As part of Global Enterprise Month this November, Equity Bank is showcasing the impact of its work through inspiring stories of young entrepreneurs.
What began as a survival effort for a stranded youth with only UGX 40,000 has grown into one of Western Uganda’s fastest-rising home-care product brands. At just 29, Byamukama Abel, founder of Klean Star Products, has built a thriving business with three branches and a market footprint in 11 districts.
Abel’s entrepreneurial journey started eight years ago after completing Senior Six. He had moved from Ntungamo to Fort Portal to help his uncle start a business, but when the plan collapsed, he found himself homeless and nearly penniless. A friend offered him shelter in an abandoned house and the skill of making liquid soap, which became the foundation of his future enterprise.
With the little money he had UGX 40,000, Abel purchased basic ingredients and taught himself how to make liquid soap. He packaged it in used mineral water bottles and hawked it around Fort Portal City, building a customer base one sale at a time. When he sought a bank loan, the requirements proved unattainable. His only option was a UGX 480,000 microfinance loan, which he used wisely and repaid under pressure.
His breakthrough arrived when a friend introduced him to Equity Bank’s Youth Loan product. The process was transparent and accessible, and the Relationship Officer guided him through each step. After mobilizing a youth group and completing Financial Literacy training, Abel received his first meaningful loan UGX 2.5 million.
“That loan changed everything,” he says.
With the funds, he increased production, upgraded his branding, and met the standards required by larger clients. His visibility grew when Tooro Women’s Group invited him to train them in liquid soap making. Orders soon flowed in from supermarkets, hotels, and businesses across Fort Portal and neighbouring districts. As demand expanded, he hired his first employee.
After repaying his initial loan, Abel secured a second one worth UGX 4.5 million to boost production further. Over the years, he has accessed six Youth Loans (UGX 2.5M–5M) and six digital loans (UGX 1M–3M), growing his capital from UGX 1.5 million to UGX 40 million.
Today, Klean Star Products operates thriving branches in Fort Portal, Kyenjojo, and Mbarara. Its product line now includes liquid soap, Jik, body lotions, jellies, candles, shampoo, bar soap, and raw materials supplied to other soap makers. The company serves 11 districts from Mbarara and Kabarole to Kasese, Ibanda, Kyegegwa, and beyond and employs eight full-time staff.
Abel has used his success to build a stable life. He owns 10 cows in Ntungamo under a dedicated herdsman, has purchased land along the highway, and acquired a car and motorbike to support distribution. From living in an abandoned house, he now resides comfortably in a decent home.
“I am proud to be a role model among young people in my village,” he says. “Equity Bank believed in me when many others didn’t. Their Youth Loan program solved my biggest challenge capital and helped turn my dream into reality.”
His vision is to transform Klean Star Products into a fully-fledged manufacturing factory supplying high-quality home-care products across Uganda and beyond.
As Global Enterprise Month continues, Abel’s story stands as a powerful example of how accessible financing and personal determination can ignite transformative growth among Uganda’s young entrepreneurs.
