Young Congolese refugee fights the Malaria endemic in Uganda
22 December 2022
Patient Baraka, a 23-year-old Congolese refugee living in Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Isingiro district, Uganda, wanted to contribute to alleviating the challenge of the Malaria endemic in Uganda. He saw on it the opportunity to create a repellent company.
Baraka grew up with an herbalist grandfather. As his grandfather’s apprentice, he started gaining skills in making herbal products at the age of 12. He later attained a diploma in biology and chemistry, further enhancing his knowledge and skills.
In 2020, Patient started producing a body moisturizing cream that also offers six hours of repellent protection against mosquito bites that cause Malaria. He then registered the “Botanica Repellent Company Limited” and started selling the cream produced from natural essential oils and bee wax sourced from the local community.
Baraka started his business without training in business management. He ran the business in an unstructured way until he attended a SIYB training organised in the context of the PROSPECTS project in 2021. “The training introduced me to costing and pricing, as well as how to buy and stock control. These lessons have been very beneficial to my business,” he explains.
Baraka applied the knowledge learnt and started seeing his business grow. “I started this business with a capital Ugx 200,000 (about USD 600 at the time) with one person. It is now worth Ugx 18,000,000 (USD 4,700) and employing 4 full-time staff and 6 staff on a part-time basis.”, he says. Botanica’s mosquito repellent cream was certified by the National Drug Authority, which validated its ingredients and efficacy. The PROSPECTS project will provide support for the company to undergo the certification process by the Uganda National Bureau of Standards to acquire a product quality mark. With the Q-Mark, the company will be able to explore the market beyond the current confines of western Uganda.
Patient Baraka (in white T-shirt) and his colleagues showing off the mosquito repellent product
Baraka grew up with an herbalist grandfather. As his grandfather’s apprentice, he started gaining skills in making herbal products at the age of 12. He later attained a diploma in biology and chemistry, further enhancing his knowledge and skills.
In 2020, Patient started producing a body moisturizing cream that also offers six hours of repellent protection against mosquito bites that cause Malaria. He then registered the “Botanica Repellent Company Limited” and started selling the cream produced from natural essential oils and bee wax sourced from the local community.
It was mainly his personal experience with Malaria that pushed him to start a business that makes and sells a repellent cream. “When we arrived in Uganda as refugees, my young sister became very ill with Malaria. Watching how this disease affected her, I decided to start making a product that could contribute to fighting Malaria,&rdquo."
Patient Baraka
Baraka started his business without training in business management. He ran the business in an unstructured way until he attended a SIYB training organised in the context of the PROSPECTS project in 2021. “The training introduced me to costing and pricing, as well as how to buy and stock control. These lessons have been very beneficial to my business,” he explains.
Baraka applied the knowledge learnt and started seeing his business grow. “I started this business with a capital Ugx 200,000 (about USD 600 at the time) with one person. It is now worth Ugx 18,000,000 (USD 4,700) and employing 4 full-time staff and 6 staff on a part-time basis.”, he says. Botanica’s mosquito repellent cream was certified by the National Drug Authority, which validated its ingredients and efficacy. The PROSPECTS project will provide support for the company to undergo the certification process by the Uganda National Bureau of Standards to acquire a product quality mark. With the Q-Mark, the company will be able to explore the market beyond the current confines of western Uganda.
Patient Baraka (in white T-shirt) and his colleagues showing off the mosquito repellent product