“My life has changed a lot. The Kinvest Hub gave me a name, and now everyone in my village knows who I am.”   

We recently caught up with Sylvestre, a shoemaker working out of our Shimwa Paul Market Hub for the past 2 and a half years. Before joining Kinvest, Sylvestre was jobless and struggling to make ends meet for his growing family. 

Sylvestre opened his shoe repair business at our Shimwa Paul Market Hub in 2022. Thanks to sustainable access to resources such as electricity and water, his business has thrived, allowing him to pay off debts and cover school fees for his four children. 

Sylvestre utilized the savings techniques gained from our Business Leader Development Program to invest in equipment that significantly enhanced his operational efficiency. As a result, his client base has expanded, and he has hired two employees to meet the growing demand. Sylvestre takes pride in his business’s role in fostering economic growth in his community by creating job opportunities for others. 

What started as a small shoe repair business has now evolved into something bigger. Sylvestre plans to expand his operations by making closed-toed shoes. He dreams of becoming the leading shoemaker in the entire district, and with his steady growth and clear vision, that goal is within reach.