Eugene Muhoza went to India to study Agri-business, but instead returned home with MBA in project management. Back in Rwanda four months now, Muhoza decided to put aside his MBA and pursue a career in Agri-business instead. Today, he is a co-owner of Master Supply Solutions, a company that supplies produce to hotels and restaurants. Moses Opobo caught up with him at the company’s offices in Kacyiru …

Why Agri-business?

I studied Chemistry and Biology in high school, after which I went to KIST for a certificate course in Food Science and Technology.

After my certificate I went to India with a plan to study Agricultural Business but it was not there at my university, so I settled for an MBA in Project Management instead. I studied for two years, after which I worked for an Australian fertilizer manufacturing company in India.

My work was to transport the cargo from India to Dubai, and I did this for one year and saved some little money. Now I am back home to create something of my own like the president always tells the youths to do.

Lessons from India

In India I learnt to live on my own, to buy and cook my own food, pay my own rent and other dues, and generally take care of myself.

Indians know how to save. Every family usually has a small business to supplement the family income, whether selling eggs or potatoes.

I remember my landlord had a rental apartment and from the savings he made from rent, he kept adding an extra floor on the house, and now it’s a tall building which fetches him a lot of money.

Starting business

Coming back, I decided to travel the countryside to prospect for business. One day while on a bus, I met a guy and we started to talk. We realized we were both travelling on similar business and exchanged contacts.

I found out that Theo Mungaliho was already in the business which I wanted to do, supply of fresh food and vegetables to restaurants and hotels. On top of that, he was also supplying wines and spirits to a few hotels. We agreed to work together, and the result was Master Supply Solutions.

In less than one month of existence, we have added two more people on the team at our store in Kacyiru.

Going to RDB:

When I went to RDB, my documents were processed and printed and scanned for me, and I was asked to wait six hours for the registration process to be effected and indeed I got a reply after six hours. I did not spend anything on the process.

I think in Rwanda if you accept to do things according to the rules, eat little and keep saving, everything can go through.