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Oeganda
When he lost his
father at the age of three, Douglas Mirembe’s mother thought that her
children would not make it in life. However, through hard work and
determination, Mirembe’s mother and his maternal grandmother who were both
peasant farmers from Rwengaju Subcounty in Fort Portal City struggled to raise
him and his siblings.
“They could grow maize and do odd jobs to
ensure that we stayed in school and had something to eat. Through the grace of
God, I was able to study up to university,” he says as he recalls the dark
days.
Upon graduating,
Mirembe chose to concentrate on small-scale agriculture. He reared goats,
rabbits and practiced poultry farming. He says that he never bothered to apply
for jobs, since he knew that it was not an easy task. At that time, Mirembe did
not think of taking farming to another level, probably because he had no one to
guide him. Besides, his practical skills were limited. It was after he got the
opportunity to participate in the Work Readiness Programme that he came to appreciate
that he could utilise the skills acquired to take on agriculture as a lucrative
business.
“The training sessions were hands on. I fell
in love with my profession, and I realised that it was time for me to concentrate
on agriculture, “he says.
Mirembe is gradually
expanding his business empire. He has established a farm in Kamwenge, where he grows
coffee and maize. He has also purchased two cows, twenty hens and three goats.
“Agri- business is the way to go. Agricultural
products have ready market. People eat food on a daily basis. It is a lifetime
job that other young people should try out. The training has been an eye opener
to me,” Mirembe says.
Before attending the
training, Mirembe says he kept both animals and birds in the same structure. However,
the skills he acquired have helped him to construct separate standard
structures. He says that he has no plans of applying for jobs elsewhere because
he believes that it is hard to get a job without paying a bribe.
“For now, I want to concentrate on agriculture.
I have a big business plan and skills. The challenge is that I lack capital but
I’m sure that when I get a financial boost, my business will grow,” Mirembe
says.
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