She saw opportunity in Kampala’s garbage

What the report says

Nakayiwa Immaculate Kimmula, a 65-year-old entrepreneur in Kampala’s Kyebando suburb, has built a waste-collection business that turns a local sanitation problem into a source of income and employment. According to The Independent Uganda, her company, JIMAC Cleaning and Waste Management Limited, serves homes and businesses in Kyebando and nearby areas, and now operates two trucks while employing 12 people.

The article says the business grew out of Kimmula’s earlier work as a public health leader, when she saw how poor garbage disposal was affecting the community. She first worked with an existing waste collector before deciding to launch her own company. To expand, she saved money with FINCA Uganda, received training through the lender’s Waste-to-Wealth Initiative, and later secured a Women Empowerment Loan that helped her buy a garbage truck and scale up operations.

Beyond collection, Kimmula is encouraging households to sort waste at the source, which can support recycling and reduce dumping in public spaces and drainage channels. Her longer-term goal is to establish a waste-sorting and recycling facility, along with other ventures such as coffee and poultry farming. The story highlights a broader urban challenge in Kampala, where waste volumes are growing and small private operators can play a role in sanitation if they have financing, equipment and support from public authorities.