number, provider (MTN/Airtel), timestamp, and transaction status.

# Get event contributions via API
curl -X GET "https://api.dgateway.desispay.com/api/member/apps/your-app-id/org/events/event-id/contributions" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer your_jwt_token"
 
# Response:
{
  "data": [
    {
      "id": "contrib_001",
      "member_name": "Grace Namubiru",
      "member_number": "GFT/F/2026/001",
      "amount": 50000,
      "currency": "UGX",
      "provider": "mtn",
      "status": "successful",
      "is_guest": false,
      "created_at": "2026-04-11T14:30:00Z"
    }
  ],
  "meta": { "total": 34, "total_amount": 2450000 }
}

Savings Groups

Savings groups (sometimes called VSLAs — Village Savings and Loan Associations) are one of the most common financial structures in East Africa. DGateway digitizes the entire process.

Creating a Savings Group

1. Go to Savings Groups > Create Group.
2. Set the group name (e.g., "Main Savings Circle").
3. Select which org members are part of this savings group (not all org members need to be in every savings group).
4. The savings group operates on a calendar year (January to December).

How Members Save

A standing payment link is generated for the savings group. Members click it, select the month they are saving for, and pay.

Step 1: Click savings link
Step 2: Enter member number        → "GFT/F/2026/001"
Step 3: Details appear              → "Grace Namubiru"
Step 4: Select month                → Dropdown shows only unpaid months
Step 5: Enter amount                → "100000" (UGX 100,000)
Step 6: Enter phone number          → "0770123456"
Step 7: USSD prompt + PIN           → Done

Key detail: already-paid months disappear from the dropdown. If Grace saved for January, February, and March, the dropdown only shows April through December. No double payments, no confusion.

Month-by-Month Tracking Grid

The admin sees a member-by-month grid — a table where rows are members and columns are months:

At a glance, the treasurer knows exactly who saved, who skipped, and the running total per member and per month.

# Get savings group overview
curl -X GET "https://api.dgateway.desispay.com/api/member/apps/your-app-id/org/savings-groups/group-id" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer your_jwt_token"
 
# Get savings by member
curl -X GET "https://api.dgateway.desispay.com/api/member/apps/your-app-id/org/savings-groups/group-id/members/member-id/savings" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer your_jwt_token"
 
# Response:
{
  "data": {
    "member": { "name": "Grace Namubiru", "member_number": "GFT/F/2026/001" },
    "savings": [
      { "month": "january", "amount": 100000, "paid_at": "2026-01-15T10:00:00Z" },
      { "month": "february", "amount": 100000, "paid_at": "2026-02-12T14:30:00Z" },
      { "month": "march", "amount": 100000, "paid_at": "2026-03-10T09:15:00Z" },
      { "month": "april", "amount": 100000, "paid_at": "2026-04-08T16:00:00Z" }
    ],
    "total_saved": 400000
  }
}

Note: Savings groups in DGateway are for tracking contributions only. There is no withdrawal functionality within the savings group — withdrawals are handled at the app wallet level by the admin.

Membership Fees

Many organizations charge recurring fees — monthly gym dues, yearly association membership, weekly church contributions. DGateway automates the collection and tracking.

Defining a Membership Fee

1. Go to Membership Fees > Create Fee.
2. Configure:

3. A payment link is generated for this fee, which you share with members.

The Payment Flow

Members click the fee payment link:

Step 1: Enter member number     → "GFT/M/2026/002"
Step 2: Details appear          → "David Ssemakula"
Step 3: Select period           → "April 2026" (already-paid periods hidden)
Step 4: Amount shown            → UGX 50,000
Step 5: Enter phone number      → "0780234567"
Step 6: USSD prompt + PIN       → Done

Fee Payment Tracking Grid

Similar to savings, the admin sees a period-by-member grid:

Monthly Fees (Gym Membership - UGX 50,000/month):

Yearly Fees (Association Dues - UGX 200,000/year):

The grid makes it easy to see who is behind on payments and who is current — without checking WhatsApp messages or spreadsheets.

# Get fee payment status for all members
curl -X GET "https://api.dgateway.desispay.com/api/member/apps/your-app-id/org/fees/fee-id/payments" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer your_jwt_token"

Remittance Records (Accountability Trail)

When collected money is spent (venue booking, supplies, transport, equipment), the admin records a remittance. This creates a transparent accountability trail — every shilling in, every shilling out.

Recording a Remittance

1. Go to Remittances > Record Remittance.
2. Fill in:

3. Click Save. The remittance appears in the accountability log.

Important: Remittances are records only — no payment processing happens. They document how money was spent, not the spending itself. Think of them as digital receipts.

Why Remittance Records Matter

In many Ugandan organizations, disputes arise because there is no record of how collected money was spent. The treasurer says "I paid UGX 500,000 for the venue" but has no proof. Remittance records with receipt images eliminate this problem.

Members can see remittances in their portal:

# Record a remittance
curl -X POST "https://api.dgateway.desispay.com/api/member/apps/your-app-id/org/remittances" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer your_jwt_token" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "amount": 500000,
    "purpose": "Venue booking for End of Year Party",
    "recipient": "Serena Hotel Kampala",
    "date": "2026-04-10",
    "receipt_url": "https://storage.example.com/receipts/serena-invoice.jpg"
  }'

The Branded Member Portal

Every organization gets a custom-branded login page with your logo, background image, and tagline. Members log in with their member number and password (default: phone number).

Portal Login Page

The login page at https://dgatewayadmin.desispay.com/org/your-slug/login displays:

• Your organization logo (centered at the top)
• Background image (full-screen behind the login form)
• Organization name and tagline
• Login form with member number and password fields

Members use separate authentication from the main DGateway system. Their JWT tokens include OrgMemberID, AppID, OrgID, and MemberNumber — scoped specifically to the organization.

# Member login
curl -X POST "https://api.dgateway.desispay.com/api/org/greenfield-fitness/auth/login" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "member_number": "GFT/F/2026/001",
    "password": "0770123456"
  }'
 
# Response:
{
  "data": {
    "token": "eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIs...",
    "member": {
      "id": "member_001",
      "member_number": "GFT/F/2026/001",
      "name": "Grace Namubiru",
      "organization": "Greenfield Fitness Team"
    }
  }
}
 
# Get portal branding (public — no auth required)
curl -X GET "https://api.dgateway.desispay.com/api/org/greenfield-fitness/auth/branding"
# Returns: logo URL, background image URL, tagline, org name

Inside the Member Portal

The portal is mobile-first with a bottom tab navigation bar — because most members will access it from their phones. Here is what members see:

Dashboard Summary (What a Member Sees)

When Grace Namubiru logs in, her dashboard shows:

Welcome, Grace Namubiru (GFT/F/2026/001)

┌─────────────────┐  ┌─────────────────┐
│ Total Contributed│  │  Total Saved    │
│  UGX 350,000    │  │  UGX 400,000    │
└─────────────────┘  └─────────────────┘
┌─────────────────┐  ┌─────────────────┐
│  Fees Paid      │  │ Upcoming Events │
│  UGX 200,000    │  │      2          │
└─────────────────┘  └─────────────────┘

Members can change their password on first login (encouraged, since the default is their phone number). All their financial activity is visible in one place — no more asking the treasurer "how much have I contributed?"

Use Cases in Detail

Churches

A church with 500 members can use DGateway Organizations to:

• Collect tithes — Create a recurring monthly membership fee of 10% (or a fixed amount). Share the payment link during Sunday service.
• Building fund — Create an event called "New Church Building" with a contribution target. Share the link on the church WhatsApp group.
• Fundraising events — For weddings, funerals, or special events, create one-time events and collect contributions digitally.
• Track giving — Members see their total giving in the portal. The church admin sees who gave, how much, and when.

Fitness Clubs

A fitness club or gym with 80 members can:

• Monthly dues — Set up a monthly membership fee (e.g., UGX 50,000/month). Members pay via the link.
• Competition contributions — Create events for inter-club competitions and collect entry fees.
• Savings for equipment — Create a savings group where members contribute monthly toward new gym equipment.
• Track attendance fees — If you charge per session, create weekly fees.

Savings Groups (VSLA)

A Village Savings and Loan Association with 30 women in Nakawa can:

• Monthly savings — Each member saves UGX 50,000-200,000 per month. The month-by-month grid replaces the paper ledger.
• Track totals — At year end, each member's total savings are clearly documented.
• Emergency contributions — When a member needs emergency funds, create a special event and collect contributions.
• Accountability — When loans are given out, record them as remittances. Every shilling is tracked.

Alumni Associations

The Makerere University Class of 2015 alumni association (200 members) can:

• Annual dues — UGX 100,000/year. The fee tracking grid shows who has paid for 2024, 2025, and 2026.
• Reunion events — Collect UGX 200,000 per person for the annual reunion. Track contributions in real time.
• Scholarship fund — Create a savings group where willing members contribute monthly toward a scholarship for underprivileged students.
• Bulk import — Import all 200 members from the existing Excel spreadsheet via CSV.

Payments Flow Through DGateway

All payments (contributions, savings, fees) use the same mobile money providers you already know:

Revenue goes to your DGateway app wallet. You can withdraw to your mobile money or bank account at any time.

How Money Flows

Member's Phone (MTN MoMo / Airtel Money)
    ↓  USSD payment
Provider (Iotec / Relworx)
    ↓  Confirmation
DGateway Platform
    ↓  8% commission deducted
Your App Wallet (92% of payment)
    ↓  Withdrawal request
Your Mobile Money / Bank Account

Example: Grace contributes UGX 100,000 to the End of Year Party event.

• DGateway commission: UGX 8,000 (8%)
• Amount credited to your wallet: UGX 92,000
• Grace sees "UGX 100,000 contributed" in her portal
• You see UGX 92,000 in your wallet balance

Getting Started

Quick Setup (5 Minutes)

1. Log in to your DGateway app dashboard at dgatewayadmin.desispay.com.
2. Click "Organization" in the sidebar.
3. Set up your org: name, initials, logo, background image, tagline.
4. Add members: individually or via CSV bulk import.
5. Create your first event and share the contribution link in your WhatsApp group.
6. Members start paying — you see everything in real time.

Step-by-Step API Setup (For Developers)

If you want to integrate organization features into your own application:

# 1. Create the organization
curl -X POST "https://api.dgateway.desispay.com/api/member/apps/your-app-id/org" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer your_jwt_token" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "name": "Greenfield Fitness Team",
    "initials": "GFT",
    "slug": "greenfield-fitness",
    "tagline": "Stronger Together"
  }'
 
# 2. Add a member
curl -X POST "https://api.dgateway.desispay.com/api/member/apps/your-app-id/org/members" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer your_jwt_token" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "first_name": "Grace",
    "last_name": "Namubiru",
    "email": "grace@example.com",
    "phone": "0770123456",
    "gender": "F"
  }'
# Response includes: member_number: "GFT/F/2026/001"
 
# 3. Create an event
curl -X POST "https://api.dgateway.desispay.com/api/member/apps/your-app-id/org/events" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer your_jwt_token" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "title": "End of Year Party 2026",
    "description": "Annual celebration at Serena Hotel",
    "date": "2026-12-15",
    "allow_guests": true
  }'
# Response includes: contribution_url
 
# 4. Create a savings group
curl -X POST "https://api.dgateway.desispay.com/api/member/apps/your-app-id/org/savings-groups" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer your_jwt_token" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "name": "Main Savings Circle",
    "member_ids": ["member_001", "member_002", "member_003"]
  }'
 
# 5. Create a membership fee
curl -X POST "https://api.dgateway.desispay.com/api/member/apps/your-app-id/org/fees" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer your_jwt_token" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "name": "Monthly Gym Membership",
    "amount": 50000,
    "currency": "UGX",
    "frequency": "monthly"
  }'

Pricing

Organizations use the same DGateway transaction fee structure: 8% per transaction (configurable by super admin). No separate subscription, no monthly fee — you pay only when money moves.

Compare this to alternatives:

The paper ledger is "free" — but the cost of disputes, lost records, and treasurer burnout is far higher than 8%.

Summary

DGateway Organizations turns your association's financial chaos into a clean, digital system:

• Members registered with auto-generated IDs and a branded portal
• Events with WhatsApp-shareable contribution links and real-time tracking
• Savings groups with month-by-month grids and standing payment links
• Membership fees with period-by-period tracking (weekly, monthly, yearly)
• Remittances with receipt images for full accountability
• CSV bulk import for migrating from Excel/paper
• Mobile-first member portal where members see all their financial activity
• 8% per transaction — no monthly fee, no setup cost

Every shilling in, every shilling out, documented and accessible to members and admins alike.

DGateway Organizations is available now for all DGateway app owners. Get started — your first organization takes less than 5 minutes to set up.

Have questions? Check the Organizations documentation or reach out on the WhatsApp Support Group.