Filmmakers, fashion designers and artists in Uganda are at the heart of the nation’s post-pandemic economic resurgence.
Businesses and schools finally opened in January but the long shutdowns resulted in many casualties, with young people worst hit by job losses and financial hardship.
If you are not connected, it is hard to get a good job in Uganda, so I wanted the business to provide me with an income and create jobs across the supply chain
Entrepreneur Belinda Esaete
A shining light was the burgeoning entrepreneurial spirit forged in the bedrooms and garages of parents reacquainted with grown-up children who had returned home.
Their ambition was supported by Motiv, an incubator supporting young entrepreneurs with workspace, equipment, business advice and finance in Kampala, the Ugandan capital.
It aims to create 300,000 new jobs in the next five years.
The project has been built with assistance from the MasterCard Foundation, with a former vehicle chop shop in the Bugolobi industrial hub of Kampala converted into five warehouses across 7,000 square metres.
It provides a stage and gallery for artists, podcast and film studios, and workshops for carpenters and seamstresses.
Women make up more than half of new business owners at Kampala incubator programme.
Unlocking the potential of young entrepreneurs
Belinda Esaete, 26, lost her job as a procurement officer during Covid-19, so started her own business, Bel Deluxe, which designs and makes sleepwear.
“I spent months looking for a job, and my parents saw how frustrated and depressed I was,” she said.
“When I told them I wanted to be an entrepreneur, they said just go for it.
“In the beginning, it was difficult as I spent three months researching what I needed.
“If you are not connected, it is hard to get a good job in Uganda, so I wanted the business to provide me with an income and create jobs across the supply chain.
“To get the first orders in was exciting, but scary.”
A screensaver on Ms Esaete’s laptop shows a London high street shop to keep her ambition burning. One day she hopes to supply to companies such as Primark.
“Knowledge is the one thing you need when starting a new business and Motiv helped me develop that for free by connecting me with mentors,” said Ms Esaete, who employs eight staff, three of them full-time.
“It is tough being a woman and running a business — it is hard to raise finance and to have access to networks of businesswomen.
“The Motiv community does not see gender, just ambition.”
About 15 entrepreneurs work hours to suit their business, with Motiv facilitating an online trading hub to sell and distribute products made on site.
Raymond Malinga, 32, director of Creatures Animation studio, took his business from his parent’s garage to an office in the Motiv design district and has been chosen by Disney to create a short film.
“I had always wanted to be an animator and storyteller, so started a business with my brother Robin in 2015,” he said.
“I studied in Malaysia and worked there, but Africa was calling so I returned home to Uganda.”
From paying staff in noodles and reimbursing their travel costs, the business has evolved with each of his eight-strong creative team now taking a salary.
The brothers made a short film called A Kalabanda ate my homework that won multiple awards and was featured at the Cannes Film Festival in 2018.
“It is a six-minute film about a child going into school without his homework and blaming it on a Kalabanda, a kind of Ugandan bogeyman,” said Mr Malinga.
“It did really well and showed we could come up with concepts and form a team to produce it.”
That animation attracted the attention of Disney, which selected Mr Malinga from 70 animators across Africa to submit short films to tell their national story.
The anthology of 10 short films due in 2023 will feature on Disney+ to support the first crop of African directors.
“I had to pitch to Disney executives virtually during Covid. When I was selected, I was unable to tell anyone for a year,” said Mr Malinga.
“I am representing Uganda, taking aspects of our country's story and telling a futuristic version of it.
“For a budding studio like mine, it helps them to work alongside other creative people.”
Creative hub leading resurgence for young business people
A gallery at the live performance district of Motiv showcased art for International Women’s Day from a collective of around 15 creatives in Kampala, and connects artists with buyers around the world.
A month-long exhibition called Wall Speak was the first since the art space reopened, and saw work sold to collectors as far afield as Australia for up to $10,000.
“During the pandemic, people could not attend our shows, and we had curfews, so it was particularly challenging to show off our artwork,” said Mercy Vini, an artist working for the Vodo Art society at Motiv.
“The situation helped with our expression and content as we had time and a source of inspiration.
“Our exhibitions now are themed around Covid and our experiences during the lockdown.”
Uganda has one of the youngest populations in the world — about 77 per cent are under 30.
The nation’s population of 45 million is set to explode as a result of low mortality and high fertility rates. It is currently growing by a million each year.
With huge potential economic benefits, there is also surging demand for jobs outside agriculture and tourism, the sectors which are the country's two main employers.
A “bounce-back from Covid” event staged in association with the Uganda Investment Authority will be live-streamed from the Motiv site in Kampala into the Uganda Pavilion at Dubai Expo 2020 on Wednesday morning.
It will showcase some of the work of young businessmen and women from the region to promote innovation, youth and sustainability.
Eugene Kavuma, Motiv community head, said the project has provided an opportunity for ambitious young people to shine.
“Covid has cost these people not only their livelihoods, but also their source of pride and value,” he said.
“Some have gone away to try other things or moved away from the city altogether.
“We have helped them limit their costs so they can restart their lives and careers.
“In January when the country and economy reopened, there was a huge resurgence in demand.
“People have been running a marathon to survive, and now they want water — they can finally take a breath and are excited about the future.”
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Oppenheimer
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Racecard
6.30pm: Mazrat Al Ruwayah Group Two (PA) US$55,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
7.05pm: Meydan Trophy (TB) $100,000 (Turf) 1,900m
7.40pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (D) 1,200m
8.15pm: Balanchine Group Two (TB) $250,000 (T) 1,800m
8.50pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,000m
9.25pm: Firebreak Stakes Group Three (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,600m
10pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,410m
The National selections: 6.30pm: RM Lam Tara, 7.05pm: Al Mukhtar Star, 7.40pm: Bochart, 8.15pm: Magic Lily, 8.50pm: Roulston Scar, 9.25pm: Quip, 10pm: Jalmoud
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
ARM%20IPO%20DETAILS
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Company%20Profile
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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
City's slump
L - Juventus, 2-0
D - C Palace, 2-2
W - N Forest, 3-0
L - Liverpool, 2-0
D - Feyenoord, 3-3
L - Tottenham, 4-0
L - Brighton, 2-1
L - Sporting, 4-1
L - Bournemouth, 2-1
L - Tottenham, 2-1
No Shame
Lily Allen
(Parlophone)
ASSASSIN'S%20CREED%20MIRAGE
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The%20Kitchen
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
SPECS
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Company%20profile
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Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Superliminal%20
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The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
'C'mon C'mon'
Director:Mike Mills
Stars:Joaquin Phoenix, Gaby Hoffmann, Woody Norman
Rating: 4/5
Results
Stage Two:
1. Mark Cavendish (GBR) QuickStep-AlphaVinyl 04:20:45
2. Jasper Philipsen (BEL) Alpecin-Fenix
3. Pascal Ackermann (GER) UAE Team Emirates
4. Olav Kooij (NED) Jumbo-Visma
5. Arnaud Demare (FRA) Groupama-FDJ
General Classification:
1. Jasper Philipsen (BEL) Alpecin-Fenix 09:03:03
2. Dmitry Strakhov (RUS) Gazprom-Rusvelo 00:00:04
3. Mark Cavendish (GBR) QuickStep-AlphaVinyl 00:00:06
4. Sam Bennett (IRL) Bora-Hansgrohe 00:00:10
5. Pascal Ackermann (GER) UAE Team Emirates 00:00:12
Results
Stage seven
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates, in 3:20:24
2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers, at 1s
3. Pello Bilbao (ESP) Bahrain-Victorious, at 5s
General Classification
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates, in 25:38:16
2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers, at 22s
3. Pello Bilbao (ESP) Bahrain-Victorious, at 48s
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
