African Dream: Foday Melvin Kamara
Sierra Leone's Foday Melvin Kamara trained as an automobile engineer but, instead of manufacturing vehicles, he specialises in turning old car parts into agro-processing equipment and condom machines.
He started his business five years ago, with an investment of less than $100 (£63) which he had saved while in Germany. According to him, his company, Fomel Industry and National Industrialisation Centre (FINIC), is now worth around $1m.
The firm is based in Freetown, Sierra Leone's capital, and manufactures rice milling machines, palm nut crackers, palm oil processing plants, fruit juice making equipment and, as a sideline, condom dispensers.
His long-term vision is to extent his business to every district of Sierra Leone and to venture into the renewable sector.
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06 Mar 2012
- From the section Africa