While people scorned my brick project, I laughed my way to the bank
Sep 01, 2011
Herbert Ainomuhwezi is a 23-year-old brick layer from Rubaya sub-county in Kashari, Mbarara district, is an S6 leaver who studied at Kinoni High School in Rwampara.
By Abdulkarim Ssengendo
HERBERT Ainomuhwezi is a 23-year-old brick layer from Rubaya sub-county in Kashari, Mbarara district, is an S6 leaver who studied at Kinoni High School in Rwampara.
His parents are peasants, but he was brought up solely by his mother because his father has another family to take care of.
Since his parents could not raise school fees for him to go on with university education, Ainomuhwezi took to laying bricks to generate some income.
As soon as he started, people in his village laughed at him, wondering why an S6 leaver could do such a “dirty†job.
“People spread rumours around the village about me, saying they could not believe I was doing something meant for people who never went to school. If only they knew the amount of money I would get out of it right now, they would swallow their scorn.â€
Although brick-laying is Ainomuhwezi’s main job, he is also into sand-mining as a side source of income, especially during the rainy season when the weather is bad and he cannot lay bricks. In fact, his proceeds from mining sand took him through O’level.
How he started
He started the brick-laying project in 2008 after his S4.
The project was so successful that he raised his A’ level school fees from it. His initial investment was sh120,000, which he got from selling his goats.
He used the money to buy wheel barrows and jerry cans. He also hired workers. His first output was 4,000 bricks.
When Ainomuhwezi started, he did not know how to make bricks. However, he kept learning on the job and from some of the people he employed.
“I can now make 100 bricks a day,†he says. On average, Ainomuhwezi makes about sh200,000 a month in profits.
He employs about 10 workers; eight of whom are youth and two are slightly older. The older ones guide the young people because of their experience.
Ainomuhwezi has also trained two youth who have gone on to start their own brick-laying projects in Biharwe and Mbarara towns.
Achievements
Ainomuhwezi has bought two cows and seven goats. He helps his mother financially and pays a total of sh150,000 as school fees for his four siblings every term.
He has also bought a wheel barrow, which he hires out at sh30,000 per trip and a bicycle, which is his means of transport.
The beneficiaries
Twenty-year-old Damiano Musasizi stopped school after his P7.
However, Ainomuhwezi’s brick-laying project has been his source of livelihood.
He has also acquired brick-laying skills and hopes to save enough money to start his own project. Musasizi earns sh5,000 everyday from Ainomuhwezi, who is also his mentor.
Manuel Namanya, 14, is in P.4. He says he gets school fees from Ainomuhwezi’s brick-laying project. Namanya has bought four goats from the money he earns from the project. He saves whatever he gets and is planning to buy land and go for further studies.
His inspiration
Ainomuhwezi was inspired to start the brick-laying project by his brother, David Asiimwe, who had a similar project, which made him financially independent and popular in the village.
From Asiimwe, Ainomuhwezi has learnt that one can become rich from laying bricks, which does not necessarily require a lot of capital to start.
Best and worst experiences
Ainomuhwezi remembers the time he got sh470,000 from selling 5,800 bricks.
“This was my first time to hold such an amount of money in my hands. I did not sleep that night because the money was too much and was paid in cash.â€
His worst experience was when he lost bricks worth sh90,000 due to bad weather early this year.
The most beneficial business Ainomuhwezi got was from Rwansinga High school, which contracted him to supply 10,000 bricks.
Another contract was when he was to supply 5,000 bricks to the LC1 chairman of his village. He sold the bricks to Rwansinga High school at sh100 each and sh90 each to the LC1 chairman.
Challenges
The rainy season is one of Ainomuhwezi’s biggest challenge. It sometimes forces him to put the business on halt.
He also spends a lot of money on labour, buying fire wood and other operational costs, which are sometimes high.
Plans
Ainomuhwezi is saving money to enroll for a vocational course like motor vehicle engineering. However, he says this will be after he has seen his siblings through A’ level.
HERBERT Ainomuhwezi is a 23-year-old brick layer from Rubaya sub-county in Kashari, Mbarara district, is an S6 leaver who studied at Kinoni High School in Rwampara.
His parents are peasants, but he was brought up solely by his mother because his father has another family to take care of.
Since his parents could not raise school fees for him to go on with university education, Ainomuhwezi took to laying bricks to generate some income.
As soon as he started, people in his village laughed at him, wondering why an S6 leaver could do such a “dirty†job.
“People spread rumours around the village about me, saying they could not believe I was doing something meant for people who never went to school. If only they knew the amount of money I would get out of it right now, they would swallow their scorn.â€
Although brick-laying is Ainomuhwezi’s main job, he is also into sand-mining as a side source of income, especially during the rainy season when the weather is bad and he cannot lay bricks. In fact, his proceeds from mining sand took him through O’level.
How he started
He started the brick-laying project in 2008 after his S4.
The project was so successful that he raised his A’ level school fees from it. His initial investment was sh120,000, which he got from selling his goats.
He used the money to buy wheel barrows and jerry cans. He also hired workers. His first output was 4,000 bricks.
When Ainomuhwezi started, he did not know how to make bricks. However, he kept learning on the job and from some of the people he employed.
“I can now make 100 bricks a day,†he says. On average, Ainomuhwezi makes about sh200,000 a month in profits.
He employs about 10 workers; eight of whom are youth and two are slightly older. The older ones guide the young people because of their experience.
Ainomuhwezi has also trained two youth who have gone on to start their own brick-laying projects in Biharwe and Mbarara towns.
Achievements
Ainomuhwezi has bought two cows and seven goats. He helps his mother financially and pays a total of sh150,000 as school fees for his four siblings every term.
He has also bought a wheel barrow, which he hires out at sh30,000 per trip and a bicycle, which is his means of transport.
The beneficiaries
Twenty-year-old Damiano Musasizi stopped school after his P7.
However, Ainomuhwezi’s brick-laying project has been his source of livelihood.
He has also acquired brick-laying skills and hopes to save enough money to start his own project. Musasizi earns sh5,000 everyday from Ainomuhwezi, who is also his mentor.
Manuel Namanya, 14, is in P.4. He says he gets school fees from Ainomuhwezi’s brick-laying project. Namanya has bought four goats from the money he earns from the project. He saves whatever he gets and is planning to buy land and go for further studies.
His inspiration
Ainomuhwezi was inspired to start the brick-laying project by his brother, David Asiimwe, who had a similar project, which made him financially independent and popular in the village.
From Asiimwe, Ainomuhwezi has learnt that one can become rich from laying bricks, which does not necessarily require a lot of capital to start.
Best and worst experiences
Ainomuhwezi remembers the time he got sh470,000 from selling 5,800 bricks.
“This was my first time to hold such an amount of money in my hands. I did not sleep that night because the money was too much and was paid in cash.â€
His worst experience was when he lost bricks worth sh90,000 due to bad weather early this year.
The most beneficial business Ainomuhwezi got was from Rwansinga High school, which contracted him to supply 10,000 bricks.
Another contract was when he was to supply 5,000 bricks to the LC1 chairman of his village. He sold the bricks to Rwansinga High school at sh100 each and sh90 each to the LC1 chairman.
Challenges
The rainy season is one of Ainomuhwezi’s biggest challenge. It sometimes forces him to put the business on halt.
He also spends a lot of money on labour, buying fire wood and other operational costs, which are sometimes high.
Plans
Ainomuhwezi is saving money to enroll for a vocational course like motor vehicle engineering. However, he says this will be after he has seen his siblings through A’ level.