In an exclusive interview with Forbes Africa, entrepreneur Amos Wekesa narrated his rags to riches struggle that has seen him rise from the shackles of extreme poverty to running two successful tour companies; Great Lakes Safaris and Uganda Lodges that generates $6m (about Shs.21b) annually.
Born in a family of smugglers in Lwakhakha on the border of Uganda and Kenya, he faced the pains of growing up in the 70s where basic necessities and commodities were not only scarce but a luxury for the rich.
He revealed that due to the pain, his mother had decided to kill him while he was a baby.
“My mother is still alive but cries every time she sees me, as when I was a baby, because of the poverty, she had wanted to kill me but stopped herself when she had a dream one night and somebody told her, ‘don’t touch that child’!” He revealed.
“He never went to school until the age of 10, or even wore a pair of shoes until much after”, Forbes Africa reported.
Wekesa says the struggles inspired him to work extremely hard.
“The day of a hungry man is an extremely long day. If hunger can’t inspire you, then nothing in life can. And I was hungry for success,” he stated.
Until age 28, he did odd jobs – starting out as a sweeper earning less than $5 (Shs18,000) a month – but his experience as a small-time tour guide led him to save $200 (Shs700,000) to open his first business, Great Lakes Safaris. And as they say, the rest is history.
According to Forbes, he hopes to build a five-star hotel in Entebbe before he turns 50. He already has two-and-a-half acres of land allotted for this purpose.
If this story can’t inspire you, then nothing in life can.