I Was An Intern But I Was Loaning Money To Salary Earners

While growing up, money seemed to be one of the scarcest commodities.  Because of scarcity, people have had to become innovative and creative to be able to come out of the trap of poverty. When a young man starts thinking of money, in one way or another it is pointing to the fact that this medium of exchange is important and that he needs it to do a few things. From the clothes we put on, to the water we drink and the bills we pay, it all has something to do with money.

While growing up, I was good at making “WIRE CARS”, these are cars made out of wires. One day a primary school friend of mine wanted one of my cars so badly, and because I envisioned some nice doughnuts I loved to eat, I told my friend, he could buy it at 500 Ugx (current dollar rate it’s $ 0.14). That was a turning point in my life, I learnt how to offer a service or create a product that would have value for money. The only problem was that I saw an opportunity to have money to consume.

While having a chat with a young man I highly respect, I picked a few lines from our chat that informs this article am writing. Jonan Kwandwanaho is a man on a mission, a Christian with a golden heart and with an eye for business.

Paraphrased Narration from Jonan. He told me Arthur, “I was interning in a place for 6 months and I realized how broke people were towards the end of the month (this is a case of having more month at the end of the money), one day this guy approaches me and asks for 100,000 ugx ($ 28.5) "I am broke", he said. Can you help me with 100 k, I have no fuel and my car is even parked at home. he said that their salary had been delayed and that it would be paid in three days’ time. In my wisdom I told him, I can get you the money but you can add some little on top of it at just 15% interest.” To that guy it was a heavy bail out and three days wasn't far, a problem was solved and money was made by Jonan, How smart!

He said that, “I made my money while on campus from selling gadgets like Sub-woofers and other electronic accessories”. It was from this money that I was able to lend to a salary earner and that’s how I started a small money lending business.

There are so many people out there who are waiting on money to fall from heaven. They claim it and call it and indeed it comes but from Jonan’s story we can see that money is actually found in opportunities but when such opportunities come, we need to know how to offer services or provide a solution to a need. Many enterprises have been born out of struggles or challenges that have been presented by Society. God provides and he does it in many ways and one of them through tending to our fields, preparing the grounds for the planting season and harvesting to provide food for all.

Jonan did get a job at the same place he was interning, from his first client who told others that he could sort them out when they were financially challenged, he quickly became a referral for financial help which came at an interest, he started making money by loaning it out. But while working, God put it upon his heart to start a small SACCO within his working team and he realized that as much as he would make money, it was better off helping people realize that they could work together and empower one another instead of him just enriching himself. They formed the SACCO and started putting money together, colleagues started borrowing money from their group and people started getting financially empowered and so did they start developing.

Arthur, he said “I heard you talk about Uber and how you did that work, you inspired me and woke me up, As I speak with you today, I am already doing this business and everyday my head is thinking of how I can do things that will enable me do the work of God at the highest level”. My story on Uber came about as a result of my work place being closed indefinitely (however, it opened after two months), Instead of sitting back doing nothing and whining about how there isn’t money, I decided to use our family car to register and transport people around, the money took care of many things in the home. My wife said, “I have realized in this period of no job that you can take care of us.” The word job and work are synonymous, it’s just that some just don’t have degrees or certificates. Money can be made the right way, it doesn’t have to be stolen. 

Proverbs 13:11 NIV “Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow” so don’t despise that job or work or side hustle you do, it’s an opportunity to build yourself and others up.   

This is a story that should inspire all of us, sometimes we wait to make big money so that we can start influencing yet all it takes for us is to start where we are with what we have, the ideas God gives us can enable us not only transform our lives but also the lives of others.