Shamila Naava Namwanje
Upclose. Shamila Naava Namwanje is a records and archives graduate who has embraced life and is hustling her way through life. Namwanje does not have any regret because with age come different challenges. She spoke to David S Mukooza.
Tell us about yourself.
My name is Shamila Naava Namwanje and I am 26 years old. I have a Bachelor of Record and Archives Management.
Currently, I am a make-up artist and a hustler who takes on tasks as the world gives them to me.
What are you passionate about?
Make-up. Enhancing my client’s beauty makes me happy.
I also love parties and I am working on rolling out an events planning company so that I can make more memorable moments for people.
What inspired you to start doing make-up?
Fionah Kirabo, who I think was one of the first make-up artists around Kampala. I loved the “before” and “after” photos she shared after working on her clients.
So, I started teaching myself through YouTube tutorials and I also started doing it gradually.
Do you feel sad that you are currently not pursuing what you studied at university?
Absolutely, I feel so sad and I wish for our education systems to be revised.
Before one joins university, they need to first research more about the courses they are going to do, career guidance is very important because most courses in various universities have less job opportunities. But on the lighter side, I am a hustler and decided to move on with what the world offers.
You spoke of being a hustler. Whaother businesses do you do?
I run Epic Ushers Ug, an ushering company and we offer ushering services at introductions, weddings and corporate events. This is one of the first steps in setting up the events planning company I told you about earlier.
What challenges do you find in your hustles?
For make-up it is really hard for someone to trust you and even when they do, they will offer less compared to the job you are doing .They always cite issues of you have not made a name, so this breaks me. For ushering, some clients pay less yet make ushers work more than what they paid for.
When you are discussing the business they say you are not going to do a lot which is different from the reality at the event.
What is the first thing you do in the morning?
I say Fajr prayers, for Muslims.
Who was your first best friend?
Hawa Nakakawa. She was my best friend at Muslim Girls’ Primary School in Primary Three and Primary Four. She encouraged me to read hard.
What is your most memorable experience?
When I contested to be a Vice President at The College at East African School of Library and Information Sciences at Makerere University .
Although, I did not win, I will never forget that whole experience of convincing my fellow students to vote for me. (The general campaigns and all we went through). This was a big step in life, it taught me how to get more life out of life.
Earliest childhood memory?
I used to play in the rain when I was young and every time it rained I would be the happiest child. I ran and played around our house.
What is your regret so far?
I have no regrets for now and even if they were, I feel that with age come different challenges and since I am still young, the world has a lot for me.
I have no time to regret but to push on even when I fail.
What music do you listen to?
I listen to Pop and RnB.
And who is your favourite musician?
Rema Namakula, I can listen to her music anytime.
