Sekagigo Mark owns a weighing scale inside Makerere University, and this is his source of school fees.  Sekagigo positions himself at the Western small gate targeting students coming to campus from Kikoni, or those making their return journey.

Sekagigo is a resident of Kawala and goes to Kawala Primary School where he pays 65,000 shillings per term in fees.

The 15-year says he started the business jokingly, but has now enabled him to contribute to his school fees and other basic needs.

"I started working when I was 13-years and in primary four after dropping out of school due to school fees problem. This is because my mother could not get enough money to support me with the other two children. So, I decided to get something to do since I was the first born of the family, I could not just fold my hands and sit home," Sekagigo narrates.

His mother’s friend got him the weighing scale and he started working.  "I would work and at the end of the day take the money to my boss, then be paid 50,000 shillings at the end of the month," he adds.

This money was still not enough to pay school fees and also cater for school requirements. He therefore sat home for two years working and saving his salary for the coming years. It is then that he got the idea of buying his own weighing scale.

“I worked for two years then later bought my own weighing scale using the money I had worked for. Then in 2016, I started saving money for my school fees and I resumed studying in 2016.

"I earn about 5,000 shillings per day but on weekends, I go up to 10,000 shillings because I start work early in the morning and I even walk to neighbouring places. On weekdays, I start at around 4:30pm after school,” he adds.

Annette Nakayiga, Ssekagigo’s mother says she lost her husband when the children were still very young. “So, I tried what I could and educated Mark but unfortunately the money became little, so he had to drop out in primary four so that I could support the other little ones and they reach where he was,” says Nakayiga.

"Fortunately, one of my friends offered him a weighing scale and he started working. He is a hard-working boy; he does anything to get what he wants so he did not reject the business," Nakayiga commented.

"Sekagigo is a hardworking, faithful and patient boy who worked so hard and he always gave me the money in time as he waited for his share at the end of the month. I knew him as a good boy and my friend’s son, so I decided to help him by giving him what to do," Tamale Julius revealed.