Hi! Everyone,
‘My name is Ben aged 24 years, I feel soo much privileged ever since I was recruited into the Mtomondoni sponsorship program and being one of the eldest boys in the sponsorship program. Generally I can say the education sponsorship has helped me a lot as I have been able to learn by going through vigorous trainings and as a result I have learnt lots of life skills and through that am able to sort out different life issues. Also through my education am now able to judge out life situations whether good or not good.
Life throughout my education in the sponsorship program has been very interesting right from my primary school, secondary school up to college. So far the college training which I have undergone are computer studies and automotive course. Also am planning to soon do a course in forklifting. I believe through these trainings, they’ve helped me to broaden up my mind and through that I was able to come up with a business idea after learning from one of my friends.
The nature of my business is dealing with buying and selling of second hand domestic items ranging from house hold furniture like beds, coffee tables, stools, sofa sets, chairs, television sets, music system and the like. Recently I started in also dealing with new electronic items e.g bulbs and other related electronic items.
Mainly my customers are the locals i.e the villagers, neighbors and friends. Through my business many of the villagers are able to buy some domestic items at affordable prices unlike before when they were unable to be due to high prices of new items who most of them could not afford. My business day normal begins at 8.00 am and end at 7.30 pm when I close my shop.
So as to maintain my customers, I make sure that I sell for them affordable prices on the items bearing in mind that due to the poor economic income of the villagers. Also I sometimes call my customers whenever I bring in to the shop new items. Also to make sure that my business continue to run I do appropriate savings.
In terms of profitability of the business. I can say that the profit I make is not much but am happy that with it am able to sort out my bills e,g rent and power bills and the same time able to look after my sister and mum in terms of school fees for my sister and food at home.
So as to outshine my competitors, I make sure that I offer extra services to my clients e.g free repainting of the furniture items so as they look as good as new whereas some other competitors don’t offer such kind of service.
Before I finish, I have some advice to the youths and young adults like myself since many of them whenever they complete their studies or training and start looking for jobs which may not be able to get early enough such kind of youth start losing hope and get discouraged with life. To my advice I would say instead the youths and the young adults get discouraged with life they may try some business ideas just like mine, after all the main objective of education is to broaden up your mind and start thinking big. That’s why I call the name of my business as Big Ben. Since i was mentored into this business by one of my friends also I have been mentoring some of my friends too.
However in business there are some challenges like buying a second hand item from the owner thinking that it’s ok surprisingly later I find that the item I bought wasn’t working well and as a result it becomes hard to sell such kind of an item at a good price and sometimes I end up in getting some loses.
Finally to all of my sponsors, I want to thank you very much for your support I would like to urge you that you please continue to give more support and eventually I believe with all the support fruits will be made which are the greater minds of the kids in the sponsorship program.
Bye,bye with regards from,Ben.’