( CNN ) -- Amos Wekesa has seen a lot of changes in his country . Today , the self-made mogul oversees Great Lakes Safaris , one of the largest tour operators in Uganda . He has made millions introducing his clients to the splendor of his country , whether taking them on elephant treks in Queen Elizabeth National Park , or giving them an opportunity to get close to the local chimps at Murchison Falls . `` Personally I 've traveled the whole world , and I think one of the things I am advantaged with is having seen my own country as a tour guide , and seen how the tourists were shocked about the beauty of this area , '' he says . In the last few years , Wekesa has seen tourism numbers swell , but that was n't always the case . Though 2013 saw 1.2 million travelers ( a 50 % increase over the last five years ) , tourism was at a standstill for many decades in the aftermath of Idi Amin 's bloodthirsty reign . In the shadow of `` Big Daddy '' Two year before Wekesa 's birth , Amin had forcefully taken control of the country . Amin declared himself President for Life , Conqueror of the British Empire and Last King of Scotland . He also liked to be called `` Big Daddy '' , though his countrymen would eventually bestow a different moniker in the wake of his reign of terror : The Butcher of Uganda . `` At the time I was born , it was a difficult time for every Ugandan . There were a lot of challenges economically for Ugandans . And people tried to find ways to survive , '' Wekesa recalls of his challenging childhood . `` My family was close to the border and all they could do was smuggle stuff from Kenya . I think as a child , I was involved in smuggling by the age of seven . '' The 50 cent salary . There was nothing swift about Wekesa 's rise . After school , he worked sweeping floors , earning $ 10 a month . `` I was living , to be honest , on half a dollar a week , '' he recalls . His luck would eventually change when scored got a job as a tour guide . `` I remember very well my first trip . We had three tourists and we went around for 15 days . We were doing camping , we had to put up tents , had to cook breakfast for the guys , and stir the campfire until the last person finished smoking , maybe 3 am . It was a draining job , '' he recalls . When he decided to set up his own firm in 2001 , he found he got little support . `` People would say , 'you were born in a poor family , we told you , you ca n't do business , ' '' he says . `` I mean 99 % of the people that surrounded were telling me 'You ca n't succeed . You do n't have a background of business . ' But I knew in my heart that you know what , I think God has given me this opportunity and tried me out , and I 'm going to make sure I succeed in this thing . '' Today , Wekesa has made millions and become one of the go-to Ugandan tour guides with a company providing 180 jobs to the local economy . `` The company has grown to be one of the top three safari companies in the country . But I think one of things I like about this is having been the first Ugandan to build accommodation inside a national park . ( It inspired ) so many Ugandans to start building . Now we are seeing a lot of Ugandans saying , 'you know what 'If Amos can do it , I can do it . ' '' Watch the video below to learn more about how Wekesa continues to push the local community to bigger and better things . Alternatively , if viewing on a mobile , click here . SEE : Africa disrupts the global art scene .
Amos Wekesa was born in a Idi Amin-ruled Uganda . To make ends meet , his family started smuggling . After drifting from job to job , he stumbled into tourism . He says the first time he saw an elephant on film was when he watched Tarzan and Jane at age 12 or 13.