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Locals turn scrap metal into money
What you need to know:
- In Ndaiga Sub-county, 29-year-old Hamza Tumusiime left fishing seven years ago to join the scrap metal business using savings of Shs200,000. He now employs four people .
Despite the stigma attached to it, selling scrap metal has become a lifeline for many residents of Kagadi District, helping families escape poverty.
In rural areas, collectors buy a kilogramme of scrap metal at Shs800 and sell it to wholesalers for between Shs1,500 and Shs2,000 depending on demand. Collectors earn an average of Shs10,000 a day selling scrap metal to wholesalers who transport them to factories in Jinja.
Mr Peter Taremwa, 44, a resident of Mambugu, is one of the many who have found success in the business. Dressed in black and riding a bicycle loaded with scrap metal, he moves door to door announcing, “Bring old metals for cash exchange!” With a weighing scale around his neck, he buys scrap at Shs800 per kilogramme.
“I joined the scrap business after dropping out of school in Primary Four due to lack of fees,” he says. After years of unemployment, he joined a friend in the trade in 2008.
“I persevered until I saved capital worth Shs400,000. Today, I’m a father of eight with land and children in school,” he adds.
Now employing six people, mostly school dropouts, Mr Taremwa says he deploys his workers each morning to different areas to collect metals.
“They bring back full bags and earn about Shs50,000 weekly depending on performance,” he explains. By buying at Shs800 and selling at Shs1,500, he earns up to Shs1.8 million monthly.
According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), more than 45,000 people in Kagadi District are unemployed, most between 18 and 30 years old.
However, scrap metal trade is becoming a refuge for many who once struggled to find formal work. Mr Francis Asiimwe, 40, a father of seven, joined the business in 2009 after failing to find employment despite completing his studies.
“I started with Shs500,000. It wasn’t easy, but now I own a store where people sell scrap,” he says.
With 12 years of experience, Mr Asiimwe employs five people. Through the business, Mr Asiimwe has built rental houses, educated his children, and maintained financial independence.
Similarly, Mr Calvin Kyalimpa, 30, a Business Administration graduate from Makerere University, turned to scrap metal trade after struggling to raise capital for employment. “I got a loan of Shs300,000 and opened a small store. People despise the job, but it’s profitable if done with commitment,” he says. Mr Kyalimpa employs several workers who travel long distances to collect scrap metal. “The business has taught me financial discipline and management skills. I’ve repaid my loan, hired a security guard, and can sustain myself without depending on anyone,” he notes.
In Ndaiga Sub-county, 29-year-old Hamza Tumusiime left fishing seven years ago to join the scrap metal business using savings of Shs200,000. He now employs four people .
“From this work, I’ve bought land and a vehicle,” he says. For many in Kagadi, scrap metal trade has become more than a survival strategy—it’s a pathway to dignity, employment, and environmental restoration.
The earnings
* Selling price to factories: Shs1,500 – Shs2,000.
* Average daily earnings: Shs 10,000 – Shs 30,000.
* Monthly income for experienced dealers: Up to Shs1.8 million.
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