Emmanuel, a young of 23-year-old, who is a graduate from GROW program, lives in Bumbogo sector, Gasabo district. At the beginning of the training, Emmanuel had a business of selling homemade potato sambusa. “I used to make sambusa and sell them at 200 RWF each and by the end of the day I would have like 10,000 RWF, an amount that could double on market day, a specific day once a week where everyone brings goods to the market” says Emmanuel.
Emmanuel has joined GROW program beginning this year. He received trainings on growing his business and taking it to another extent. “I loved these trainings because they taught me skills I thought were not relevant like having a book records where I write down what I have sold, what remains and profits made and the importance of savings.
I used just to go and sell sambusa have no record at all what I have made, this was easy for me to misplace money or even to spend it irresponsibly” said Emmanuel.
Since he was a GROW client, Emmanuel was able to expand his business. Besides making potato sambusa, he now has opened a small shop where he sells different items that people in his are need in their daily life like snacks, sodas, beers, soaps etc. “When I started this shop, I already had the skills from GROW and I was focused to make it work. People from my sector needed this kind of shop because I have a service where I serve food for people doing different work like construction in the area” said Emmanuel.
As he learned to set short and long term goal, Emmanuel wishes to expand more his business and provide quality service to his clients. “My goal next year is to buy a fridge for clients who need cold beverages and a television post for entertainment. This will increase the number of my clients and profits. Like the saying goes, sky is the limit”, said Emmanuel.
His biggest achievement is that he was able to build his mother and himself houses and he no longer has to rent or worry about his family. All this is because he was taught to save and to have a vision of what he wanted to achieve
From left to right: Emmanuel in his old kitchen, and now in his own boutique