A family tragedy could not deter Kayongo from pursuing his dream

While studying in the US he had envisioned himself sharing the American pie and making it big as a professional in the States. This was, however, never to be as his father passed on before he could complete studies, cutting short his American dream. The 28-year-old Jean Christian Kayonga had no choice but to abandon his college education at Wasatch Academy Utah, where he was studying commerce and entrepreneurship to search for a job to support his mother and sister. Kayonga, a resident of Nyamirambo in Nyarugenge District, says prior to his father’s death he had spent six years studying in the US. “I was lucky to get a job at FinaBank (now GT Bank) as a customer service officer in 2008. I knew that my success or failure in life depended on how well I utilised this opportunity,” he points out. Kayonga says while at GT Bank he was inspired to start planning for a future as an entrepreneur by business people who usually deposited huge sums of money several times a week. He says he started to help his mother at her cosmetics store after work and during his off days to sharpen his business skills. “I needed capital and the necessary expertise before I could start my own enterprise,” he notes. He says after he was convinced that he had acquired enough skills to run a business, he quit his job at the bank. “My father used to say that one has to be at the right place and at the right time. This adage played a big role in my decision to quit the bank job in 2009,” says the young entrepreneur. Kayonga notes that after throwing in the towel, he joined his mother at La Decouverte, a beauty franchise in Kigal, as a sales and marketing director. Before long, Kayonga had convinced his mother to expand and rebrand the business and bring on board new products, as well as diversify into different businesses “using some of my savings”. “We decided to diversify and open up other branches across the city, focusing more on quality and branding; this is how La Decouerte Boutique started,” he explains. Challenges However, all these did not come on a silver platter. “At one time we had challenges with competitors who used to sell products at give-away prices, which greatly affected our sales. We were forced to spend a lot of money on marketing and branding, which thankfully paid off,” Kayonga says. He says getting enough capital as a young entrepreneur is always a problem because banks do not trust the youth or start-ups. Achievements I have bought a plot of land and will soon develop it and build a residential house for my family. We have also expanded the business, and now have five outlets in Kigali and its suburbs. Advice to youth Kayonga challenges the youth to stop using excuses, and instead work hard if they are to shine. “We need to be innovative to steer the country forward. We have to be proactive and find ways to educate and improve ourselves and knowledge,” he says. “You are not going to sit idle almost all day and later ask yourself why you are not successful or sleep hungry.” Kayonga urges the youth to take advantage of the good business environment in the country to engage income-generating activities. He also calls on the government to invest more in vocational training to help the youth acquire market-relevant skills. Future plans Kayonga plans to invest in real estate in the near future. “I would also like to return to college and study political science and international conflict resolution courses,” adds Kayonga. Family man I spend most of my free time with my wife and three childrens, he says. My wife and I are also active members of our church; so we get involved in many of its activities.