Dickson Mugonjo, 26, grew up in poverty in the hilly areas of Bukinda Sub-County in Kabale district (now Rukiga district).
He worked hard to ensure that he changed this status-quo. And when the opportunity came knocking for him to go work abroad through Middle East Consultants- the leading labour exporting agency in Uganda, he welcomed it with open hands.
In an exclusive interview with Business Focus, Mugonjo said he was forced to seek a job abroad after he failed to get school fees to further his studies after completing Senor Six at Kigezi Colleage Butobere in 2012.
“I was inspired by my uncle who was working in Dubai because of the developments he was making back home and due to unemployment in Uganda, I also decided to seek a job abroad,” he says.
In 2015, Mugonjo flew out of Uganda to work as a waiter at Alrahmaniah Food Meals Catering LLC branch in Dubai.
Two years down the road, he has literally become not a hero in his family, but the whole village; he has built his parents a respectable residential house they never imagined would have one day.
After showing exemplary work, Mugonjo was promoted to chief security officer at the same company.
Gordon Mugyenyi, the Managing Director at Middle East Consultants Ltd that is based in Muyenga says that the aim of the company is to transform people’s lives through connecting them to lucrative jobs abroad.
“Before they are released to go, we counsel them together with their parents; we advice them to work diligently, save and use the money wisely,” Mugyenyi said during the company’s recent visit to Mugonjo’s parents in Rukiga.
Middle East Consultants has embarked on a project of visiting families of people it has sent abroad for greener pastures to find out how they are progressing financially.
The company is also contributing cash towards the completion of projects people it has sent abroad are undertaking.
“We have embarked on a project of visiting parents of our children to see the progress back home. We shall visit all of them in various districts,” Mugyenyi said.
He handed over Shs2m to Mugonjo’s parents to help them paint the house.
His mother thanked, Lydia Twesigye Middle East Consultants for helping them move out of poverty by connecting their son to a job abroad.
“We thank God for hearing our prayers. He has helped us build this house that we never imagined would have. He is also helping pay school fees for his siblings. We are happy and peaceful,” she said.
She said that the old house Mugonjo grew in was almost falling on them.
She said all along their hopes have been in Jeremiah 17: 7; Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord whose trust is the Lord.
His dad, Joseph Twesigye was also excited. He hailed his son for the good heart.
Focused
Asked about life in Dubai, Mugonjo said: “For me am here to work and send money home, so I can’t say I am enjoying life here. But those who want to enjoy life do so but end up not progressing.”
He says he wants to pursue a degree in agriculture.
Mugyenyi urges parents and jobless youth to take up the available jobs abroad to help Uganda get the much needed foreign exchange.
