Stephy Sabimana studied Informatics. He currently heads the company HIPPO TOOTH, which manufactures toothpicks In Burundi. In an interview with Andika Magazine, he shared that he founded this company in 2023.
Stephy says, “I established HIPPO TOOTH with the goal of starting a factory that would produce something that has never been manufactured before in Burundi, and which could create jobs for young people as a way to fight poverty.”
Stephy explains that starting the business was not easy, as the initial capital came from the savings of individual investors who pooled their money together. He was also supported by PAEEJ, a national program that helps young people access affordable loans to help them start businesses.
Despite the challenges, including power cutoff that damaged some of their machinery and a flood in Gatumba, the team persevered and overcame these obstacles because they were determined to succeed.
Today, Stephy says there has been progress compared to when they first started. He adds, “The progress is there, though not yet large-scale, because many traders are not yet familiar with the toothpicks we produce, as they are used to importing them from abroad.” Stephy encourages traders in Burundi to support local production by selling these locally made toothpicks, as they are already being sold in neighboring countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo (RDC) and Rwanda through established partners.
In five years, Stephy plans to have created jobs for up to 5,000 young people through his company, HIPPO TOOTH.
Stephy concludes by encouraging young people to engage in entrepreneurship, to stop waiting for opportunities for jobs, and to find something they can develop to reduce unemployment among the youth.
