Julian Adyeri Omalla
Julian Adyeri Omalla | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1965 (age 59–60) Uganda |
| Nationality | Ugandan |
| Other names | Mama Cheers |
| Occupation(s) | Businesswoman, Entrepreneur |
| Known for | Founder and Managing Director of Delight Uganda Limited |
| Notable work | Expansion of fruit juice industry in Uganda |
| Awards | UNCTAD Empretec Women in Business Award (Special Prize) |
Julian Adyeri Omalla alias "Mama Cheers" (born 1965) is a Ugandan businesswoman and an entrepreneur. She is the founder and managing director of Delight Uganda Limited.[1]
Early life and career
[edit]Julian Omalla was born in 1965, and raised in Uganda. She started her career life as businesswoman and entrepreneur in 1996, despite her limited knowledge about running a business.[2] Headquartered in a suburb of Kampala, she started a logistics and taxi service business with an initial $100 investment.[3] She had an early setback when a business partner stole money from her.[2] She then turned to fruit juice manufacturing, launching the Cheers fruit juice brand by importing pulp from South Africa, Israel, and France.[3]
In 2000, she received support from the United Nations program EMPRETEC, where she learned entrepreneurial skills which helped her grow her business.[2] She participated in UNCTAD's entrepreneurship program which help her in formulating and implementing a business expansion strategy such as goal establishment, financial record-keeping, marketing tactics, target setting, and effective task accomplishment.[2]
She was unable to obtain a loan in 2007, which was not unusual for Ugandan women who while owning nearly 40 percent of registered businesses, received less than 10 percent of commercial credit.[4] She was finally able to access credit from the DFCU Bank and the World Bank's private sector arm of the IFC.[4] She was then able to expand her operations to include three farms cultivating fruits and a fleet of 36 trucks.[3] Securing enterprise grants from government agencies, including support from the Business Uganda Development Scheme, allowed her to further expand. In 2013, her company, Delight, announced plans to develop a 5,000-acre site in northern Uganda—an area recovering from prolonged conflict. She identified corruption as one of the key challenges facing businesses in Uganda.[3]
In addition to fruit juice, her business is also involved in poultry farming, drinking water, and a bakery that she started in South Sudan when she realized the demand for bread was not being filled.[5] In 2016 Omalla decided her company would no longer do business in South Sudan because of the property loss she incurred due to looting in the area.[6] In 2021 the Ugandan Government awarded her company, Delight Uganda Limited, a $4 million grant to construct a fresh juice factory in Northern Uganda and a $6 million allocation to procure equipment, with 50% of the funds to be repaid in 10 years (2021)[2]
Awards and honours
[edit]- Fellowship to participate in an executive education programme by the International Institute for Management Development in Lausanne, Switzerland.[2]
- Named one of two entrepreneurs of the year in Uganda by the Ernst & Young (2014)[7]
- Special prize during the seventh edition of UNCTAD's Empretec Women in Business Awards (2020)[2]
References
[edit]- ^ Jjingo, Ernest (2020-12-30). "Julian Omalla wins UN award for inclusive business model". The Observer - Uganda. Retrieved 2024-03-31.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Prize winning ugandan woman entrepreneur, Julian Omalla grows juice business improves community". UNCTAD.org. 2021-05-05. Retrieved 2024-03-03.
- ^ a b c d Lynch, Suzanne (23 January 2013). "Changing climate for investment in Africa". Irish Times. Dublin. p. 4. ProQuest 1271995475.
- ^ a b Zoellick, Robert B. (September 18, 2011). "Empowering women powers nations". Politico. ProQuest 1271995475.
- ^ Kigozi, Maggie (4 March 2015). "Omalla a great resource to women in business". Daily Monitor. Kampala. ProQuest 1660209219.
- ^ "Julian Omalla Vows to Shun South Sudan". AllAfrica.com. Washington. 3 August 2016. ProQuest 1808407325.
- ^ "Ugandan entrepreneurs eye regional awards". Daily Monitor. Kampala. 25 March 2014. ProQuest 1509879307.