Jimmy Did What?
“So, what's my excuse?!” exclaimed Isaac, our Partnership Catalyst for Latin America, on the way out of the room. He was floored by meeting Jimmy, a recent Ugandan graduate of our courses.
As we pour into our partner organizations, they pour into their beneficiaries, teaching them our courses and building an entrepreneurial ecosystem to support the businesses they start. To battle generational poverty, our partner organizations have realized that their beneficiaries need a boost in hope and agency before they believe in themselves enough to start a small business. So, they are pairing our mindset course (Opportunity Makers) with our business launch course (StartBook). Opportunity Makers is equipping people with confidence that comes from a biblical understanding of identity and purpose, then StartBook is providing practical steps to start their businesses. Jimmy says that through CJI courses, “I regained a stronger sense of my own abilities and potential.”
During our visit to Uganda, our partner African Entrepreneurs graduated 17 people from our courses. But where was Jimmy? Why did he miss his own graduation? Because he's bedridden - around the clock. In fact, he's been paralyzed from an accident-induced stroke for the last 8 years.
Jimmy had no way to attend a class (and our partner wasn't using our online courses), but he really wanted to build a business (StartBook) and a hopeful mindset (Opportunity Makers). So, Imraan Muwonge, the founder of African Entrepreneurs offered to bring the courses to him. The African Entrepreneurs team taught Jimmy at his bedside once a week. His drive and their dedication are remarkable. And so is what he did next.
Our courses spur growth along two primary channels of transformation: mindset and action. Jimmy was blossoming in both, so much so that in the middle of the courses, he launched three different businesses - all from bed! He said: “I moved from saying ‘I can't’ to ‘I can.’” Far from giving up on life and drowning in self-pity, he's looking outward and blessing his community. He’s now able to send his four children to school.
Like the rest of Uganda, jobs are scarce for residents of Masaka where Jimmy and his fellow African Entrepreneur graduates live. Educational access and quality are both quite low. And even the few who graduate from college struggle to find work. As hard as it is to start a business and make it profitable, many Ugandans feel that creating their own economic opportunities is a surer route to providing for their families. So, with jobs and education being difficult to access, they see our courses are an attractive option for investing in their minds and escaping the chokehold of poverty.
When Jimmy and his fellow African Entrepreneur graduates create jobs for themselves and others, it is life-changing for each family that is touched. While we often have the luxury of choosing between a good job and a great job, access to any employment is a rarity for many in the developing world. This context reveals the impact of Jimmy's creating four jobs for members of his community. An average of eight family members benefit from a single job, making Jimmy an impactful community leader.
He gathers his employees (Zulaika, Sarah, and Eddie pictured here with Jimmy) at his bedside for their team meetings before they carry out their roles in raising chickens, producing cooking charcoal, and providing mobile money services.
(Zulaika, Sarah, and Eddie at work)
On paper, Jimmy was honored by a visit from those who created and provided the courses he learned from. But even as we presented him with a certificate and a graduation cap, we felt honored to be in his presence. We thought we'd be offering a word of encouragement to a paralyzed person, but his positivity and sense of agency filled us with awe. What's our excuse for letting challenges deter us from God's call? We are still being inspired by Jimmy and challenged to better steward the gifts and opportunities that God has given us.
We hope that his story moves you to maximize your own opportunities to bless others. One could be to help us to raise up more entrepreneurs like Jimmy. Would you invest your funds in our team, translations, and technology as we expand across Africa, Asia, and Latin America? Or would you invest your time on a 2025 trip to Uganda or Honduras? You won't regret it!
“Before taking these courses, I couldn't access enough income to cover my medical bills or take care of my children. These opportunities have given me a second hope, allowing me to look forward to a brighter future.”
- Jimmy Ssemyalo
Thank you for investing with us in “business for God's glory”!