Kabompo AIDS Programme: Kayimbo Fumbelo's experience
Kayimbo started a carpentry business on his own after participating in a Kabompo AIDS Programme* entrepreneurship skills training workshop. He already enjoyed woodwork and knew how to make furniture, so what he really needed was assistance in developing a business plan.
In the workshop Kayimbo learnt the step-by-step process of starting a business and the concepts of profit and loss. He admits that it was difficult to find enough capital to start up his business. But he was able to use the allowance provided through the training to buy his wood.
Kayimbo believes that he would not be where he is today without the training. He is grateful for everything he learned, from building up a customer base through to advertising. As his business grew he was able to create a workshop to build bed and sofa frames, chairs, tables and panel doors.
Knowing how much this training has meant to him, Kayimbo hopes it will become available to more young people in the community in order to educate them and keep them out of poverty. Kayimbo himself has employed two other young people to help him at his workshop, and he hopes to instil in them the same belief in personal responsibility.
This is a remarkable success story about a young man who thrives on learning and growing and who was prepared to take the risk to build up his own business without the support of a group. Kayimbo participated in the workshop on his own initiative and he has thrived in his business ever since.
*Kabompo AIDS Programme, an implementing partner of Alliance Zambia, is located in Kabompo district in the Northwestern Province of Zambia. It targets at-risk groups such as children, women and young people in order to reduce their vulnerability to HIV and AIDS. Entrepreneurial skills and capital support empowerment are an important component in the programmes that target young people. The Alliance provides technical and financial support to the programme – one of three organisations that the Alliance is supporting in the North Western province of Zambia.
