[UAH] ENTERPRISING TEACHER: Kibalya started an events business to supplement his salary!!!
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3:24 PM |
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By Agnes Kyotalengerire
Eight years ago, Richard Kibalya, a teacher in Kampala, decided to fi nd an additional job to do during his free time. He realised his weekends were free and this is the same time many people were holding parties.
Kibalya decided to start an events business, which involved hiring out tents, plastic chairs, tables, wooden serving tables, calabashes and baskets.
However, he did not have the capital to kick-start the business.
"My income was low and besides, I was supposed to take care of some dependents," Kibalya recalls.
But, all hope was not lost for Kibalya. There was an opportunity to tap into. The school allowed teachers to access salary loans for personal development.
Fortunately, the school guaranteed him access to a salary loan from the bank. In 2005, he took a loan of sh680,000 and bought 53 plastic chairs each at sh11,000.
"After analysing the situation, I decided to venture into the events business," he says. But before opening the business, he had to get market for it.
In his neighbourhood, there was a group of women, who would meet in their savings and cooperative society every weekend. Kibalya saw a business opportunity in this group, since he would hire out his tents and chairs to them whenever they met.
He also realised there was no one doing the same business in Namugongo, a reason he felt this was a fertile ground to invest in.
Within five months, Kibalya had bought 50 more chairs using the profi ts from the business. That aside, he was able to pay off the loan in one year.
In September 2006, he applied for another loan of sh3m and bought two tents from New African Tents in Kireka. Partly, Kibalya attributes his success to readily meeting the needs of his clients.
In 2007, Kibalya bought more chairs, raising the number to 500 and also added two more tents.
"I would service the loan using my salary, which enabled me plough back all the profi ts I made from the business," he adds.
Kibalya has accumulated 12,000 plastic chairs and 16 tents, 10 plastic chairs and 10 serving tables, in addition to seven calabashes and 100 baskets.
From this business, Kibalya now has nine acres of land upcountry, where he has planted over 21,000 eucalyptus trees. He was able to acquire a plot in Kampala and bought three taxis for transportation within the city.
GROWING THE BUSINESS
Kibalya uses his job to network and get clients. He coordinates with fellow teachers, who tip him on events in other schools. "I work with teachers in different schools, who inform me about the events to come I lobby and get the tenders to supply the items," he says.
Besides, Kibalya gets big business market from Namugongo Catholic Church, schools, congregations and the community around. His biggest catch, he says, is always on Martyrs Day.
Besides, he gets businesses on other events like International Women's Day, Youth Day and Men's Guide Day, organised by the church.
He also supplies wedding and introduction functions and any other events.
Like any other business, Kibalya faces challenges and they include; damages and loss of chairs.
"Many chairs break during functions and yet clients are not willing to replace them," he says. More so, the price for buying chairs has doubled to sh20,000 compared to sh11,000 in the past.
Many people want to hire the items at a lower price, while others do not want to pay, he explains.
JUGGLING TEACHING AND BUSINESS
Kibalya says he gives priority to teaching. He distributes his teaching load during the week and spends the entire day at school.
Kibalya reserves weekends for his business because he realised for a business to grow, it requires personal supervision.
Florence Namuddu, his head teacher, describes Kibalya as a "down-to-earth, committed teacher; who is always available for consultation".
"I have supervised and employed him for the last 10 years, and students who have passed through his hands have performed well," Namuddu adds.
Apart from teaching and fulfi lling his responsibility, as the profession requires, Kibalya advises fellow teachers to set up projects besides teaching, to supplement their income.
- STILL SURVIVING THE MAFIAS,LIVING IN FEAR AND PAIN,BEING HUNTED LEFT,RIGHT AND CENTER BY MAFIAS PLUS THEIR NETWORKS.
- ON 29/JANUARY/2004 DURING RADIO ONE EKIMEEZA TALKSHOW AT CLUB OBBLIGATTO I REVEALED THE PRESENCE OF MUSEVENI CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION BOUGHT FROM NORTH KOREA AND IRAN-THAT WAS HIDDEN UNDER GULU AIRPORT HUNKER AND THE UNITED NATIONS GRABBED,DESTROYED AND TOOK AWAY THE REMAINING ONES TO UNKNOWN DESTINATION-THIS IS ONE REASON WHY PRESIDENT MUSEVENI AND HIS MAFIAS CAN NEVER-NEVER-I SAY NEVER FORGIVE ME SINCE I EXPOSED AND SPOILED THEIR DEADLY DESTRUCTIVE AGENDA FOR NORTHERN UGANDA!!!
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