With Shs100,000 or less, you can start these businesses in Uganda

The Covid-19 pandemic has battered economies globally, leading to loss of jobs and businesses, and Uganda is no exception.

With the virus still here amid low vaccination, Bank of Uganda projects slow economic recovery over the next one year.

The pandemic has also worsened Uganda’s unemployment problem. About 700,000 graduates enter Uganda’s job market each year.

But of these, only 90,000 get formal jobs, according to National Planning Authority (NPA) statistics. This translates to 87 per cent of graduates ready to work but can’t find a job.

It is against this background that we suggest some business ideas that one can start with low capital.

Hairdressing

The beauty industry is one of the fastest growing businesses worldwide. Most women will plait their hair or polish nails on a weekly or monthly basis.

The cosmetics industry in Uganda grew by 50% from 2015 to 2018 to reach $45 million, according to market data.

This, therefore, makes hairdressing the appropriate business. While funds may not be available to rent space for salon, experts in the industry advise you can the business in a spare room or garage at the confines of your home.

“Start with your family members and neighbours they will help you grow the clientele base,” Ms Clara Suubi, a hair stylist at Monique Beauty Salon in Kireka, Wakiso District, says.

Ms Suubi adds that one can go mobile, and start working on customers from their homes or workplaces.

She says basically, you should have combs, towels and styling products, which all cost less than Shs50,000.

Manicure and pedicure

You can start this business near a saloon or in a saloon that works majorly on women. Joel Mukasa, who owns a similar business that he does door to door, says one needs to buy wholesale pedicure supplies, including towels, polish, polish remover, emery boards, nail clippers, moisturizer and cuticle sticks.

Mukasa says any money ranging from Shs70,000 to Shs100,000 can be enough to start this business.

Doing laundry

 Most people tend not to have time to do their laundry due to their busy schedules. This means one do their laundry at a fee.

One company involved in this business is Mkozi that does shopping, cleaning, and dog care load off the back of their customers. The company offers alternative income for university students.

Mr Samuel Abaho, the head of operations at Mkozi, says this business is one of the fastest growing in the country.

However, he calls for trust and commitment, saying customers want quality work.

Making snacks

Snacks as popcorn and groundnuts are great accompaniments for people taking their break or evening tea

So with this business, you are assured of clients. For starters, one needs a popcorn machine, which costs between Shs100,000 and Shs200,000.

Your location determines much about your revenue and profits at large. All you need is a busy street and a good supply of electricity. Some popcorn machines also use charcoal.

Compound maintenance 

Most people have hedges and grass in their compounds, which require clearing every month.

“Compound maintenance is currently the highest demanded business at  Mkozi,” Mr Abaho says.

While it would be costly to buy a lawn mower, some machines such as pliers cost as low as Shs80,000, which many customers own in their homes.

Some grass cutting machines are also available for hire at a small fee.

Mr Abaho says compound maintenance has high returns because of limited investment, which he says is usually transport.

Making chapatti

Ms Constance Nayiga had only Shs50,000 at the time when she started her Chapati making business. Apart from the charcoal stove, Ms Nayiga had borrowed a few other tools from a caring neighbour who also offered to train her in the business; introducing her to a few shop owners in the neighbourhood who would then help her in the retailing process. It is from such humble beginnings that a major business has flourished to the extent of feeding some of the prominent Kampala Schools including Makerere College and Mengo Senior Secondary Schools among others.

She says you can set up a chapati and Rolex stall for as low as Shs90,000. She adds that your stall location determines a lot on what you will earn. Positioning your stall on a very busy street will work wonders for you.

Digital marketing

Digital marketing involves using digital tools to promote products and services. It encompasses a pool of tools ranging from email, social media, website, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), SMS, mobile application, Virtual reality, USSD to checking how business is faring using analytics – ‘result oriented.’

John Ssenkeezi, a digital marketing expert, says with your smart phone and data, all one needs is open up a social media account and then start building your presence for marketing.

Ssenkeezi adds that one of the key ways to leverage as a very affordable channel is to create awareness about your product. An advert on digital could start from as low as $5 (Shs18,514) to have it seen amongst 3,000 to 5,000 people on Facebook. Here, the product also gets exposure.

 One can attain the skill or qualification from the free online courses on the internet and can become certified to become a digital marketer.

Selling clothes

For those that are passionate about fashion and designing, one can visit the market in downtown Kampala and purchase clothes, mostly second-hand, at low prices

Then using social media, you can market the clothes so that you do delivery to your clients. Such clothes can also be sold by the roadside, especially in the evening, so that you target the clients returning home.

“One will not need to have a physical location to store goods hence expenses like rent and utilities will be cut out,” says Mr Jonathan Katumba, the CEO and Co-Founder of Minute 5, online grocery delivery service.

Car washing

Car washing would essentially require renting a space that has a permanent water supply.

But according to Newton Buteraba, the chief executive officer of House of Wealth, a local firm that offers business advisory services, one can start small even without the sophisticated equipment as long as they have detergents, basins, buckets and towels.

He says many people are increasingly wanting to have their cars washed from their compounds.

Graphic Designing

More and more companies need posters, flyers and logos, among others, as they seek to market their businesses.

Without the requisite qualification, one can take some free online courses on the internet to learn some of the basics on graphic design.

 “More and more graphic designers are coming up in a world today when they do not have formal education on it,” Mr Fahad Muliika, a designer at KreateUG states. 

“Resources like YouTube, blogs, articles, books that teach principles of graphic design, can help one through this. Speaking as someone who is not formally educated in graphic design yet, I would advise one to start with this,” Mr Muliika advises.

“One could further expose themselves to works of the best in their field and picking from them, learning what makes them stand out and also applying it to their relevant market and honing one’s understanding of first principles,” he adds.

Delivery services

This business has been in high demand due to the travel restrictions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. It requires one to become a middle man from the producer to the consumer. One can set up a social media page for free and start on this business.

Home-based teaching/coaching

The closure of schools due to Covid-19 has changed the education trends. For teachers, this presents them the opportunity to market their services on social media and offer their services by visiting children’s homes or teaching via Zoom and other online platforms.

Gardening 

Most people’s compounds have a section that may not be in use and one could start a small garden of vegetables which would later be sold in the neighborhood and also a stepping stone to a bigger garden.

Therefore, with these and many more, one can start earning an income.