( CNN ) Ten dollars -- that 's all that Rwandan science teacher Cephas Nshimyumuremyi had to start his business with two years ago . It may sound less than promising , but Nshimyumuremyi made that initial initial investment go a long way . Today , his company Uburanga Products , which makes herbal jelly and soap from local medicinal plants , is worth $ 30,000 and employs 12 workers . `` The $ 10 helped me to purchase the empty bottle in order to put my product on the market , '' says Nshimyumuremyi , winner of the Educat -- GT Bank Entrepreneurship Award 2014 , a local business prize . His idea for natural cosmetics with healing properties came from trying to teach his students how the science they were learning in class could be applied in practical ways : `` I teach chemistry so I showed my students how you can test a plant , and know the capacity of that plant to kill bacteria , '' says the young entrepreneur , who launched his company in a bid to supplement his income from teaching . Nshimyumuremyi also wanted to use the local medicinal plants , used by some traditional healers , in a scientific way . He says his future goal is to provide the solution for `` some skin diseases in Africa . '' 'Start with little , use your knowledge ' Herbs used in Nshimyumuremyi 's remedies are grown in a botanical garden , then dried and mixed to create either soap or jelly . `` The products made by Uburanga help the skin to be smooth and they protect from bacteria which can cause skin disease , '' says the entrepreneur . Like with many new businesses , the greatest challenge Nshimyumuremyi had to overcome was getting the word about his product out to a wider audience , without having money to advertise . Another was the high cost of containers in which his products are sold , which he had to import : `` In our country there is no industry producing such kind of bottles and cartons , so we purchase them from Kampala [ Uganda ] ) , '' Nshimyumuremyi says . His message to fellow would-be entrepreneurs thinking of starting a business is encouraging : `` Do n't think that you need a lot of capital , '' he says . `` Start with little , but use the knowledge and the environment that you already have . '' Check out the video below to find out more about Nshimyumuremyi 's efforts to grow his cosmetics company . Read this : Got an idea ? There 's $ 100 million available ... Read this : Catch a ride on a bamboo bike . More African Start-Up .
Science writer Cephas Smith started his skincare company with just $ 500 . He produces herbal soaps and jellies out of local medicinal plants . The entrepreneur says you do n't need a lot of money to start a business .