Help Ismail grow his business!!!
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I met Ismail on my first day in Uganda. We landed at Entebbe International Airport in Uganda about 4 hours past our expected landing. We waited a sweaty 1.5 hrs in the customs line just to walk over to the luggage carousel and find out that our luggage didn't make it.
After about ~20 hours of travel, I walked out of the airport with my backpack, no luggage, and an optimistic boyfriend who was trying to keep me positive during a moment of panic.
How is our driver going to find us? There is no way he waited over 4 hours with no way to communicate. Should I take a random cab? I don't even know where I am going. Is my luggage--which was 2 massive suit cases of all my belongings for the next year ahead--ever going to make it?
Those were the thoughts running through my head.
I looked up through the crowd of drivers with signs searching for my name. Finally, my eyes landed on Ismail. He was near the front waiting patiently with a piece of paper and my name scribbled on the front. I rushed towards him with a sense of immense relief, knowing after 4 hours he hadn't abandoned us.
That was Ismail. And this was the first of many great trips and memories with him.
Ismail was my driver and tour guide for the year I spent in Uganda, but also became my trusted friend. He was always waiting for me when I arrived at Entebbe in the middle of the night--picking me up at 2 or 3am and getting me safely home. Some of my favorite memories in Uganda were Ismail making us laugh while sharing personal anecdotes about his life and family.
Now, Ismail needs our help. He is trying to build and scale his driving business. He is in the market to purchase his own car but is stuck in the cycle of paying monthly loan fees for his current vehicle to keep his business alive.
Please help Ismail raise enough money to purchase his own car so he can continue to build a successful business for himself and his family!!!
FOR REFERENCE: $1 = 3,695 UG (Ugandan shillings)
Learn more about Ismail in his words...
I used to stay with mum in the village called Kyakatwiire (Kyenjojo ) District until 2017 when I decided to move to Kampala to find any casual job. Remember my Education was not good at all. After failing to get school fees.
In Feb 2017, i decided to go to Kampala city to look for job, this took me 7 months before getting any form of employment. At this time i was being looked after by my friend. I was 18 years by then when I got my first job as cleaner.
In December 2017, my girl friend travelled to the city to check on me after I had got involved in a motorcycle (boda boda) accident. She stayed for two weeks and then went back . because I had no money to keep her longer than that in the city.
Two months after her, she called to tell me that she was pregnant. Though I was happy but worried because I knew that was the time to look for money. She came and delivered in Kampala but this was real struggle since I had not even got a mattress by then. I continued to work with wounds. My job was to wash cars which I did for 4 years from 2017 to 2010.
In 2011, one of my client that used to bring his car for wash, promised me Job of driving his clients (tourists) from Red Chilli hide away / backpackers/ hostel. I remember asking him that, won’t it be very hard to communicate with people speaking English? He encouraged me that it was easier to learn. Then I accepted and started working for him but it took me 3months struggling with English then later, I decided to start trying to speak my broken English which made me start enjoying the job.
I was earning 150000/: per month and yet my rent was 70000/: a month. That means getting food for my wife with little boy was had. In November 2014, I left job and got the one that was paying some good money which was 250000/: a month. I remained employed from 2014 to Dec 2016.
In 2015, one of my client advised me to open accompany. I took time thinking about I can start my own business. The same client, referred me to Ronald Baguma K who opened opened for me a company in the name of Ismail Focus Ltd and which trades as Ismail Safaris. I have been marketing it slowly but it has hardly affected by the COVID 19 lock down, from 2017 I started being independent. Through my work I faced a problem of not knowing how to keep books of accounts which made the business fail to grow. I have now learnt how to manage my business, but I need to learn more, and I have also improved on my financial management skills.
Below are the family members; KIYAGA ISMAIL: 13/ 5/ 1986, and my wife KEMBABAZI HALIMAH: 9/9/1988. The children are; NSUBUGA JUMA: 3/10/2008, KIGOONYA MAHMOUD: 24/3/2010, NAMUTEBI FATUMAH: 21/1/ 2013, NAKIYAGA RAHMAH: 11/7/2016.
My family and I will remain forever grateful Retsy who I first knew as a client who has turned out to be a change maker in our lives. She has also shared this story with her Mother Nancy from there and then our life changed. To this family we pray that God keeps you alive and energetic.
Kindly regards!
Ismail Kiyaga and Family
After about ~20 hours of travel, I walked out of the airport with my backpack, no luggage, and an optimistic boyfriend who was trying to keep me positive during a moment of panic.
How is our driver going to find us? There is no way he waited over 4 hours with no way to communicate. Should I take a random cab? I don't even know where I am going. Is my luggage--which was 2 massive suit cases of all my belongings for the next year ahead--ever going to make it?
Those were the thoughts running through my head.
I looked up through the crowd of drivers with signs searching for my name. Finally, my eyes landed on Ismail. He was near the front waiting patiently with a piece of paper and my name scribbled on the front. I rushed towards him with a sense of immense relief, knowing after 4 hours he hadn't abandoned us.
That was Ismail. And this was the first of many great trips and memories with him.
Ismail was my driver and tour guide for the year I spent in Uganda, but also became my trusted friend. He was always waiting for me when I arrived at Entebbe in the middle of the night--picking me up at 2 or 3am and getting me safely home. Some of my favorite memories in Uganda were Ismail making us laugh while sharing personal anecdotes about his life and family.
Now, Ismail needs our help. He is trying to build and scale his driving business. He is in the market to purchase his own car but is stuck in the cycle of paying monthly loan fees for his current vehicle to keep his business alive.
Please help Ismail raise enough money to purchase his own car so he can continue to build a successful business for himself and his family!!!
FOR REFERENCE: $1 = 3,695 UG (Ugandan shillings)
Learn more about Ismail in his words...
I used to stay with mum in the village called Kyakatwiire (Kyenjojo ) District until 2017 when I decided to move to Kampala to find any casual job. Remember my Education was not good at all. After failing to get school fees.
In Feb 2017, i decided to go to Kampala city to look for job, this took me 7 months before getting any form of employment. At this time i was being looked after by my friend. I was 18 years by then when I got my first job as cleaner.
In December 2017, my girl friend travelled to the city to check on me after I had got involved in a motorcycle (boda boda) accident. She stayed for two weeks and then went back . because I had no money to keep her longer than that in the city.
Two months after her, she called to tell me that she was pregnant. Though I was happy but worried because I knew that was the time to look for money. She came and delivered in Kampala but this was real struggle since I had not even got a mattress by then. I continued to work with wounds. My job was to wash cars which I did for 4 years from 2017 to 2010.
In 2011, one of my client that used to bring his car for wash, promised me Job of driving his clients (tourists) from Red Chilli hide away / backpackers/ hostel. I remember asking him that, won’t it be very hard to communicate with people speaking English? He encouraged me that it was easier to learn. Then I accepted and started working for him but it took me 3months struggling with English then later, I decided to start trying to speak my broken English which made me start enjoying the job.
I was earning 150000/: per month and yet my rent was 70000/: a month. That means getting food for my wife with little boy was had. In November 2014, I left job and got the one that was paying some good money which was 250000/: a month. I remained employed from 2014 to Dec 2016.
In 2015, one of my client advised me to open accompany. I took time thinking about I can start my own business. The same client, referred me to Ronald Baguma K who opened opened for me a company in the name of Ismail Focus Ltd and which trades as Ismail Safaris. I have been marketing it slowly but it has hardly affected by the COVID 19 lock down, from 2017 I started being independent. Through my work I faced a problem of not knowing how to keep books of accounts which made the business fail to grow. I have now learnt how to manage my business, but I need to learn more, and I have also improved on my financial management skills.
Below are the family members; KIYAGA ISMAIL: 13/ 5/ 1986, and my wife KEMBABAZI HALIMAH: 9/9/1988. The children are; NSUBUGA JUMA: 3/10/2008, KIGOONYA MAHMOUD: 24/3/2010, NAMUTEBI FATUMAH: 21/1/ 2013, NAKIYAGA RAHMAH: 11/7/2016.
My family and I will remain forever grateful Retsy who I first knew as a client who has turned out to be a change maker in our lives. She has also shared this story with her Mother Nancy from there and then our life changed. To this family we pray that God keeps you alive and energetic.
Kindly regards!
Ismail Kiyaga and Family
Organizer
Retsy Holliday
Organizer
Vienna, VA