By Isaac Akugizibwe

KIU, Main Campus - When Everlyn Baluka Mweru graduated with a bachelors in Human Resource Management in 2017, her mind was dominated by one idea; looking for a job. She roamed several streets visiting various companies in search of job vacancies but all in vain. Having moved over six months without success, she thought of starting something that would earn her a living.

The 26-year-old pursued a business that would require affordable capital to start. She decided to go recycling what tailors thought were surplus to requirements thus venturing into Sewing. 

‘’I realized I could make good use of the cloth pieces that tailors usually throw around after cutting clothes,’’ Everlyn narrates.

She only needed 1000 shillings for buying threads to start off a business that doubled as her passion. She says embroidery is the only thing she could afford to do outside her profession.

‘’1000 shillings helped me to produce my first door mat which I sold with an absolute profit of almost 99.5% because I was paid 25000 shillings in return," she explains.

Everlyn admits that the results of her first product were enough to prove that she was destined to prosper with the business. She decided to make as many different samples which she would carry along to church or any public engagement in order to establish potential customers. Many people fell in love with her products.

‘’I took samples to church and other places meeting friends and other people who eventually loved my art pieces. That encouraged me to go an extra mile,’’ she notes.

She used part of the money earned from the sale of the door mat to invest in making threaded door mats, cushions and pillows and the rest has since belonged to history.

Besides doing embroidery, Everlyn works as a cashier and secretary somewhere else from where she resorts to her passionate job. 

"I try to make my leisure time constructive thus why I resort to knitting when I leave my day time job,’’ she clarifies.

Her business has enabled her to contribute towards the development of her family and also opening her mind which she says energizes her to do even better. She is also skilling the youth and women on financial literacy using her experience.

From her savings Everlyn is looking forward to opening up a bakery and an interior design workshop with hopes she will be able to improve many lives through employing them.