THE INNER-CITY NEWS - July 19, 2023 - July 25, 2023
America’s Jehiel Oliver left banking to help African farmers make thousands of dollars with genius app Abu Mubarik, Face2FaceAfrica.com
Across sub-Saharan Africa, more than 60 percent of crops are cultivated by hand, affecting the productivity of farmers as well as crop yield. Data cited by Forbes show that there are over 200 million farmers in Africa living on less than $2 a day. The lack of machinery needed to cultivate farmlands by smallholder farmers has been largely attributed to cost and finance. This is where black American entrepreneur Jehiel Oliver comes in with his initiative some have touted as “Uberfor-tractors.” Oliver started his career in banking but he was driven to do something meaningful for Africa and that led him to invest in farming. “I’m from the US, and started my professional career in finance,” Oliver told Forbes Africa. “But in [my] mind, I always wanted to do work that was meaningful for my community and I came from parents who were kind of pan-African in their view of the world.” After quitting the banking field, Oliver went into finance consulting and spent time looking at restructuring invest-
ment across the Global South, which ultimately led him into agriculture. According to him, it was during this period that he uncovered the importance of agriculture, inspiring him to launch Hello Tractor. Based in Kenya, Hello Tractor is a smartphone app that connects smallscale farmers with nearby tractor owners. Hello Tractor’s clients are typically small farmers with one to five hectares. Then there are the tractor owners, who could be individuals with one tractor or large companies with more. Farmers could make up to $30,000 in bookings a year on the Hello Tractor platform. Farmers typically connect through booking agents who use the app to register them. Hello Tractor currently has over 3000 tractors and combines on its platform. “For us, it was about economic growth and prosperity for these African economies,” Oliver told Forbes Africa. “Starting in a rural sector, you have low-income populations underserviced by just about every part of the economy, and seeing an opportunity to commercially serve these economic actors, these farmers, who are also entrepreneurs them-
selves. “And to serve them in a way where they can grow their productivity, they can grow their income, they can send their kids to school, and not pull their kids out of school to work the fields.” According to How We Made It In Africa, tractor owners get paid a deposit to move their tractors to the field and then receive the full amount after service. The platform added that the tractor owners make 90% of the revenue whilst the other 10% goes to the booking agent. Aside from Kenya, Hello Tractor works in Nigeria, where mechanization is also very low. Oliver noted that he was attracted to Nigeria not only because of low mechanization on farms but also because of the country’s market size and the fact that Nigerians are receptive to new ideas. To launch Hello Tractor, Oliver relied on his savings and investment. “We bootstrapped in the beginning and then I exhausted my savings,” he said, adding that he raised “a bit of money”, less than $2 million. The bulk of the money, he noted, was paid back to the investors with interest.
Tractor, Oliver
Traveling Abroad: How To Stay Healthy & Safe by Kierstyn Pryor, BlackDoctor.org
When traveling out of the country, certain documents are needed to complete your travel. For example, a passport, an ID, and medical records are all necessary documents to travel. Of course, a passport is needed to travel out of the country, and you will need to get it months in advance if you don’t have one already, as a passport can take a while to come in. Immunization records are also needed for your travel. These records may include past shot records and more. You can find out what other documents may be needed through more research or from your home doctor.
Several opportunities present themselves to us at our universities. From internships to jobs and even courses that are a huge deal, there is always something to be involved in. Therefore, traveling abroad is one of those things! You never know when this opportunity may find you. Whether you are in a club, traveling for a class, or receiving a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, it is a huge deal, and you should be prepared for it if you are afforded the opportunity. Here are a few tips for staying healthy, safe, and prepared when traveling abroad.
Phone Plans For Traveling Abroad
Research Where You’re Traveling Abroad The first thing you should do before traveling abroad is research where you will be traveling. This is a new area away from your family and friends and a place that is new to you. Therefore, you must research what you may need to take with you. Essentials may vary slightly from your home country, so this is the most important step. You will want to know what health is like at this location, what items you may need, and any documents you may need as well.
Create A Pre-Travel Checklist Creating a pre-travel checklist is next on your preparation list for traveling abroad. This will help you stay organized and stay on top of what you may need to buy for your upcoming trip. This checklist might include sanitation and hygiene items and even the type of clothing you may need to pack. With that being said, the weather may also be
something you should take into consideration and research before traveling. Health Shots Or Vaccines Health is very important regardless of where you are in the world. At times traveling can come with health risks. We all know that location changes can lead
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to sinus problems and more. Therefore, you must consider taking medication with you and getting any vaccinations that will keep you healthy throughout the duration of your trip and even afterward. Asking a doctor for assistance before you travel would also be very helpful. Prepare Documents
Depending on where you travel, you may need to consider a specific phone plan for your vacation. Some locations and countries only allow a certain amount of communication between themselves and other countries. Also, service could be an issue depending on where you’re traveling to. Therefore, you might have to consider getting a burner phone or a different phone plan that allows you to talk to family in friends back home. We hope that as you embark on your journey of traveling abroad, you consider each of the things we’ve listed.