Our Former Trainee

SPECIAL MONDAY@RUFI!

Here is another episode of our exclusive interview with our former trainee BIIRA JOVIA NYAMAC 23. She is a mother of 1 and the 6 year old baby girl is in middle class. Jovia is using her 1 rented room for accommodation and also her small workshop. During day, she does her work in the veranda outside. This is what she says;

Interviewer: yes, Jovia briefly tell us about your current situation.

Jovia: am owning a small sewing workshop in Kizungu, Kasese municipality.

Interviewer: when did you establish this workshop?

Jovia: I established this workshop in July 2020 when the lockdown was somehow relaxed.

Interviewer: Is the machine yours?

Jovia: Yes. I bought it in March.

Interviewer: From July, how are you finding the business?

Jovia: I should say the business is fair.

Interviewer: why fair not good?

Jovia: It would be good if I had most of what the customers always ask me.

Interviewer: could you please mention to us some of those items or things customers ask from you.

Jovia: well, the customers expect me to be having enough of the fabrics (Bitenge) so that they can buy from me and I sew for them. My other customers want me to have a mirror at my place. Whereas the other customers like certain new designs which are not common and few people around town know them. Above all the designs require advanced machines which I don’t have yet.

Interviewer: So what plans do you have to ensure all these customers come to you?

Jovia: My plan is to look for money and supplement my capital which I will use to buy materials and others like the dressing mirror.

Interviewer: you have said you started in July. What are the achievements and challenges so far?

Jovia: The achievements are two folded.

I have got some customers who believe and trust me and Am able to pay rent for the past 3 months from sewing.

For the challenges, my capital is still small. I keep reducing it through my daily survival.

Also around me, there are many competitors doing what I exactly do equally reducing my customer base.

Interviewer: Any advice you can pass on to those women or girls planning or already undergoing sewing training?

Jovia: My advice is that discipline is key in whatever on does. And let people trust you looking at how you do your work.

Interviewer: Any request to the Rural Focus Initiative Uganda as an organization or other supporters?

Jovia: am requesting them to continuously visit us for guidance and also to engage us when they have much work for us to gain much experience and also earn income to add on our capital.

Interviewer: Jovia, thank you for your time to share with me your wonderful story and please remain safe as corona virus gets serious in our district than before.

Jovia: welcome and am grateful to have hosted you!