Turning Web Skills into TheSomero.com

Nicholas West Kauma, a 22-year-old from Kampala, Uganda, started his journey with determination but limited opportunities. After completing high school at Saint Joseph of Nazareth and Nakasero SS, he pursued short courses in barista work and mixology, hoping to turn them into a stable career. He secured occasional jobs as a mixologist, but the jobs were inconsistent and unpredictable, sometimes leaving him months without work. This inconsistency pushed him to consider alternatives. His mother, who was working overseas at the time, encouraged him to migrate to Saudi Arabia, hoping he could secure a barista job and build a better future. However, the reality on arrival was disappointing. Instead of the job he expected, Nicholas ended up taking on cleaning duties under long shifts and low pay. To survive, he worked extra hours, washing cars and cleaning homes irregularly. Even in these circumstances, he refused to let the year slip away, using his limited free time to teach himself web design through YouTube tutorials.

When Nicholas returned to Uganda in October 2024 after one year abroad, he brought technical skills but little understanding of how to turn them into a viable business. Motivated to create something meaningful, he launched TheSomero.com, an e-learning platform supporting high school students with online lessons and research materials. Though passionate about the concept and confident in his web design abilities, he quickly hit roadblocks. He didn’t know how to register a business, build partnerships, reach customers, or manage finances. The lack of entrepreneurial knowledge left him feeling isolated, with no network or mentor to guide him. The idea was strong, but the foundation was weak, leaving Nicholas unsure how to grow or sustain the platform beyond its initial stages.

His turning point came when a neighbour introduced him to the ILO Better Regional Migration Management (BRMM) Programme implemented by Wazesha Impact for returning migrant workers. What he initially thought would be a simple business conference turned out to be a structured, hands-on training program that covered everything he had been missing. Through the Generate Your Business Idea (GYB) and Start Your Business (SYB) modules, Nicholas refined his business vision, identified practical steps for growth, and understood the fundamentals of running a business. The financial education component proved especially transformative, giving him insight into cash flow, budgeting, pricing, and the financial discipline needed to run a sustainable enterprise. Equipped with these skills, he applied the lessons directly to TheSomero.com, which now serves around 20 students per month with consistent online learning.

Nicholas now envisions building one of Uganda’s leading online schools, offering an affordable alternative to traditional education and easing the financial burden of high school fees on families. The training gave him structure where he previously had none, and confidence where there had been uncertainty. Today, he is driven by the belief that the platform can reshape the future of learning in Uganda, and sees his journey not as a setback, but as the beginning of a meaningful and impactful career.