Enoch Muwanguzi aims to address the lack of locally produced shoe brushes in Uganda and bolster the economy with his innovative solution. As an alumnus and current program coach of the Jim Leech Mastercard Foundation Fellowship on Entrepreneurship, Muwanguzi exemplifies the entrepreneurial spirit by tackling local issues with locally sourced solutions. Ugabrush, crafted from indigenous materials, is gentler on leather compared to imported alternatives. Muwanguzi is currently establishing a factory to realize his vision of becoming Uganda鈥檚 leading brush manufacturer and expanding across Africa, where he plans to employ local citizens at fair wages, thereby strengthening local economies.
Enoch Muwanguzi is a 2021 Jim Leech Mastercard Foundation Program Alumnus. The Jim Leech Mastercard Foundation fellowship offers aspiring African entrepreneurs the opportunity to bring their ideas to life, by providing non-dilutive seed funding, mentorship, and resources. In 2019, Enoch Muwanguzi founded Ugabrush, to harness his entrepreneurial vision to increase local employment and take pride in locally manufactured goods.
鈥淕rowing up in Uganda, I always preferred 鈥淢ade in Uganda鈥 products because I believed they were stronger and more affordable than imports. This belief was true until a few years ago when companies owned by non-citizens began manufacturing products locally. To date, I desire to bring back the pride of 鈥淢ade in Uganda,鈥 which drove my vision for Ugabrush.鈥 (Enoch Muwanguzi, 2024)
Since completing the Jim Leech Mastercard Foundation Fellowship on Entrepreneurship, Enoch has returned as a mentor to continue to foster the entrepreneurial spirit in Africa. His biggest piece of advice to program fellows is not to worry about the prizes associated with the fellowship but to focus on improving your product and polishing your business skills, better preparing yourself for long-term success.
Currently, Muwanguzi is building a factory and streamlining local production. With Uganda spending over seven billion dollars annually on imports, boosting local production could significantly benefit the economy. During his undergraduate studies, Muwanguzi realized the potential of value addition in developing countries, prompting him to leverage underutilized resources to benefit his community. By expanding Ugabrush, he contributes to several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Ugabrush aims to offer Ugandans decent work and economic growth (SDG 8), industry innovation and infrastructure (SDG 9), and responsible consumption and production (SDG 12). By aligning ventures with SDGs, the Dunin-Deshpande Innovation Centre aims to contribute to positive global development by providing entrepreneurs around the world with mentorship, funding, and resources.
Ugabrush uses local cow tail hair as opposed to more abrasive imported horsehair, to create the ideal brush for leather shoes. Due to the scarcity of horses in Uganda, Enoch Muwanguzi鈥檚 innovative use of cow tail hair encourages local production and sustainable economic growth. In 2008 and 2009, Enoch had to leave school to support his family, opening his eyes to the realities of being a youth without a stable income. This drove him to create a company that employs citizens that larger companies often disregard due to a lack of qualifications.
鈥淏eyond my dissatisfaction with existing show brushes, my vision for Ugabrush was the desire to uplift my country and create as many jobs as possible for vulnerable groups of people.鈥 (Enoch Muwanguzi, 2024)
By pursuing his venture and sharing his story, Muwanguzi wants to inspire African entrepreneurs to seek local solutions to the problems they witness in the world around them. Ugabrush is more than a simple solution to an inadequacy in the existing market, it is an innovation that encourages economic development. By building his factory, Muwanguzi is taking a major step in pushing his venture forward. Ugabrush will now be able to increase production by 1,000 brushes per day, employing a dedicated team of 30 workers, this will allow Enoch and his team to meet demand and prevent stalk shortages. Enoch envisions expanding the Ugabrush product line to include scrubbing, bathing, and hairbrushes, as well as collaborating with schools and shoe manufacturers.
鈥淲e aspire to export our brushes throughout Africa and eventually to international markets, establishing Ugabrush as a key player in the global brush industry while supporting local community development and sustainability.鈥 (Enoch Muwanguzi, 2024)
Enoch Muwanguzi wants to encourage young African entrepreneurs to take similar steps toward solving problems in their community. Muwanguzi鈥檚 journey with Ugabrush illustrates the transformative power of local entrepreneurship in driving economic development and fostering community pride. By leveraging indigenous materials and focusing on sustainable hiring practices, Ugabrush addresses a gap in the market and sets a precedent for innovative home-grown solutions across Africa. Through his hard work and mentorship, Enoch Muwanguzi inspires a new generation of African Entrepreneurs to embrace their unique challenges and turn them into opportunities for growth and prosperity.
The Dunin-Deshpande Queen's Innovation Centre (DDQIC) is dedicated to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship among students and the wider community. Through various programs and initiatives, DDQIC supports the development of entrepreneurial skills and provides resources for aspiring entrepreneurs to succeed.
For more information, visit the DDQIC Website.