From Selling Water on the Streets to Building a Successful Business: A Story of Hope and Determination

My name is Brian Ssewanyana, born and raised in Kisenyi, one of Kampala’s most crowded and struggling neighborhoods in Uganda. I grew up in a small one-room house with my mother and two younger sisters. Life was tough. My father left when I was only five, leaving my mother to play both roles. She sold vegetables at the market, but her earnings were never enough to support the entire family.

I dropped out of school after Primary Six because we couldn’t afford the fees. To help my family, I started selling cold bottled water and soft drinks on Kampala’s streets. Every morning, I woke up early, went to Owino Market to buy cartons of water, and walked through the busy streets trying to make sales. I moved from traffic lights to bus parks, calling out to passersby under the hot sun. By day’s end, I would earn between 3,000 and 5,000 shillings—just enough for food and a little saving. I lived like this for more than three years. To Read More, Tap Here