The spirit of entrepreneurship and ambitions of Uganda need to be celebrated, says Nicole Johnson

Sitting in a crowded Ugandan café with one eye on minding my own business and the other on minding everyone else's, I picked up the paper. I browsed over an article spouting out the same old economic blurb. 13 million people live in poverty*, 7 million people are illiterate, a 9% unemployment rate and 17% of the young generation classified as innumerate. It was time to filter out 'The Guardian' I had bought before leaving the UK and turn my attention back to Uganda, part of a continent on the cusp of economic notoriety.

Poignantly, 'The Economist' (which was also bought at a now significantly more profitable branch of WH Smith) led with its front page - Africa Rising. One sentence of particular note from the supporting article read: 'Over the past 10 years, 6 of the world's 10 fastest growing countries have been African.'

I decided that downtown Kampala was my next stop in an already frenetic trip, to find out exactly what the fuss was all about.

A lunchtime stroll through the CBD boasted several modern buildings with proud names of new companies emblazoned on the sides. However, it was the atmosphere and attitude of the areas' employees, which impacted upon me the most. It was a welcome glimpse into a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, that I would later come to realise, had swept through the entire city.

Using Tuesday night to find a bar that allowed me to sample my first Ugandan lager, I was introduced to John who had set up a small but profitable chain of convenience stores, catering to the growing number of businessmen in the area. He said 'I have 4 shops, and I want to open a 5th by my 24th birthday.'

It seemed that once tuned into this economic success story, it was impossible to ignore. This was a country that had spent the last 20 years in relative peace and stability and therefore reaping the reward of ambition. It seemed that every café or bar I entered was filled with friends talking candidly about wishes for their future, unaware that they were also planning Uganda's next 20 years.

The young generation of Kampala is socially, politically and economically aware, with opinions that are gathered from the online world. Though not all agree with the policies of today's elected Government, the majority value Uganda's economic stability generated by an ever increasing flow of foreign investment. These policies have provided a stable infrastructure for local businesses, like John's, to thrive.

Even more promising for the future of Africa as a whole are the budding relationships with the equally ambitious Far East, who have capitalised on the years of indecisiveness from the West. China's huge investment in Africa's infrastructure has regenerated a flagging manufacturing sector, whilst Brazil, India and Malaysia have jumped onto what is now a bandwagon on the move. Political and economic stability has enhanced Uganda's reputation on an international level. It has even allowed Uganda to explore the possibilities of enhancing already close economic ties with its Kenyan and Tanzanian neighbours by exploring the establishment of East Africa's single currency.

Only recently, as a result of David Cameron's veto, the UK has been steered into a Eurozone shaped cul-de-sac, and with this, UK economic foreign policy may well have taken a seismic shift towards redeveloping strong economic relations with Africa. Deep and widespread reforms are still needed throughout Africa, yet the steps taken in the last decade to catapult both Uganda and Africa out of the economic shadows means that the UK should 'consider opening up trade rather than just dishing out aid.'

There is still a variety of issues that continue to challenge Africa. Drought, famine and disease still threaten large sections of its population, whilst the resource rich continent is yet to find a way to fully harness its reserves. Yet, for all the wealth deep in the grounds of Africa, there is one commodity more valued than any other; it's the spirit of entrepreneurship and ambitions of Uganda that has contributed towards the stability of two successive generations free from war, turmoil and uncertainty.

*Identified as UK citizens living in relative poverty by Oxfam UK