The proverb that says necessity is the mother of invention is congruent with Ivan Nuwamanya’s entrepreneurial journey of making affordable quality yoghurt.
While at university, hunger was a debilitating daily struggle for Nuwamanya as he could not afford food. This later took a toll on his health.
“I had ulcers when I was at campus because I had to hunt for tuition fees. I could barely afford a meal for myself,” he recalls.
“The ulcers grew worse, and even when I had food once in a while, it would hurt my stomach.”
This physical pain became a turning point. A doctor advised him to consume yoghurt before meals to soothe the ulcers.
However, quality yoghurt was too expensive for a struggling student, and the cheaper options on the market were watery and lacked nutritional value.
“I wondered what was different that I could not copy,” Nuwamanya said.
“That is how I started making yoghurt.”
With only two litres of milk purchased from a local vendor and limited resources, he began experimenting in his tiny university hostel room. He recalled those early days vividly.
“I was just trying to find a way of taking care of my health, but I gave samples to two neighbours, and they liked it. Their positive feedback encouraged me to take this seriously.”
What began as a personal health solution soon grew into a budding business idea. But turning that idea into reality required more than good yoghurt.
Nuwamanya needed knowledge, mentorship and a network. A friend introduced him to a Start-hub boot camp, which focused on young entrepreneurs.
“At first, I thought it was a scam,” he admitted.
“But when they came to our classroom and announced the boot camp, I attended out of curiosity. I found that I actually needed it.”
The boot camp connected Nuwamanya with trainers and peers who challenged and supported him. It also introduced him to the Stanbic National Schools Championship (NSC), a youth entrepreneurship programme that aims to nurture and develop entrepreneurship and innovation skills among school-aged students across Uganda.
Nuwamanya joined the NSC in 2023 and found it transformational. Today, Pin Yoghurt sells approximately 2,000 litres every month, with each litre retailing at sh5,000.
What started as a remedy for ulcers has grown into a promising brand, making waves in Uganda’s dairy market.
“Initially, I just wanted to survive. Now, we want to be number one in Uganda in terms of quality. We want Pin Yoghurt to be a household name,” Nuwamanya said.
How he benefited from STANBIC
Behind Nuwamanya’s journey is the support and mentorship from programmes like the Stanbic National Schools Championship (NSC).
“Over the past decade, the bank has positively impacted the lives of more than 500,000 students from schools nationwide through NSC,” Mumba Kalifungwa, the Stanbic Bank chief executive officer, said.
Kalifungwa said they have invested over sh6b in the initiative, leading to the establishment of over 200 businesses, with 100 of them receiving capital grants through the NSC.
Diana Ondoga, the head of social corporate investment at Stanbic Bank Uganda, said the NSC targets young learners aged 13 to 18, preparing them to face real-world challenges with creativity and confidence.
LEAD PHOTO CAPTION: Ivan Nuwamanya pitching his Pin Yoghurt idea to the judges during the Stanbic National Schools Championship boot camp at Gayaza High School in Kampala. (Courtesy photo)
