Maxima Nsimenta: Transforming African Hair Care

Maxima Nsimenta: Transforming African Hair Care. Maxima Nsimenta was born on September 26, 1986, at Mulago Hospital to Paul and Cissy Nyamar. Accordingly, she was given a name that means “how can I thank God?” This name particularly reflects the gratitude her parents felt after a challenging journey. Even so, their first child, Gloria, was named Kaririirwe, or “the one they cried for” in Rukiga, to honor their struggles.

Maxima Nsimenta: Transforming African Hair Care

Notably, Maxima is a devoted Christian and mother of two. Furthermore, she has three-year-old Junile and two-year-old Zula Maxin. Currently single, she is healing from an abusive relationship. Meanwhile, during a trip to Congo Brazzaville, she faced an unexpected obstacle. Specifically, with her relaxed hair needing retouching every three months. Unfortunately, she couldn’t find a salon equipped to work on African hair. Most salons in Pointe-Noire were European-owned and staffed by attendants unfamiliar with African hair textures. “I was shocked,” she recalls. Predictably, “These were Africans working in Africa, but they didn’t know how to handle African hair. Eventually, I decided to cut my hair and return to work. Everyone thought I had lost my mind!”

However, In two months, her hair grew back, yet she still couldn’t find a reliable African hair relaxer. Momentarily, this gap sparked her interest in African hair care and cosmetics. “I began researching, and five months into the job, I knew I had to leave. Everywhere I travelled, I couldn’t find African hair products or African-owned cosmetics. I kept seeing opportunity,” she explains.

Significantly, Nsimenta started budgeting meticulously to develop her vision for African hair care. Notwithstanding, she pitched her idea to Kwesiga, who initially called it overly ambitious. Nevertheless, this only fueled her determination. Thankfully, Kwesiga eventually granted her access to the Uganda Industrial Research Institute (UIRI) as an incubation centre. From 2014, she set aside $1,500 each month from her $10,000 salary for research and trials for Livara, her future brand. “We would buy Brazilian hair for experiments,” she recalls.

The Birth of Livara and its Influennce Across Uganda

Subsequently, collaborating with a chemical engineer, she made her brother the point person for activities in Uganda. Thereby, managing the team remotely through Skype. To secure an investment license in Uganda, she needed $75,000, which she raised as she worked naturally.

As a result, after 14 months, Livara’s first product hit the market. Specifically, with UIRI’s support, she received UNBS certification, as the centre is UNBS-certified. Further, In June 2015, she launched Livara products in Uganda, using Facebook and Instagram for marketing. Markedly, her first salon opened at the Cube in Kamwokya-Kisementi.

Today, Nsimenta has expanded Livara to seven branches across locations like Ntinda, Bugolobi, Kyanja, Boulevard, and Mbarara. More so, with each salon doubling as a retail space for Livara products and featuring sections for both children and adults. Nevertheless, she has faced challenges, particularly with taxes, paying over Shs 100 million annually. Despite these hurdles, Maxima Nsimenta: Transforming African Hair Care envisions her salons as centres of excellence. Most importantly, where each branch offers specialized hands-on training guided by the managers.