Entrepreneurs in Uganda who received micro loans in January have struggled to keep their businesses alive through lockdown, but they made it. Now, with restrictions slowly lifting, they are regaining their customer base. The slow market during the lockdown months forced them to diversify and now many of them are making better money because of their expanded inventory.
"I am one of the entrepreneurs that delayed starting a business because money was not enough to start a stationery shop as I had planned but in the process I got a new idea of selling popcorns because there was no one making them in Kalonga. I bought the charcoal Popcorn machine and remained with only 60,000Shs to rent a place and to buy supplies. I decided to work from a friend’s front door and used the 60,000shs to buy supplies and started business. I was overwhelmed by customers and by the time of lock down almost everyone in Kalonga knew about my business, I continued making Popcorns inside my house and people still came for them because they are affordable (starting at 500Shs a person can have some to eat) . I make between 10,000shs to 20,000shs profit per day. In a period of 4months, I bought a second Charcoal popcorn machine and also completed my group savings."