Kalungi bags millions from crafts

At the back end of National Arts and Cultural Crafts Association of Uganda (Naccau), 18-year-old Shamim Babirye silently concentrates as she meticulously cuts through animal hide. 

With a metallic ruler and cutter, she measures and makes scions. She is in her Senior Five (S.5) at Nakasero Senior Secondary School. She is helping her father in the arts and craft business. 

“At first, I thought it would be a waste of my time. After giving it time, I have realised how helpful and beneficial it can be. I have learnt from my father which I would never have learnt. As I speak, I am proud to be able to make men and women’s wallets as well as passport holders, belts, shoes and floor mats. My eyes have been opened to the possibilities of vocational skills,” she explains as she continues to work. 

Babirye is proud that she can make a number of craft items, adding that if one gives something time, it pays off. She is earning as she helps and learns from her father. 

Customers visit their makeshift workstation and place orders for particular items. Babirye is daughter of Ssalongo Kalungi Ahmada, proprietor of Kigula Leather Works. 

Mentorship 

He says that it was important to start mentoring his daughter into the arts and craft work because it would give her an edge over others. He argues that with the high unemployment rate, she wouldn’t be frustrated by the failure to find a job in corporate Uganda but rather use the skills she has acquired to make items that can earn her a livelihood.

“What’s more, is that she can do arts and crafts anywhere, be it at home or a designated place and then go on to find buyers. Given the fact that I am not educated, I find her digital savvy which creates good synergies between us. We make things and she is able to post them online for sale,” Ssalongo Kalungi observes.

How he started 

He is sharing skills that he also learnt from a friend, Michael Mpyangu with whom he connected  as he looked for a new start in Kampala. “Kalungi came along with an acquaintance to help with a project I was doing. At the time, I didn’t know him. My siblings and I noticed Kalungi had a great sense of humour, and was hard working and willing to learn. Over time, he became my apprentice,” Mpyangu recollects on how he got to meet and connect with Kalungi. 

The two later went on to offer their skills at the Uganda Leather Tanning Industry. When the company went out of business, Mpyangu gradually moved out of the business of leather and gave Kalungi a bit of support as he intended to continue. 

Now based in the United Kingdom (UK), Mpyangu says that Kalungi’s persistence under adverse circumstances over the years doesn’t cease to amaze him, adding that his staying-power has more to do with his great attitude and resilience than the minimal support he gave him.  “His greatest attribute, I believe, is his personality and trustworthiness,” he adds. When his friend left the trade and the country altogether, Kalungi sought to keep going.

Man on mission 

He operates business at Bombo Road in a semi-permanent shelter. Running the business single-handedly has exposed the 49-year-old to many people and a lot of experience which he is happy to pass on to the next generation. 

He is happy that his children respect and listen to him. He observes that when Babirye’s siblings see her working and earning, they are also encouraged. He is therefore optimistic that they will gladly learn and in effect take after him which will enable the business to continue beyond him.

Marketing 

Kalungi supplies shops within the Buganda Road craft village. He imports much of his raw materials from Kenya. He has a contact in Busia who receives them on his behalf and organises transport to get them to Kalungi in Kampala.  Kalungi notes that there are different hide qualities which also determines the price of the products. 

He initially used to buy second handbags and cut them to get raw materials until a friend connected him to hide dealers in Kenya where he says he got the raw material at a friendlier price than locally.

Achievements 

His major achievement has been being able to educate his children. “More Ugandans have embraced leather products. The products were initially appreciated by ‘rich people’. We have a producers’ market at Fort Lugard in Old Kampala where I have made so many contacts,” he explains. 

He is keen on teaching more people to craft leather items as a way of sharing skills but also creating a critical and dependable human resource with whom he can share work when a big order is placed by a client. 

He has a friend in the UK whom he supplies. She has received good feedback from customers who have referred friends who keep placing orders. In turn, she puts Kalungi under pressure to deliver more handmade leather products. “If God gives me a long life, my dream is to give my children good education then train up to 300 people in craft making and also set up a workshop,” he shares his major vision. 

Besides Mpyangu, his other key business associates were the founders of Enjuba Uganda who opened a business linkage between him and craft lovers in the USA who appreciated his hand-made leather items. 

And with external linkages building up, he is grateful for the synergies of working with Babirye who is digital savvy and is able to post their items on an online platform for exposure to more potential clients. As a child, Babirye wanted to become a civil engineer but after what she has learnt, she is convinced that any job can earn one a living as long as they are patient to learn and execute it. 

“My advice to learners still in school is you should not judge and look down on jobs. What I have seen and realised is that if you invest time and are dedicated, you will achieve your goals,” the high school learner advises.

Kalungi was not able to pursue education after losing his father at a tender age. He was left under the care of his 90-year-old grandfather, Kigula, after whom he named his crafts business. 

His education journey ended in Primary Two (P.2). He then started fending for his grandmother through offering menial labour in local markets in Kamengo trading centre.

Challenges

Despite the booming business, Kalungi has had a myriad of challenges. Top of his list was lack of seed capital. Kalungi says that some of the materials that he uses are increasingly becoming expensive and scarce. “This forces me to raise the last price to be able to cover the cost of production. However, price increase is well known to be a customer disincentive,” he says. Kalungi says that sometimes he is forced to get off some percentage from his salary to keep his business running well.