Africa-Press – South-Sudan. What troubles young people the most is unemployment that sets in after finishing college. But in Boboya Joseph’s case, the situation is different after he decided to start a business instead of searching for a job, despite graduating with a diploma in information technology [IT] from St. Lawrence University, Kampala.
Boboya, who is operating a cybercafé business at Custom Bus Park, narrated to The City Review that it had taken him a lot of sweat to amass experience and roll out what looks to be a fully-fledged business today.
He said that upon finishing his Senior Six Secondary Examinations, he lacked the money to continue with his education and resorted to working as a tout to save and continue with his education.
“After three years working as a conductor and also starting a second-hand clothing business, I was able to gather enough money to take me to the university. Even when my credentials allowed me to get a degree, the money I had could not be enough, “he revealed.
The 29-year old son, the second born in a family of eight, says he currently has to fend for the family and also pay school fees to the children of his elder brothers.
“I sometimes have to choose between my business and my family. When my father died last year, I had to take care of my ageing mother and the children of my other siblings. I had enrolled in a long-distance learning programme to finish my bachelors in IT in Kampala and studied for 2 semesters, but I had to cut it short because it would bring my business down, which we all depend on, “he revealed, adding that ‘‘it is a tough decision, but I had to do it in order to thrive.”
Boboya revealed that when he started the IT business, upon completion of his diploma, he had to start renting a veranda to start a business. He was armed with his one computer and a printer donated by a friend. But he now has a series of printers, and he owns a shop after the owner of a veranda he once rented told him to vacate.
“The landlord told me [that] because of my growing customers, he could no longer be able to accommodate me at the veranda and asked me to look for a shop, but it was still expensive for me,’’ he recalled.
However, Boboya, had no choice but to still rent another veranda so that he could be able to run his business till he got a shop.
“When I rented another veranda, the shop owner was returning to his country, so I had to take the shop from him,” he added.
Expanded business
After years of struggle all the way from 2016, Boboya now employs seven workers in his business, mostly youth who are into printing, teaching computer lessons, graphics, computer maintenance and repair, including photography. But according to him, the presence of high rent fees, high taxation rates, and electricity are jeopardising his business.
“I used to pay SSP 30,000 per month for the shop, but now the prices have tripled, and now the landlord told me to pay SSP 150,000. The electricity at the park is another issue. We have to struggle to pay exorbitant taxes, we have to pay for the operational license, cleaning fee, security fee, garbage fee, and many other fees, “he stressed.
He said he is now considering increasing his prices in order to meet the demand of the landlord and the extra levies from other authorities.
“I am calling on the government to look into the issue of taxes for starters like youth, give them some loans, regulate landlords, and bring the electricity very near to our place. There’s power here in the park, but power cannot be obtained individually from the power company,’’ he appealed.
Boboya said that the government needs to train the youth in vocational skills to enable them to create a living for themselves.
“When I started with one computer, it was a bit easier to manoeuvre through, but now there’s stiff competition, hence the need to have good capital”.
He said that if the government comes up with regulatory policies for landlords, they could be able to flourish in business, citing the rent fee as abnormal. He added that if many malls were constructed in the city, people could occupy them, helping streamline the issue of high rent.
Last week, the chamber of commerce chairman for Central Equatoria State, Robert Pitia, asked the traders not to hike prices. The traders complained that factors such as high taxes were to blame for the increase in prices.
Boboya, whose working capital hits about $5000, said he now targets the offset printing machine, which he otherwise said is very expensive.
“I started working from nothing, and because of that, I had to save a lot in the printing business. The printer costs us a lot, so we have to forego something because printing from outside is costly,’’ he noted.
Last month, the government and partners launched an 11.9m project on vocational training which is aimed at strengthening vocational education and training programs. The four-year project funded by UNESCO aims at targeting 25,000 people across the country including youth, women, and girls.
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