{"id":40,"date":"2026-09-04T11:55:34","date_gmt":"2026-09-04T11:55:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thedawn.com.ss\/?p=40"},"modified":"2026-09-04T12:44:53","modified_gmt":"2026-09-04T12:44:53","slug":"the-man-who-grew-his-own-economy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/thedawn.com.ss\/?p=40","title":{"rendered":"From Scratch to Success: How Mborigie James Is Creating Opportunities in Yambio"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

B<\/em><\/strong>y Waure Eddy<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At 32, Mborigie James Calisto is proving that success does not always begin with wealth or privilege. In Yambio, the young entrepreneur has turned self-reliance into a way of life, building businesses that not only sustain him but also create opportunities for neighbours and young people in his community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From his flourishing farmland to the bustling Step-Step Salon and a motorcycle repair shop, James is constantly on the move, managing enterprises that reflect his determination to build a better future through hard work and initiative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His journey, however, did not begin with money or established businesses. He started from scratch, gradually transforming his ideas, labour and determination into growing enterprises\u2014and in the process, building a story of resilience, entrepreneurship and opportunity in Yambio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, financial hardship forced James to abandon education before he could complete Senior Four, the final year of high school. It was a moment of profound uncertainty, but instead of succumbing to despair, James saw opportunity in the fertile soils of Western Equatoria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His first step was small, yet massive. With whatever little capital he could gather, he planted one hectare of maize. That initial harvest was his turning point, earning him the equivalent of $400. That modest sum wasn’t spent; it was strategically reinvested, becoming the seed money for an expansive vision. \u201cGod blessed my hands,\u201d he says, reflecting on that time. \u201cEverything I planted is still helping me today.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From maize, James branched into high-value crops like pineapples and bananas. He then began investing in essential machinery: a timber-cutting machine, which he sourced from Uganda for $2,000, a rig for watering his plant nursery, and another for digging coffee holes. He did not stop there, knowing that resilience means having multiple roots. \u201cNow I\u2019m expanding into coffee farming and selling nursery plants every day\u2014cabbage, tomatoes, eggplant, and pineapple. I always have money coming in because something is always growing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This agricultural success funded his expansion into the service industry. He opened Step-Step Salon and a motorcycle repair shop. His total investment in these ventures now stands at an impressive $9,000, all grown from that initial maize crop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most powerful yield of James\u2019s hard work is not in his bank account, but in the community that he has built around him. His businesses have created jobs for seven young people in Yambio\u2014four in the salon and three in the repair shop. James\u2019s leadership is firm but encouraging. \u201cI don\u2019t make things too easy for them, but I encourage them to do good work. They need to know how to serve the community well,\u201d he explains. \u201cOne day, they\u2019ll leave and start their own businesses.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For his employees, the impact is quick and lasting. Grace Peter, 21, who works at the salon, shares how the job changed her life: \u201cBefore this, I was just sitting at home. Now I earn money, I\u2019ve learned how to braid and style hair, and I feel proud when customers leave smiling.\u201d In the repair shop, 25-year-old Peter Mawa sees the work as vital to the community’s survival. \u201cWe help people move around. When someone\u2019s bike breaks, they can\u2019t go to the market or hospital. We are part of the community\u2019s heartbeat.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

James, a husband and father of three, is also paying for his brother\u2019s religious schooling, demonstrating how his self-reliance provides for his whole extended family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet, his daily triumph is set against the challenging backdrop of life in South Sudan. James constantly battles crippling issues like insecurity, poor road infrastructure that limits his access to larger markets, and the persistent threat of crop destruction. “I also need machines to fight off the insects destroying my crops,” he notes, voicing a common challenge for farmers in the fertile but economically stressed Western Equatoria region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, James remains hopeful and focused on expansion. His message to the youth across the country is clear and direct: \u201cDon\u2019t just sit around and rely on your family. Start something, even if it’s small. Your family will support you once they see your effort.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

James Calisto\u2019s dream is bigger than Yambio. He hopes to expand his businesses to other areas and states, provided security improves. “My business won\u2019t stay here forever. If we have peace, I\u2019ll grow beyond Yambio.” His story is a powerful narrative of transformation\u2014where a financial setback became a catalyst, and a small seed of maize grew into a foundation of dignity and opportunity for many. In James\u2019s hands, self-reliance is not just about personal survival; it\u2019s a vision for a stronger community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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By Waure Eddy At 32, Mborigie James Calisto is proving that success does not always begin with wealth or privilege. In Yambio, the young entrepreneur has turned self-reliance into a way of life, building businesses that not only sustain him but also create opportunities for neighbours and young people in his community. From his flourishing […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":41,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"brizy-blank-template.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_tdlc_coverage_id":0,"_tdlc_timeline_at":"","_tdlc_timeline_label":"","_tdno_assigned_editor":0,"_tdno_approval_notes":"","_thedawn_video_url":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[11,12,1],"tags":[38],"class_list":["post-40","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business","category-economy","category-southsudan","tag-following"],"yoast_head":"\nFrom Scratch to Success: How Mborigie James Is Creating Opportunities in Yambio - The Dawn Newspaper<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/thedawn.com.ss\/?p=40\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"From Scratch to Success: How Mborigie James Is Creating Opportunities in Yambio - The Dawn Newspaper\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By Waure Eddy At 32, Mborigie James Calisto is proving that success does not always begin with wealth or privilege. 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