Andrew Mupuya (Founder and CEO of YELI) In 2008, when the Ugandan government announced its intention to ban the import, manufacture and use of polyethylene plastic bags which take up to 1000 years to decompose, the high school student Andrew Mupaya, then 16 years old, saw an opportunity and decided to start manufacturing paper bags on a small scale.
For this, he writes a business plan and calculates that he needs 18 dollars (about 10.000 fcfa) to start, which is a big sum for this child from a penniless family. By selling 70 kgs of collected plastic bottles, he managed to win by 8000 fcfa. He borrows the remaining 2000 fcfa from his teacher. He started by manufacturing and selling a ream of paper bags every 3 weeks, making a profit of 4000 fcfa for every train sold. In 2010, he registers his company, Youth Entrepreneurial Link Investments (YELI), which is the first local paper bag manufacturing company in the country, currently employs about 15 Ugandan (including a father of 8 children aged 53 years) and has become a major supplier of paper bags and envelopes for hospitals, stores, street vendors and local flour manufacturers.
According to customers' needs, these eco-friendly bags are produced in different shapes and sizes. Since its inception, YELI has produced more than half a million paper bags and enabled its founder to pay for his studies, and financially support his family and that of his employees.
Today, 21 years old, Andrew has received several international awards, including the Anzisha Young Entrepreneur Award from African Leadership Acadamy (with 30000 US $) and the Social Entrepreneurship Award in Norway. He reinvests all the money he has earned in his growing business and has taught 500 young Ugandans how to write a business plan and make paper bags. To read Andrew Mupuya's advice on starting a business, click on http://youthhubafrica.org/2013/03/18/andrew-mupuya-paper-bag-champion. Do not let yourself be brought down by broken promises. Young, become yourself an employer!