By Hedwig Arinaitwe
As I approached the meeting alley, a call came through and the voice on the other side echoed: “I am the smallest person you have ever met.’’ I laughed at the striking sense of humor, as I approached a tender, soft spoken young woman with an extraordinary zeal to change the world.
Vaolah Amumpaire’s approach to life is a belief in making impossibilities work where no one thinks they can. Although her hands are smooth and her physique slim, she has been part of the many houses and buildings constructed with ease.
Amumpaire is the founder of Wena hardware, Uganda’s first mobile hardware which offers all solutions across the construction chain. I had a conversation with this award winning, budding entrepreneur as captured below.
What inspired you to delve into construction/tech?
Wena is an inspiration of stories of Ugandans abroad that send money to families back home to help them buy construction materials, but the money is never utilized for the intended purpose. I started Wena to help bridge the gap so that people buy directly, and leave an address of where they want the items delivered. However, overtime whenever we sorted one problem people would reach out inquiring on another, that’s how the numerous features were born along the application.
What makes Wena unique?
Wena hardware is a construction mobile application. Whereas many others offer business solutions, Wena provides access to construction solutions to clients from their convenience online. You can shop both on retail and wholesale, there is a community within the application where people can engage with peers who are constructing, and experiencing the same issues and also professionals to offer guidance. On there you join a community that makes what seemed difficult simple.
What has been your biggest achievement?
For me it’s what people say when they hear about what we do. That is what excites me. As a business we have won numerous awards including Afro link award in Berlin, the NSSF Hi- innovator program and recently women in fin- tech award organized by FITSPA. The space is very competitive and, for us to stand out as an impactful business is an honor. Wena was also a case study in the Hi-innovator program, which is honestly something we are proud of.
Tell us about the benefits of this journey?
Personally, the achievements are the places I have accessed because of what I started. I have been to State House, had dinner with the US residency, spoke at the UN youth convention and many other things. I don’t take anything for granted.
My last job before Wena, was commercial sales manager at Nyaika Hotel in Fort Portal, so this has been a journey.
What is in stock for the future?
Our latest campaign is to have more women utilize technology to sell their skills and products. We are trying to get more women on board to equip them and immerse them in the benefits of technology.
Why are there few women in tech business?
It goes back to education, women in the past did not appreciate sciences but over the recent years women are taking on these professions. Some women still shy away from social media because they believe it is for beautiful people only, yet it is where the opportunities are.
How can female business leaders inspire other women?
We as leaders have to do things differently, that add value. It is not as easy as it looks to run a business, and as a woman you have to learn so much to be able to overcome the challenges. For women to inspire more people they have to challenge themselves.
What has been your biggest challenge?
For me personally it has been finding the working knowledge to run my nature of business. What is available is mainly transferred knowledge but my opportunities to travel out of Uganda helped me to dream differently.
What are some of those unexpected challenges that deeply affect your kind of business?
Covid-19 affected how we operated; we had just started in Zambia and Kenya. But we took something good out of it, and used it to build internal processes because we were working remotely across countries.
What is that one story that you can’t forget as a founder?
I didn’t have much money to afford the processes when starting, so I learnt everything on job, and at one point I was earning from the things I had learnt. I even started helping other people register their companies at a fee.
Have you had any kind of mentorship as a business founder?
I credit my journey to my uncles Thomas and Simon, every time I asked for help about some assignments they referred me to search on the Internet. It sounded rude but I now appreciate it because every time I searched, I learnt something new. In addition, I have been to several trainings and boot camps, which have also contributed to the growth of Wena.
Who is your biggest competitor?
I don’t know anyone in Uganda who is running a construction tech business, but for me that is not a depreciator. We don’t have that one block competitor because most companies offer general professionals. However, the value chain of construction is what I define as construction tech, but that is not a selling point for us. Also if you don’t have competition it is harder to imagine the first mover advantage or disadvantage.
How would you measure success in terms of users?
The percentage of usage of Ugandans home is 40% and 50% for the Ugandans in the diaspora. The rest of 10% have been one offs and those trying out the app.
What virtue got you here?
I think for me its attitude; you need to have the mind-set that you can do something. As a leader now I understand the power humility carries. Being able to identify that you have wronged your employee, and should say sorry is very crucial.
What is your support system?
My family, you will be shocked to know that my mum is my board chair and it motivates me.
I come from a long line of accomplished women, although they are all in different areas of work, they are equally strong and I am challenged by them.
I give credit to Dr Sarah Bireete because she challenges me to be a strong independent thinker, and to also do good because everything you do, you must account for it.
What is your life after work like?
I have a daughter and an amazing husband.
What would you tell the younger version of you?
Learn more, have an open mind to learning. Look at learning something new as a reward.
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