Stephen Uses Critical Thinking to Develop a Business Strategy that Solves a Local Need

Stephen Ogwang, an Educate! Mentor and businessman, just oozes charm. With a smile to kill and confidence to spare, he welcomes us into the Police Barracks in Nsambya, Kampala. This is where he’s set up shop; his brightly colored MTN Mobile stand among the uniforms, armed trucks and housing for police personnel. Although it may seem like an unusual place to conduct business, Stephen explains that his location is a part of his carefully-crafted strategic business plan to address a community need.

Before his business came to the barracks, there was no place for residents to buy common, daily necessities. People would have to travel to neighboring communities for simple items like airtime (for making phone calls and using internet data), pens, stationery and water. Now, with Stephen’s services, the community can spend less time running errands and more time investing their energy into other activities.

Stephen’s services have also identified another community need: computer literacy. Many people who live within the police barracks are job seekers, but lack computer access. Stephen, who says that “most people here don’t know how to write resumes; they don’t know how to write CVs”,  has incorporated drafting these essential documents into his business model and charges a fee for his expertise. He understands that his business savvy can be leveraged to positively impact the lives of those around him.

What’s next for Stephen? On top of the continual expansion of his business, he hopes to re-invest his income into higher education so that he can attend university. For Stephen, the sky’s the limit. Not only is Stephen impacting his own future, but he is also setting an example for the Scholars whom he Mentors by showing them that unwavering persistence and determination will carry you far.