Discuss ways to be able to find the tires necessary for the Truck
Status: 
Time needed:
Two weeks or more
Step:
3
We are using the truck to transport stone to various construction sites. Transportation of the stone gives us a little bit of income that allows us to to pay for renting of the house for the office, getting building materials for our children center, feed the children along with transporting the children to and fro from the school.
The truck recently busted the front tire which injured the workers. The money that was saved to help the children was used to take care of the workers and get the truck repaired.
We need to find a way to get new tires for the truck. We need six tires which would each cost about $225. The truck is not in function now so getting the tires for the truck asap would help us greatly in raising some of the funds to take care of the immediate needs of the children.
We need help from the neighbors in researching how we can get the tires or raise funds to buy the tires.
Project: Beroya Christian Academy - BeCAme
I cannot help you with the funds, but I can provide you some advice which can get the truck moving early.
Assuming that there are 2 wheels at the front - left and right, and the other 4 wheels are at the rear, you might consider replacing only the front 2 tyres at this stage. In case you get retreaded tyres at your location, these could be cheaper than the new tyres.
Later when the truck is working and earning by transporting stone, a fund for maintenance and spares of the truck could be set aside from the earnings, so that immediate action can be taken for repairs or replacement of spares without resorting to fund-raising merely to get the truck moving.
In case the truck is not able to earn enough to generate the funds for repairs and replacement of spares, it might make good economic sense to sell it and deploy the funds to other income generating activities where cash surplus can be created. If any activity needs funds to be pumped in, instead of generating cash surplus, then such an activity needs to be stopped, and the funds need to be deployed in other areas where cash surplus can be generated.
You might also examine the expenses in using this truck to transport children. In case you have cheaper modes like renting a few bicycle-trailers, these might be a cheaper option to transport children, as compared to the fuel costs and other wear-and-tear involved by using this large truck to transport a few children.
Self-sustenance is the key to moving forward.
Vijai
Thank You Vijai. You have some very good ideas. I totally agree that we cannot depend on just the truck to create the funds necessary. The project is up and coming now and we will be working slowly towards self sustenance part to keep the project going. Retreading is a very good idea for immediate purposes. We should research more on the retreading in Bugembe. If it is possible to get it done there etc...Thoughts from neighbors who have an idea about getting this done in Uganda is greatly appreciated
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fortheloveofsai
nandini
Nandini,
In my message above, I have suggested purchase of retreaded tyres. Since one of the front tyres is already cut, it will not be possible to retread this. Hence this tyre is to be 'replaced' with a retreaded tyre, and not retreading of the existing cut and damaged tyre. To avoid instability of the vehicle, the other front tyre must also be replaced with a similar retreaded tyre.
Retreading is a secondary market which exists in many countries due to the high cost of new tyres. The retreading operator exchanges the old tyre with a retreaded tyre, or retreads the existing old tyre, at a fraction of the cost of a new tyre. Logically, the old tyre must not be cut or damaged for the retreading to happen. The village will need this basic information, since otherwise they will not know what they have to look for, and will simply keep waiting for the donations to arrive so they can buy new tyres, while the truck stays grounded.
The 4 rear tyres need not be changed at this stage.
Vijai
Thanks Vijai. We can look into going the way of the retreaded tires. Would it be possible for you to research into how we can get them in this village? Maybe some businesses are listed on the web? Not sure if there are any other ways to find them in the village. Greatly appreciate your thoughts and help on this
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nandini
fortheloveofsai
Nandini,
The village will have to explore in their own neighbourhood or in the nearby towns. Retreading is an an activity in the unorganized sector, and accordingly I do not expect these operators on the internet. We can only help with advice, and the actual work on the ground will necessarily have to be done at the village end only. I can at the most advise on where the village can start the search - these are the local vehicle repair shops, the local tyre shops, the local secondary market for tyres, etc. It is quite possible that the region does not have any secondary market of retreaded tyres, and this might be the case if there are not enough vehicles in the region, which will make this activity unprofitable. It will also not be worthwhile to travel to far-off places in search of this facility, due to expenses on transport. If the village cannot comfortably find this facility in the local area, the next best option would still be to get new tyres - but get only 2 new tyres for the front wheels. The 4 rear tyres need not be replaced at this stage.
Vijai
Thank you all for your advises and contributions about this need .
it is true this truck has been a center of funding to our activities that we are offering . but All tires have to be replaced because I bought all at once and they are now all very old .
The issue of retreaded tires, is not good because remember this truck does not work in good roads ,all its work in villages and hills where there is sharp stones , because most of its work , is to carry stones like hardcore , aggregates , lake sand others . it goes in forest to carry out fire woods .
so , you can not rely on old tires , even that service of retread the tries is not here .
and we have now a big problem of not having ability of getting enough food , not books and make matter worse is those children who are soon going in for their final examination and the schools can not allow to sit for those examination unless when they have paid all their school fees .
This truck has been helping us this kind of needs to be solved in time now are three months without paying the house rent and we are worried of the landlord at any time He can come and throw us away .
Please , let us find a clear solution that will help us out of this situation .
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pastor Mwandha Michael
Hello Pastor Michael,
It is unfortunate that one tyre of the truck has got cut, and all tyres are worn out, and all this has happened so close to the children's examinations. From your message I understand that the real issues are paying the children's school fees, and the rent. To overcome this crisis, you have several options open to you:
AA
Estimate the cost of 6 new tyres for the truck and make attempts for donations of this amount. This was your initial plan as posted on this thread.
BB
Since the truck obviously operates on low profit margins where even one cut tyre can disrupt the education and shelter of several children, it could be sold off, and school fees and rent must be first paid off. From the balance money a rented truck could be used for the existing business of transporting material. This might be unacceptable to you at this stage, but consider the fact that even an owned truck is not really profitable to you, so you might as well conduct the business in a rented truck. Continuing to own the truck will make good economic sense only if it makes a good impact on the profits, but if you have to seek donations every time a tyre gets cut, then it is important to sell the truck immediately and manage with a rented truck. Even though this might further reduce your profits, but at least you will have enough cash reserve after selling this truck to pay the school fees and rent. Meanwhile, you must continuously explore other options for generating income. The bottom-line for all your endeavours must be - avoid a situation where you are pumping funds to make up the losses. Since you are funding the losses, such a business can rarely become profitable, and it becomes necessary to restructure the operations to make profits.
CC
Mortgage the truck and take a loan. From this loan pay the school fees and rent. Also buy 6 new tyres. Pay off the loan from the earnings of the truck.
For option AA - you might get donations overnight if you are extremely lucky, otherwise it might involve a long wait and never happen at all. Options BB and CC might happen earlier since all activity for these options is under your own control.
Vijai
Thanks Vijai for the suggestions. I do agree that getting the funding might take a while. Maybe Pastor Michael can tell us if he would like to take up on any of your suggestions.
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nandini
fortheloveofsai
when you look ahead of everything is that we need this truck because it is the only source of income that can help us to run other projects successfully , for short time focus , yes what Vijai is right but when the money is finished whom do you think will be always funding the activities that we hope to do . it costs alot of money to hire a truck to get you building materials that is why its necessary to have this truck and buy a new truck it is very costly .
I believe to run projects on self supportive idea other than having hopes all the time from other people who also have their own problem .
I hope that it is good to make sure that this truck goes back on the road and it will still help us in the future to pay the school fees and other requirements for the children . but to have money without having any means of adding on it then if it finished , how do you think you will continue to educate these children ?
so, I can go to the school to try to talk with the headmaster to see that he can allow these children , until we fix this truck and then we can be paying small by small until we can cover all the costs , to get the loan it is also a good idea and i have tried to apply , and they have their way of processing , if they grant us that loan then it will be ok .
but it is not good to miss this truck as i know the economic situation of Uganda . it is very at risk the moment to loose what you have at hand , never expect to recover it .
Thank you .
Michael.
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pastor Mwandha Michael
Thanks for the information Pastor Michael. Please do keep us updated on the status of the loan. In the meantime, I guess we can keep looking for other ways of funding
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nandini
fortheloveofsai
Pastor Michael
Any progress with the loan for the tires?
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nandini
fortheloveofsai