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small and large places. In rural areas there were only one or two shops. The shopkeepers sold country produce, provisions, cheap textiles and other staple items. Later on the community expanded to Uganda and Tanganyika.
In Halar, as the Oshwals living in villages were mainly involved in farming and hard labor, there was hardly anyone involved in political activities. In East Africa as the Indian community was small there was close unity and friendship between different regional communities. After the end of the First World War the Oshwals diversified into different businesses. Many affluent businessmen started taking an active role in business as well as in political bodies. Some even got elected to executive committees and played leadership roles.
In 1924 A.D. the Indian Congress of East Africa held their convention in Mombasa under the chairmanship of Shrimati Sarojini Naidu. Leading Oshwal citizens attended the conference as official representatives. A resolution not to pay taxes was passed. Many Oshwals supported the resolution and stopped paying taxes. Some went to jail; their properties were confiscated and auctioned.
Thus the Oshwals played a major role directly or indirectly in the progress of the Indian Association, the Chamber of Commerce, and the East African Indian Congress. They also extended financial aid to the native Africans.
In East Africa educational facilities got better. The big towns had educational institutions up to high school level and small towns and villages up to primary level. In 1929 the first Oshwal youth to pass the London Matriculation examination at the first attempt was Amratlal Raishi Shah.
In 1939 A.D., the Second World War broke out and a strict blackout was imposed because of a possible threat of bombing from neighboring Somaliland. Trenches and
