A couple have coded their first ever mobile app from their own living room designed to help freelancers and micro-businesses recover from the pandemic.

Neema Williams and Murvin Morel, who live in Watford, have had to juggle home schooling and other work, but have been able to develop a free app, Coluko, which has already helped to grow tiny businesses across the country.

Neema, along with numerous freelancers, has felt the pinch of the pandemic and the lack of support in place for micro businesses.

She and her husband had already been developing a mobile app but when the pandemic struck, the couple realised they wanted to build an app that would use smart technology to support micro-business and freelancers and make them more visible online and affordable for them.

Neema said: "On face value, Coluko looks like an online directory for freelancers and micro-businesses but behind the scenes there is a lot of technology that has been coded in ourselves.

"During the pandemic, we noticed the government helping lots of small businesses but there was certain criteria that meant freelancers and micro-business missed out.

"So we decided to create this app to allow them to connect with new clients. We've really focused on businesses in the events and entertainment industry."

Murvin is a software engineer and worked on web-based applications but hed never coded a mobile app before

Murvin is a software engineer and worked on web-based applications but he'd never coded a mobile app before

The app has been coded from scratch by Murvin, a software engineer, and has been self-funded by the couple.

Neema said she knew she was onto something when Coluko.com received more than 90,000 hits with more than 300 users on the app, available on IOS and Android platforms.

Neema, who has a six-year-old son: "Everyday, I wake up and there's new people using the app and finding new jobs and making deliveries.

"Freelancers have sold out of stock and are using the app to develop contactless ways to provide their services."

The couple used to be based in north London but now live in Watford

The couple used to be based in north London but now live in Watford

Mum Neema said the focus is not just on helping to support their target audience through the pandemic but after it as well.

"It has been suggested that the smart app will be the 'next big thing' for creative freelancers, but we'd never coded an artificially intelligent app before starting this project, so we are just happy to have a mobile application that finally solves a problem for our local community."