Naxa sits, deep in thought, after a session at Amplified Music Studio, where he recorded and produced all the songs for his new album titled “Change”.
Naxa and a TV presenter have their picture taken together at the premiere of one of his music videos, entitled “Change”, at Urban Television studios in Kampala.
Naxa (holding microphone) leads a MADS hype session at Vienna College, one of the high schools that the youth group visits over the weekends as part of its mission to share music, dance and the gospel.
Naxa (in grey t-shirt) counsels a boy who is interested in joining the youth group at Miracle Centre Cathedral in Rubaga, while his girlfriend (at front left) waits for him. He is the church’s youth leader, as well as being the head of the youth dance and hype group, called MADS.
Inside the Head of Department’s office at the College of Natural Sciences in Makerere University as Naxa arrives to collect his grade transcript, the end of his studies and the first real day of his new career, as a musician.
“I feel so alive when I am shopping for t-shirts and shirts- men are better customers because they are easy-going and fast paying!” Ritah identifies and buys new t-shirts that she thinks will be popular from the wholesale shops in downtown Kampala, then resells them to her clients at a markup.
There has to be a profit made on every single sale. Ritah takes time to calculate all the specifics before she pays for her t-shirts after making a selection at the wholesale shop.
Ritah and her best friend Pilcan consider a wide selection of clothes in a wholesaler’s shop as they look for the right products for their niche market. Pilcan often tries on the t-shirts while they shop, making size estimation for clients much simpler.
Ritah works at the bank from Monday to Sunday, starting work at 10am. She gets one day off each week, which she dedicates to working on her clothes delivery business.
Ritah takes a phone call outside the bank where she works, in Garden City Shopping Mall, Kampala.
“Having the right products is everything”. This is Shamim’s mantra, and she never forgets it when shopping for cosmetics for her clients. She buys her products from a small range of makeup stores in Kampala where she is confident of finding the right quality and price.
A countertop in Shamim’s bedroom, covered with both old and new makeup kits. She has lots of different beauty products scattered all around the room, testament to her dedication to the job.
“Skin tone and colour blending is where the magic is”, Shamim emphasizes as she works on one of her clients who came to her for what industry insiders call a “Face Beat” (flawless makeup) for her graduation ceremony.
Shamim believes that her ‘look’ is her best advertisement to her clients so she invests plenty of time and effort at her favourite saloon, located in Gazaland shopping arcade in downtown Kampala, to make sure she looks her best.
Shamim’s day job, as a communications professional at a television station in Naguru, is a fast-paced role and a long way from her work as a makeup artist. “Live productions are usually the toughest- you have to think on your feet!”, she says.