Susan K. Muyiyi
1 November 2007
Maria Kugonza 29, once the naive girl who arrived in Kampala in 1996 to work as a housemaid stands confidently in front of Two Sisters, her salon in Bugolobi. Kugonza who hails from Kibale District says it's been a journey of discovery outside the confines of her employers' house doors.
She organises a collection of magazines she has gathered to entertain her customers as their hair is attended to. Though not yet a beehive of activity, she is proud that the dream of owning a salon has materialised.
Looking at her waiting on her business makes it appear as though she has had it easy. It has actually taken her about 10 years to become self-employed.
"I desired, dreamt, waited, worked for a number of families and now is the time," Kugonza says with so much confidence.
"I didn't get the opportunity to study beyond primary seven because my parents didn't have the money to pay my school fees. I instead readily waited for an opportunity to work in the big city," Kugonza reveals.
Her luck came when a cousin who knew someone in need of house help approached her.
"I accepted because I had learnt earlier in life not to despise humble beginnings. Besides, I had to earn a living somehow.
There was no way I was going to get married young and have many children just because I hadn't continued with my education."
Her first salary was Shs 25,000 from which she had to support some of her siblings. Kugonza is the third born in a family of 13 children born to Mr Agapito Majwara and Teopista Najjuma of Kibaale District.
"I have always been consumed with the desire to be a hair dresser," she says passionately. And nothing was going to stand in her way! Not even the salary increment by her last employers from Shs 60,000 to Shs 150,000.
Though she started out as a housemaid, she vowed never to remain one for her entire working life, so she saved denying herself any luxuries. She then made a bold step one day when she left her employers house. No hard feelings she says, but, "you have to do everything in your power to achieve your goals," she determinedly says.
She yearned to be independent- have her own house and business. But for years she was faced with the lack of resources to start up. The high cost of living in Kampala made it seem like a farfetched dream. To supplement her income during that time, she made mandazi and sowed table clothes, which she boldly sold to her employers' guests.
"I usually timed an opportune moment when I would bring my book with different designs and asked which one they wanted," Kugonza adds, with a gaze into a promising future, not with the kind of business acumen she has.
Kugonza is grateful that one of her employers taught her how to save money. "They told me that I didn't have to wait until I had a lot of money to be able to save. They told me that I could even save as little as Shs 500 from Shs 1,000."
She saved but it was difficult considering that she had to send money home and also to take care of herself. Kugonza reasoned that if she didn't have the money to go to a beauty school, she could as well perfect her in-born skill by using crochet threads.
"Since I didn't have the money to enrol in a beauty school, I asked around and realised that established salons taught willing students at a reasonable fee."
She identified Touch of Class beauty salon in Nakawa from where she was trained, worked and left a year later to start her own salon.
Kugonza lived with a friend in Bugolobi as she sought to sharpen her hair and beauty skills. "I didn't want to start with a wooden structure for a salon because it would be difficult to carry the dryer and other equipment home every night. And yet it would be risky not to. Location is also very important in this kind of business," she explains.
Finally three months ago, after pulling resources with her sister Berna Namukasa, Two Sisters located near Bugolobi market opened its doors to the public.
"We needed Shs 2m. The taxes are high and it was difficult having to pay a lump some and rent for six months at a go," she reveals. When not attending to her customers who include university students from MUBS and people living in the flats, Kugonza is reading to learn more about beauty.
"I discovered that Helen Kakyo the woman in charge of the distribution of Dark and Lovely products in Uganda holds training seminars free of charge," she excitedly says.
"She encourages us to believe in what we love doing although some people under look women who work in salons because apparently they aren't educated." Kugonza gets her drive from Kakyo who followed her heart's desire of dealing in beauty products instead of pursuing a university degree.
Whereas she yearned to go to the village for every Christmas as a maid, hers is a busy life these days. And her business comes first."The Christmas season is a busy one. I can't let my customers down," Kugonza says.
She has no regrets what so ever for leaving the assurance of shelter and food as a housemaid. "My mother can visit me and spend the night at my house.
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