COUNT every negative and challenges as an opportunity for you to rise says Ernest Kalaba.
Kalaba, 35, is a Taxi driver on the Copperbelt province in Kitwe
“Value every opportunity you come across and use it wisely.” he says.
Kalaba is married to Memory Chishimba and they are blessed with two children; Rachael and Eric who are both in school.
He says he spent most of his childhood in Mufulira.
“I was brought up by my aunt. My parents are both dead, they died when I was young in grade five. I have one brother, who is also into Tax driving. I started school in Mufulira at Ipusukilo primary school and completed my high school in Mufulira at Mufulira high school.” he says.
Kalaba says he wanted to become an Electrical or Mechanical Engineering before he completed high school.
“Before completing my grade twelve, I wanted to pursue Electrical/Mechanical Engineering but upon getting my grade twelve results I realized that they were not good enough to take me to University so I decided to start running a small business a ‘Kantemba’ as a way of earning a living.” he says.
He says he quit Kantemba business and became a Taxi driver.
“It was in the process of running Kantemba business that I started thinking of buying a car but then the revenue from the business was too little to enable me buy a car, so to bridge the gap, I started learning how to drive a car successfully after knowing how to drive a car, in 2006 I got a driver’s license. I then started working for a boss who was very considerate. After I worked for him for two years, he decided to sell the car, a Toyota Vintage. I thought about his decision to sell the car and saw this as an opportunity for me to have my own car therefore; I confronted him to ask if I could buy it on hire purchase. He was selling this car at twenty thousand new currencies upon hearing my request he suggested that I buy a car on hire purchase at thirty thousand in duration of one year.” he says.
Kalaba says he is working towards buying another car.
“I worked so hard so as to finish the payments. I started working for the car in 2009 and successfully finished the payments on time in 2010. Upon finishing the payment for a Toyota Vintage I worked with it for some time then sold it and the money I realized plus some other extra money I had in my savings I bought another one though a Toyota Vintage again. My plans are that if I raise enough money I wish to buy another Taxi and give it to another driver as a way of empowering a fellow driver and buy so doing obviously I will create employment to one person right?” he says.
He says that Taxi driving encompasses both bad and good moments.
“My bad moments in tax driving are those when I am caught by Road Traffic Officers. The moments I consider to be good moments basically are those when I am booked to go to Lusaka and other far places outside Copperbelt. I remember there was one time I was booked to go to Mansa. This is one of my best moments in my career as a Taxi driver. The trip was well catered for and the experience is unforgettable.” he says.
Kalaba explains some of the challenges Taxi driver face.
“The challenges we face as Taxi Driver I would basically say its lack of representation. We do not have strong teams to speak for us. Lack of security, lately so many taxi drivers have lost cars, others have been killed. The other challenge that we have are the traffic officers, in some instances we are found wanting even on unfounded matters. Aside that, lack of coordination amongst ourselves, so often we fail to help one another and most importantly at times we don’t speak the same language especially on matters that affect every taxi driver. ” he explains.
He urges youths to strive to make their dreams a reality.
“I wish to urge my fellow drivers and other youths in generals to take advantage of their jobs and strive to make their dreams a reality. Through a little that they earn, they can still do great things with it. To those that are working for cars on a pay slow basis, continue with the same spirit of working hard and always observe traffic rules.” he says.
Kalaba says some drivers fail to last long in stations for so many reasons some which include lack of focus, not having passion for the Job, lack of customer relations skills etc.
He reveals the secret of attracting customer in Tax driving.
“The secrets of attracting customers basically is creating a good relationship with them and most importantly being honest. Sometimes customers forget their belongings in cars, so as a taxi driver you have to look after the forgotten items and return them to the owners besides that many are times that as Taxi drivers we fond of cheating, this is to say when a customer calls you to ask where you are, only few tells the truth of exactly where they are. This is also one way of chasing customers. A taxi driver in my view must be a reliable person in society. It is important to build a very good reputation in every Job. Respect is also cardinal, regardless of the color, age, tribe of the customer they must be respected.” he reveals.
Kalaba says he would want customers to remember him as a driver who provided a quality service that satisfied them.
Indeed count every negative and challenges as an opportunity for you to rise. You can do it.
For comments: mwenyamuleba@gmail.com / 0966 461 943/0950 594 050
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