I am a Youth aged 33 and I am a mechanic by profession. I am particularly known for mechanics and welding along Kiboga Road in Fort Portal tourism city. I am also member of Rwakyakibunya Sacco in Bunyangabu District. I have been in this work for 7 years, I was trained in mechanics in 2015 after I had dropped out from senior four due to lack of school fees. I was trained for one year in motor vehicle mechanics and I obtained a certificate. I left the garage where I trained from and rented a small place where I started my own small garage along Kiboga Road. Initially having few customers and tools, my income earnings at that time stagnated at about 400,000 – 600,000 per Month due to small number of customers and hence the returns couldn’t be enough to support my family. However, the business began to change for better in 2017 after receiving a seed capital.
I now get on average 20 to 30 customers in a day that gives me an earning of at least 150,000 – 200,000 per day after paying my employees. This gives me an average earning of 4,500,000 – 6,000,000 per month that I use to pay school fees for my three children, two siblings of my late father who died of accident and taking care of my family needs.
I have managed to buy one acre of land worth 15,000,000 and constructed a permanent house where I am residing at Harubaho in Fort Portal City. I have expanded my garange to work on many areas including car springing and engines. I have also integrated welding and washing bay services in my garage. I am currently employing 15 youth in motor vehicle repair and maintenance, welding and Car washing. I have trained and graduated 100 Youth in motor vehicle mechanics and welding services and they are also earning a living. I am saving with Rwakyakibunya Sacco in Bunyangabu which was very hard for me to save before improving on my business/project.
In five years I hope my garage will expand and I start selling vehicle spare parts of all type of cars at my garage something that will boost my earning more. I also hope to construct a house on my plot I recently bought at Harubaho trading center.
I attribute this success to the opportunity I got to be trained in employable hands on skills a journey I started with FORUD Uganda in 2015. FORUD Uganda through inspiring youth hidden talents program in 2014 sponsored me for vehicle mechanics and gave me a seed of one million that I used to buy a tool box in 2015 I used to start my garage.
I am proud of this success because my life has greatly improved since I started appreciating the value hands on training. I encourage the youth to join us to acquire employable practical skills to change our lives in addition to Saving Groups.
Thank You Foundation for Rural Development for creating a long lasting impact in my life “Kironde Francis”.