Hustler: Jay Sewa

What do you call your company?
Eloquent Models.

What do you do exactly?
Eloquent Model provides the most varied types of actors, models, athletes and dancers in the whole East African region. We make photo and video castings and have a large portfolio of models from different nationalities, age groups, types, characters, professions and talent appropriate for fashion shows, company advertisements or even movies. For bigger projects, the casting system works also outside Uganda.

Are you also a model?
I am a top model in Uganda. With the experience I have had over the past four years, I decided to start up my own agency and in just a few months I have done big projects like Club Pilsener billboards, the Airtel ‘tsup campaign, Nile Special pool tournament campaigns and Eagle Lager campaigns. My agency has also hosted high class events, like the launch of Qatar Airways in Uganda, Top 100 midsized company awards, plus working with several fashion designers.

Do you find it challenging?
The challenge I have got is clients who call you up with cheap money, that’s called exploitation. People think models in Uganda are cheap, but that’s what I am trying to fight because we are professionals who work hard. How can a professional designer call me up for a show saying that she can’t pay me because she is giving me exposure? It doesn’t make sense. If there are agencies out there doing that, they better stop.