Kabonesa earns millions from the street

While some women still think that most hand skill jobs are for men, Jackline Kabonesa, a mother of two, has discovered a secret in making sandals (Rugabire) out of car tyres. She says she has been in this business for the last five years.

She began her business in 2012 with only sh30, 000, which she used to buy the startup materials such as a knife, car tyre and beads to decorate her sandals. She began operating in a place she was not renting until today alongside Gayaza Road.

She says she has seen her business grow fast and she currently employs three people who help her in hawking her sandals. She sells them at wholesale to traders and retail. On a good day Kabonesa says gets sh200, 000 after paying her workers, although she says she makes sh150, 000 on a bad day.

Kabonesa buys old car tyres at sh15, 000 each and she gets 19 pairs out of each tyre selling each pair at sh2, 500, making a profit of sh32, 500 from a tyre. Kabonesa says she can make at least 20 pairs of sandals in a day. Her husband joined her business and they make more sandals.

As they are making sandals (rugabire), they display the finished sandals for sell while others are taken by hawkers she employs. By the end of the day, the hawkers bring her the money each they will have made. Jackline says she at least saves 2-3 million a month.

She makes these sandals in different designs and sizes. Some are decorated with beads while others are not decorated and they are different prices. She says cutting out shapes from a car tyre needs much attention and energy. She says it is for hard working people.

Kabonesa begins her work at 7:00am and goes back home at 9:00pm from Monday to Saturday and she rests on Sundays.

Kabonesa says she did not attend any school for training, but got a skill from a friend who taught her how to make the sandals.

She says she has been able to buy a plot of land where they constructed their own house and other rentals in Kyebando, a Kampala suburb.

Kabonesa says she is affected by rain mostly during the rainy season since she is working from outside and that at times one can get injuries from cuts during the process.

She says in the next five years, she wants to leave the sandal-making business and begin a spare part shop in Kampala with her husband .