Ugandan wins BBC young entrepreneurship award

Nov 14, 2007

HOW often do you think of a solution that could save Ugandans from long hours of darkness at a relatively cheaper price? Well, most of us would look to the Government to provide an alternative source of power yet the idea lingers in your mind but you might be taking it for granted.

By Arthur Baguma

HOW often do you think of a solution that could save Ugandans from long hours of darkness at a relatively cheaper price? Well, most of us would look to the Government to provide an alternative source of power yet the idea lingers in your mind but you might be taking it for granted.

Investing into manufacturing candles can save the country of spending millions of shilling on importing them from China. This will also help people access them at a cheaper price if manufactured locally.

This business plan won a 22-year-old Ugandan, David Ssegawa, the Faidika Na BBC (Prosper with the BBC) Award.

He received $2,000 (about sh3.5m) and a laptop in the young entrepreneur competition which attracted over 5,000 Swahili-speaking new business hopefuls from Uganda Kenya and Tanzania.

Solomon O Mugera, the BBC Swahili Head who launched the award in April, said Ssegawa’s idea thrilled the judges.

“David is a worthy winner. He has a dynamic and exciting business idea which thrilled the judges and will clearly benefit Ugandans. I wish him all the best with his plans. Am confident he has a brilliant future,” Mugera said.

Ssegawa defended his idea before a team of East African judges during a live broadcast show on BBC Radio, ITV and East African TV in Tanzanian.

Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete handed him the prize and described the competition as a brilliant initiative .

“I thank the BBC for coming up with such a great idea primarily because it is a challenge for young people."

Ssegawa says power shortages have led to the increase in the price of fuel and demand for candles in Uganda.

“I will buy a machine for melting and molding the wax for the benefit of the local community.”

John M. Ssempebwa, the acting trade director, of the Private Sector Foundation Uganda, says the gesture will go away in increasing jobs and employment in Uganda.

“Consuming Ugandan-made goods is a critical means of creating jobs locally and providing hope for millions of the poor and unemployed,” Ssempebwa said.

In addition to the $2,000 and a laptop, Ssegawa was given an opportunity to address the Commonwealth Youth Forum today.

The runners up were Kenya’s Arthur Buliva and Francis Wakara Baraka and Geofrey Kibiki from Tanzania.

They received cash prizes and mobile phones to help kick-start their business ideas.

The judges comprised Zablon Karingi Muthaka from Kenya.

He started the Beta Bins Waste Management firm with $1,500 some years back.

The company now has an annual turnover of $6,152.

Humphrey Polepole, the current Secretariat Director of Tanzania and Halima Abdallah, a Ugandan journalist, were also one of the judges.

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