Charles Nsubuga, 56, has always been an entrepreneur. Born and raised in Uganda, Charles was sixteen years old when he left school and started working at a construction site. One year later, the Uganda-Tanzania war began, leading to major political upheaval in Uganda and the ousting of President Idi Amin from power. In 1981, Charles was forced to flee to Kenya, where he sold eggs for survival.
Five years later, Charles returned to Uganda, determined to forge a better future for himself and his family. Within a year, he had secured support from 20 shareholders and set up his own food processing company, Serve to Save Company (SESACO) with his wife, Juliet Babirye.
At the time, Uganda was still dealing with the after effects of the war, so
Charles decided to focus SESACO on the manufacturing of soy-based products to provide customers with a source of protein, B vitamins and minerals. “My mother helped me see potential in soy as a healthy alternative,” explains Charles. “She used to produce soy-based products in her kitchen and would offer these to her friends.”