InspireAfrica Magazine

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A F R I C A

WWW.INSPIREAFRICA.CO.UG

Rwanda

Africa’s Number one Investment Destination

Africa’s Newest Innovations

The Business Implications

of Regional Integration on East Africans

Uganda’s Kiira EV and DRC’s Tablet PC

Designing

your way to success

Building A Business

To Last

The First Steps

Nelson Tugume The story of young, dynamic, visionary

Behind Project Inspire Africa

www.facebook.com/InspireAfrica BUSINESS ANALYSIS • HEALTH • ENTERTAINMENT • PROFILES • SUCCESS STORIES |1

Invest in Rwanda Invest in Rwanda Invest in R Invest in Rwanda Invest in Rwanda Invest in Rwand Invest in Rwanda Invest in Rwanda Invest in Rwanda

Invest in Rwanda

Invest in Rwanda Invest in Rwanda Invest in Rwanda

Why invest in Rwanda?

One Stop Concept: 2nd most reformed economy in the World 2006-2011 3 easiest place to do business in Africa rd

World Bank Doing Business Report, 2012

3rd most competitive African country to do business World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Report

2011 Future Policy Award Winner (National Forest Policy) World Future Council

The Rwanda Development Board’s One Stop Centre enables company registration in just 24 hours.

Simplified licensing and permitting procedure:

There is free online registration and access to all major doing business procedures.

Sustained high economic growth:

An average 8% GDP year on year growth since 2004, currency appreciation, highest GDP growth among major African economies

Robust Governance:

Political stability, well functioning institutions, rule of law and zero tolerance to corruption

Access to regional market:

150 million people in the East African Community

Currency appreciation:

Low inflation rate consistently remaining below 5%

It IS better to do business in Rwanda

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inside

Issue # 1 April 2012 WWW.INSPIREAFRICA.CO.UG

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INSPIRE AFRICA 6: The Inside Story 16: The man behind Project Inspire Africa 16: The Smartest Minds in Africa 29: Inspire Africa Academy

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SPECIAL FEATURES 40: East Africa Integration 48: East Africa Integration Kenya-Vision 2030 50: Saving Uganda From its Oil 54: Rwanda - The New African Dawn

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Youthful Innovators 40: Kiira EV - Makere Univerity 53: Africa’s First Tablet PC56: Meilleur-Behind Rwanda’s first online news daily.

Contact us:

16 Inpiration 36: Nelson Mandela 42: Graham Power 46: Design your way to success

www.inspireafrica.co.ug I www.facebook.com/InspireAfrica magazine@inspireafrica.co.ug I Twitter @InspireAfricaEA Tel: +256 486 660 452 I Mob: +256 700 717 390 www.facebook.com/InspireAfrica |3

First

PUBLISHERS CREDITS PUBLISHER: INSPIRE MEDIA PUBLICATIONS LIMITED

Word

MANAGING EDITOR: Gerald Muhangi COPY EDITOR: Dennis Muhumuza

The power of humble beginnings

CONTRIBUTERS: Ethan Musolini, Piper Samuel Ocanndah, Kamukama Polly ART DIRECTOR: Martha A Oringo CREATIVE CONSULTANT: Daniel Ibanda PHOTOGRAPHER: SUBSCRIPTIONS Email: subs@inspireafrica.co.ug Tel: +256 486 660 452 ADVERTISING Email: advertising@inspireafrica.co.ug Mob: +256 700 717390 CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER: Nelson Tugume OPERATIONS MANAGER: AtukundaMuhwezi FINANCE MANAGER: Rachael Nsita SALES AND MARKETING MANAGER: Nixion Jet Tusiime PUBLIC RELATIONS MANGER: Brian Ndyaguma LEGAL COUNSEL: Ochieng&Harihomugasho Advocates.

PRINTED IN DUBAI, UAE HOW TO REACH US INSPIRE AFRICA MAGAZINE Level 3, Kob House, Next to Hotel Equatorial, Bombo Road.

P.O.Box 5476 Kampala Tel: +256 486 660 452 Email: magazine@inspireafrica.co.ug COPYRIGHT 2012 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by and means, electronic, recording or otherwise without prior written consent of the Inspire Media Publications Limited.

DISCLAIMER While every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine, the Publisher cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of the information herein, or any consequences arising from it. We also assume no liability for any damages, injury or loss arising from any Advert.

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elcome to the first edition of Inspire Africa Magazine, an African magazine that will touch, influence and transform millions of lives. The advent of this magazine marks a new era of inspiration not only in Africa but in the whole world. The, Inspire Africa Magazine is another product of Project Inspire Africa, whose ultimate mission is to raise entrepreneurs with a patriotic , progressive and visionary out look to business.

Are you a business owner, an employee, or a visionary that seeks to excel, then this magazine is for you. If you thought that business empires were all built in a fortnight, you have to think again. In our very first edition of Inspire Africa Magazine, we bring to you a thorough picture of humble beginnings.

Inspire Africa – A testimony of Humble Beginnings Take a look at the complete story behind Project Inspire Africa, may be you have heard about this biggest TV reality show in East Africa that is touching millions and millions of people, we bring to you a comprehensive story in this edition. Find out the architecture behind Project Inspire Africa, the overview of the TV series, and the pioneer contestants that fought ruthlessly for the $50,000 worth of start-up capital.

Innovation in Africa Do Africans think outside the box? That is a question that has been asked by countless individuals all over the world.

In this first edition, Inspire Africa Magazine proves to the whole world that actually Africans are always thinking outside the box in many aspects. Find out how a 26 year old Congolese was able to invent a Tablet PC, which rivals the iPad. Also, don’t forget to take a peek at how a team of young Ugandans manufactured the First ever Electric Car in the whole of Africa.

Rwanda – Your Number One investment destination Ever had of a country of a thousand hills, and yet with thousands of answers? Rwanda, is an exact definition of rapid development in Africa. Get to appreciate how the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) is transforming the economic landscape of Rwanda. Do you want an imminent view of Rwanda in 2020, Vision 2020, tells us more about the future of Rwandese nationals.

As you read through this, colorful and exciting, first edition of Inspire Africa Magazine, take time to discover and exploit the opportunities that surround us each and every other day.

Thank you for reading Inspire Africa Magazine and please keep your fingers crossed for yet another luminous edition of the magazine this May.

Gerald Muhangi Managing Editor

www.inspireafrica.co.ug I www.facebook.com/InspireAfrica magazine@inspireafrica.co.ug I Twitter @InspireAfricaEA Tel: +256 486 660 452 I Mob: +256 700 717 390

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Review

Inspire InspireAfrica

The Inside Story

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What is Inspire Africa?

t Inspire Africa, we firmly believe that Africa’s problems must be solved by Africans; and that the first 1000-mile-journey step is through creating robust local enterprise chains. Project Inspire Africa aspires to equip at least 50,000 youths with basic and practical business skills as well as basic business startup capital to kick-start their business dreams.

Inspire Africa is a Human Capital Development organization with the sole goal of engineering successful entrepreneurship in Africa through identifying the best business minds in Africa and guiding them through their entrepreneurial cause by providing them with logistical assistance, knowledge and other requisite services to propel them into successful business personalities.

We further believe that the more local enterprises we help to build; and the more we empower our communities financially, the more jobs and social security we shall create for our citizenry.

And as we engineer local enterprise and job creation, it’s our strong and humble belief that our initiative will ultimately translate into an African population that is deeply patriotic and in deep love for progressive development.

We believe that sustainable national development is the product of successful and responsible entrepreneurship; and we firmly believe that an entrepreneurial movement of young, able-minded and business-oriented people shall transform the African economy through a progressive and innovative entrepreneurial approach.

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How did this idea “Inspire Africa” come about?

In 2009, the World Bank published a dossier that held Uganda to have the highest business mortality rate in the whole world with 90: 100 ratio of business mortality. The bank held that Uganda had the highest number of businesses started each year as compared to any other nation of the world; but that those businesses died almost as soon as they were started. Three years since that report was published, the situation has not changed an inch. And this is not a Ugandan problem, it’s an African problem.

Africans remain very enterprising people, but their enterprises die too fast due to three factors: lack of adequate skills and knowledge, lack of adequate financing and capital, and lack of adequate networks and synergies to propel their businesses to break even.

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Review Review

1 Prize Money people learn the skills of business practice. With 2,000 candidates directly trained, 100 successful enterprises started every year, and over

2 Adrenaline people learn the skills of business practice. With 2,000 candidates directly trained, 100 successful enterprises started

3 Inspiration candidates directly trained, 100 successful enterprises started

Sadly, these businesses die along with great resources used as startup capital thereby deepening poverty and misfortune.

Currently, Africa takes the highest share of global unemployment and underemployment. Many energetic and zealous youths graduate every year, with good grades but a world with no jobs curtails their ability to grow. The situation is exacerbated by an education system which manufactures job searchers and ignores the need for job creation.

The African Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) dilemma, the African youth poverty, and the African youth unemployment crises aren’t challenges that will be confronted with faint heartedness. With 90% of local businesses started each year in Africa meeting their deaths before their first anniversary; with the rate of youth unemployment rising by the tick of the clock against an increasing population; and with the cream of Africa steadily selling themselves to a make-shift slavery of the western nations [odd jobs], the future of Africa remains in total imbalance. Something needs to be done before a crisis turns into a catastrophe!

What is the Mission of Inspire Africa?

Inspire Africa is an initiative of young and successful entrepreneurs in Uganda whose top desire is to enthuse other young and willing

Our ultimate mission is to raise entrepreneurs with a patriotic, progressive and visionary outlook to business

Inspire Africa is a product 8 | www.facebook.com/InspireAfrica

of the resolve to change and reshape the future of Africa through creating a platform for successful youth enterprise.

people in Africa that they can make it to the summit of the business world if they are given relatively sufficient start-up capital, business counsel, and adequate mentorship.

We are out to revolutionize the African economy through creating a fresh generation of African entrepreneurs by carefully identifying Africa’s entrepreneurship cream; and systematically training and empowering them with practical entrepreneurial experience, practical

business exposure, and developmental testing and mentorship while presenting to them certificates, connections to successful entrepreneurs and to some, a sufficient financial head-start.

“Our ultimate mission is to raise entrepreneurs with a patriotic, progressive and visionary outlook to business”.

How will we achieve this?

We are first and foremost creating a different culture for all of Africa.

We believe that this new culture will be a model for the entire world. We are mindful that we do not want to “throw the baby out with the bath water”, therefore we are intentional about lifting up, nurturing and sustaining those elements of our culture that provide the foundation for our work. We are modeling a new attitude, new behaviors, challenging beliefs and values that no longer serve us, and we resolve to change and reshape the future for all of Africa.

We are breaking through limits, moving beyond external and internal boundaries, challenging the status quo, asking the tough questions, willing to be held accountable and leading the way forward from a place of courage, preparedness and inner strength.

Review

Nelson Tugume The Young Visionary

Behind Project

InspireAfrica And More.

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How a village boy tore through the limitations of poverty to become a young and rich African businessman of enviable stature that is inspiring the whole of Africa.

elson’s life story is a compelling mix of adventure, drama, pain, suffering, poverty, resilience, passion, wealth and a strong faith in God. Contrary to what many may believe, it has been anything but smooth sailing. How does a child born into poverty in the early 1980’s, orphaned at 12, and forced to do hard labor in order to survive, become a very wealthy man in his late 20’s?

Not because of choices he made, his early life was one of obstacles, struggles, despair and poverty. The difference between Nelson and many others who find themselves in the same situation, is that he took responsibility for the 10 | www.facebook.com/InspireAfrica

choices he would make, as early as age 11. His first business endeavor was as a shop attendant in his mother’s rural shop where he borrowed refrigerator space to sell drinking water.

Even at that age, Nelson had a shrewd business mind that pushed him to diversify. He harvested coffee beans from two coffee trees from his father’s farm which he sold at 25,000 shillings per basin. This was the exposure Nelson needed; the opportunity to strike more gold. So he went around the village purchasing the same amount of coffee from small farmers at 2,500 shillings, proceeding to sell the same at 25,000 shillings in the nearby towns.

“Business was good,” he recalls.

And with good money in his pockets, Nelson became a celebrity at school. But like most boys at that age, he became pretty careless with money and lost all the profits he had minted from the coffee business. ”Up to now, I still don’t understand how I could lose so much money in such a short time,” he says with a confounded look. No doubt, this was the eyeopening, life-changing experience Nelson needed to grasp the importance of the financial-discipline, creative thinking and responsibility.

Perhaps, one of the most influential young entrepreneurs in Uganda, Nelson combines a sharp intellectual curiosity and solid business acumen to solve problems, develop and sustain global networks and to inspire all who know him. In 2011, he was honored as the overall winner of the Young Achievers Awards at a colourful event attended by the Presidents of Uganda and Rwanda. www.facebook.com/InspireAfrica |11

Review

”Up to now, I still don’t understand how I could lose so much money in such a short time” In Primary Seven, Nelson forayed into poultry farming with great profit expectations. To his horror, 60 of the 200 birds succumbed to Newcastle disease that was preventable by vaccination. It was an experience that taught him a very important business technique: that you must understand all the dynamics of your business, and cover all your bases.

Nelson also spread his enterprising wings into forestry where he invested about 150,000 UGX to plant over 2,000 Eucalyptus trees.

At Ntare School, Nelson became a jack of all trades, and as his contemporaries have testified, a master of all! He did among other things: sell envelopes, post mails, sell cakes from his locker, lend money to cash-strapped students at a little interest to be paid whenever their parents visited. At 18, he donated about two million shillings for the purchase of a family vehicle – the Nissan 1200, with which, at a small fee, he would later transport fellow students to and from school at the beginning and end of the term respectively.

In Senior Six, Nelson was the biggest shareholder in the school canteen, and to him he was just getting started; business was getting better day by day.

He expanded the poultry business, and put up a 20-acre banana plantation because he already understood the benefits of a diversified portfolio. After high school Nelson became the Operations Manager of his mother’s shop and helped purchase a bigger truck which he used to drive to Kampala to buy goods and grow the kiosk business.

At Makerere University, while pursuing a degree in IT Nelson was appointed the Minister of Pan African Affairs, and continued to conduct the businesses that kept cash flowing into his purse. With the confidence of a self-made man, he convinced his mom and together they got a mortgage to build apartments on land he purchased from his savings in the outskirts of Kampala. The revenue from the apartments was paying for the mortgage, so Nelson found himself without money to get by. His mother advised him to take up a job in one of the Telecommunications companies since he had graduated from the great Makerere University. But the entrepreneurship blood had already filled Nelson’s veins that he preferred to stay his own boss than work for somebody else. So he registered Nela Motors Limited, a company that was to deal in both new 12 | www.facebook.com/InspireAfrica

Review Nelson’s work ethic and attitude; his demeanor and strength; his belief and focus, and his personal life all testify that a touch of decency, class, skill, quality and commitment is what defines a successful entrepreneur who has earned the respect and the following of a global audience of all ages.

and second hand cars in Uganda.

Nelson had to sacrifice and sell his only car to start business; this was a do or die mission.

With faith in God, Nelson soldiered on.

Today, he’s a prominent car importer and plans to take his media franchise globally.

Favorite Dish

Matooke and “Eshabwe” Local food from Uganda

commitment is what defines a successful entrepreneur who has earned the respect and the following of a global audience of all ages.

Perhaps, one of the most influential young entrepreneurs in Uganda, Nelson combines a sharp intellectual curiosity and solid business acumen to solve problems, develop and sustain global networks and to inspire all who know him. In 2011, he was honored as the overall winner of the Young Achievers Awards at a colourful event attended by the Presidents of Uganda and Rwanda.

He is a convincing example to the young and old alike of individual personal achievement and standards of excellence, honesty, integrity and passion. His success has been built on a solid foundation rooted and grounded in a strong sense of self belief, a sense of purpose, drive, resilience, courage and faith. Nelson is innovative, creative, committed, trustworthy, and courageous yet very humble.

Nelson’s latest initiative, the well-viewed reality television series, Inspire Africa, is establishing an academy 50,000 East African youths in practical business skills. Without a doubt, Nelson is a living testimony of youth success. His life and achievements; his work ethic and his personal attitude; his demeanor and strength; his belief and focus, and his personal life all testify that a touch of decency, class, skill, quality and

He offers acknowledgment, gratitude and respect to his mother, who is his inspiration and mentor; his wife Atukunda, his brother Nixon and his extended family. Though, he is a man of strong faith in God, he does not wear his religious faith as a coat that he takes on and off. Rather his faith serves as an anchor that grounds all that he does and provides him the guidance he needs to continue to Inspire all of Africa to Rise.

Firsts

Reading Now

Good to Great by Jim Collins

Current Goal

To wage a Preemptive war against African Poverty

Best Friend

Best Advice

Education

My wife, Tugume Atukunda Muhwezi

“Always Listen from the Lord”

Information Technology Makerere University, Uganda

From my Mother

High school Ntare School, Uganda www.facebook.com/InspireAfrica |13

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Inspire Africa TV Reality Series

Witness the smartest minds of Africa execute the CEO’s Tasks

Review

Inspire Africa airs for one hour in the four participating countries on RTV in Rwanda NTV Uganda NTV Kenya TBC for Tanzania.

The TV reality show is based on the following business aspects: Project planning and management.

Crisis management.

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ach year, part of the project will be televised liveto-tape for 14 weeks. As 24 contestants fight for a mouth-watering business startup capital of $50,000 on live television, over 50 million people learn the skills of business practice. With 2,000 candidates directly trained, 100 successful enterprises started every year, and over 50 million people indirectly trained but directly touched, business life in Africa is guaranteed to be revitalized.

To ensure ongoing improvement, every eviction session shall be presided over by a selected successful and versatile business personality

in East Africa. Each week, a panel of young CEOs (Project CEOs headed by the CEO of Inspire Africa) will evaluate the candidates’ performances and nominate weak members to a probation roll. A reputable and successful CEO will be invited to preside over the eviction conference. Every fortnight, guest CEOs shall evict the weakest candidates upon the advice of the project CEOs. On a weekly basis, the Project Inspire Africa CEO and his team of strict assistants will demand for the very best out of each individual candidate. The worst performers will be steadily sieved out of the

Business life in Africa is guaranteed to be revitalized. best; and the best and last man standing will strike a mouth-watering jackpot of $50,000, as business startup capital.

The television game has been principally developed to rid the African nation of a high business mortality rate by recruiting, training, and mentoring young people in basic entrepreneurship skills; while affording the general populace a golden opportunity to attend entrepreneurship studies in the comfort of their house.

Team building.

Business procurement.

Marketing and advertising.

Corporate social responsibility.

Business feasibility study.

Networking.

Business accounting and book keeping.

Cash-flow management Customer care/ client relations.

Capital solicitation.

Analysis and risk management. www.facebook.com/InspireAfrica |15

Review

CONTESTANTS The Smartest Minds In Africa

In the quest for greatness, the judges traversed the beautiful cities of East Africa. From Rwanda to Kenya, Kenya to Tanzania and Tanzania to Uganda; everywhere, they were confronted by hundreds of overzealous young men and women sharing a similar desire of starting their own businesses and attaining financial freedom. But the tough panel of Inspire Africa judges could not take them all. They got the best six contenders from each nation and advised the rest to try their luck elsewhere.

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Review

Peter Kasiga

25Yrs

Entrepreneur

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eter, 25, is arguably one of Africa’s cream-de-la-creme. He is a brain to reckon with, he is an astute business man, and he is the epitome of human perfection. This Tanzanian youth is the founder and CEO of Ajira Page, an online platform where jobseekers will be able to view and search for jobs of their preference, and where employers will be able to recruit the most potentially viable candidates in the specified field in an interactive, personally oriented yet professional and effective way.

Iribagiza Clarisse

Software Developer

22Yrs

C

larisse is an exceptional young lady, she is intelligent, hardworking, focused and pretty,her impressionable outlook is a micro-cosmic projection of her intrinsic accomplishments. she is a determined woman who is hell-bent at changing Africa into the land of success and possibility. At just 22, and right out of her college lecture room, Clarisse founded HeHe limited, a mobile applications development company in Rwanda.

HeHe is now at the forefront of the technological revolution in the republic of Rwanda and has quickly become one of the region’s leading mobile applications development companies—providing powerful new ways for businesses to reach their customers fast, affordably and conveniently.

Esther Kunda

Student of Computer Engineering

AMONG

21Yrs

S

he is young, she is energetic, she is intelligent, and she is beautiful. The student of Computer Engineering at the famous Kigali Institute of Science and Technology, in the Republic of Rwanda, Esther is also gifted with enviable business acumen. Aged 21, the beautiful lady hopes to explore the world of business and make it to the summit of local entrepreneurship in the republic of Rwanda.

She is a former youth volunteer, and a tireless campaigner against HIV/AIDS among the youth.

Esther is an ardent researcher; and has conducted research on Rwanda’s business climate with the Private Sector Federation and OTF group. Her dream is to play a pivotal role in helping her country and EAC to achieve fast ICT transformation in the next decade. She believes that hi-tech solutions are necessary to human life and she has pledged her future to ensure that East African nations realize their ICT goals.

Elaisha O Patel

Entrepreneur

23Yrs

B

orn at the coast of Mombasa, Kenya, Elaisha is a very aggressive entrepreneur who knows what he wants. His dream is to start a 900,000 USD Executive Residential Complex for university and college students in the county of Homa Bay, Kenya. At 23 years old, he holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing from Strathmore University in Nairobi. Eliasha is the MD of Qwangu Online Ltd., which is at the forefront of establishment of technology for purposes of having smart communities in Africa www.facebook.com/InspireAfrica |17

Review

Davis Musinguzi

24Yrs

Medical Doctor

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avis – “The Doc,” is a 24 year old Medical Doctor with a great vision. He is the founder of Medical Concierge, which provides an on-call service of the best medical professionals that is accessible, affordable, and provides quality health care. He is also a consultant with the UNICEF Health Systems Division, working on digitizing Uganda’s Health Care System. An “entrepreneur by passion,” Davis is also the CEO of Speakers without Borders, a Public Speaking Company that runs the Annual Inter University Public Speaking Contest, and a recently launched Executive Public Speaking Course.

AMONG

Daphine Muwonge

Electrical Engineer

28Yrs

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f you thought engineers only knew mathematics; Daphne will be the shock of your life. She is an Electrical Engineer who at only 28 years of age, has already retired from formal employment. Daphine having worked for a leading telecommunications company, decided to quit her Job and start her own business. She is currently a Director of two successful secondary schools in the heart of Kampala City.

Daphne is a wonderful personality and professional whose zeal and passion for excellence is as inexplicable as it is unimaginable.

Samuel Piper Ocanndah

Student

23Yrs

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young Kenyan business man from Kisumu who believes in equality for all human beings. He is a student of Civil Engineering at the University of Nairobi. Samuel’s passion is to make the engineering profession a great business platform.

Raissa Muhaturukundo

B

Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering.

23Yrs

orn in 1988, Raissa is a graduate of the renown Kigali Institute of Science and Technology with a Bachelor’s Degree in Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering.

Raissa is a pioneer of an engineering consultancy firm, a group of 22 freshly graduated engineers in various fields who put themselves together to offer proper advice and technical know-how to enterprises and individuals seeking to implement new things, or improve the way they work.

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Review

Tom Rwahama

Student

21Yrs

T

om Rwahama is a Rwandan youth National. A high school graduate of one of the top highest ranking schools in Rwanda, “Lycee de Kigali,” Tom completed a Bachelor of Engineering from Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), the best University of Science and Technology in Rwanda. In May 2010, Tom as a third year student, supported by the school and his fellow students founded the Rwanda Sustainable Energy Initiative (RSEI), an initiative that helps in linking the gap between academic knowledge/technology and the comcom munity challenges in the sustainable energy sector through students’ own innovational projects. manu Tom Intends to start a Green Energy company that will manufacture and market locally manufactured biomass briquettes, made from agro-forestry wastes. The biomass briquettes will be an affordable alternative to the constantly increasing cost of the wood fuels while also addressing the environmental issues associated with the production and use of traditional charcoal.

Emmanuel Gonahasa

Social Worker

25Yrs

A

graduate of Social Works and Social Administration from Makerere University, Emmanuel is engaged in community development through marketoriented agricultural production. The 25-year-old has a desire to see rural households increase their household income and general improvement in wellbeing through their own efforts. His dream is to enhance agricultural produc-tion to become the leading determinant of success and stability in Africa. He also believes in focused and clean leadership at all levels. His ultimate mandate is to build a farmers network to increase market-oriented production of food in mother Africa.

Lucy Assimwe Rukundo

Banker

28Yrs

S

he is a young and dynamic entrepreneur, who is passionate about God. Lucy holds a Master’s Degree in International Relations and Diplomatic Studies, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Science and Economics from the prestigious Makerere University. At 31 years of age, she is already purposed to excel. Her vision is to create a state of the art industry that adds value to the native Irish potato. The Irish potato is to be mashed, processed and packed for both local and the international market.

Fadhili Mhagama

F

Model Designer

22Yrs

adhili holds a Bachelor degree of Education in Commerce, at University of Dar es Salaam. Fadhili has taken innovation to new heights with production of building models out of recycled materials. To him everything is possible.

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Review

Tadeo Nyarwaya

CEO TEAL Foods

23Yrs

A

t 23, he is the founder and CEO of TEAL Organic Foods. Tadeo is behind the SMART Home ProjectO, a low cost construction technique that has been acknowledged by US and Singapore construction engineers. Open-minded, hardworking and resilient, Tadeo is one of the smartest individuals in Africa.

Valerie Ngugi,

21Yrs

Student

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alarie is one character that words alone are insufficient to describe. She is versatile, energetic, active, strong-hearted, sweet and sociable. Valarie is a strong African woman, open minded, focused and non-compromising with her vision. Valarie is the true embodiment of Kenyan versatility. At 24, Valarie is an accomplished events and wedding planner; fortifying events planning with world class African artisanship. Currently, Valarie is a fast developing entrepreneur in the area of gifts-customization. She personalizes gifts to fit individual clients’ tastes and desires. Valarie is a strong believer in value addition and product differentiation. Her business practice revolves around redefining corporate branding and finding innovative solutions for branding in Africa.

Manuel Pacutho AMONG

Creative Coordinator

25Yrs

A

t 25 years, she has it all. She is beautiful and hardworking, with a sharp eye for opportunity. Manuela believes that equipping citizens with practical training skills has the key to unlocking Africa’s economic potential. She is currently the Creative Director of Watoto Child Care Ministries, and her goal is set up a fully-fledged experiential learning school that will equip children with practical and valuable education.

Gastone Rurangwa

Musician

G

23 Yrs

aston is a young, energetic, versatile Rwandese national, who is as passionate about entrepreneurship as he is about music. His diversity in music is amazing and mind-blowing; he is as good spinning the decks as he is behind the microphone and on stage. And it is this love for music that makes Gaston wish to run a talent show in Rwanda, where the country’s most artistically talented will showcase their skills and compete for the top prize.

Betty Wangeshi

Actress

25Yrs

The 25-year-old is a modestly successful Actress in Nairobi, Kenya.

Betty believes that expression is done best through art. Her vision is to build a successful and Drama school that will nurture talents of the young generation.

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Review

Alex N. Atwine

Enterprenuer

23Yrs

H

e is young, articulate and confident. He is Alex Atwine, and holds a Masters of Business Administration from the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota.

A former Guild President of Uganda Martyrs University in Uganda, and a professed businessman, Alex is a microcosmic projection of versatility. He is gentle, mature, and down to earth, focused, and determined. Above all, he knows what he wants in life. His passion is to move Uganda’s leisure and hospitality sector to unprecedented success and glamour. Currently, at 28, Alex runs a modestly successful restaurant in Uganda but hopes to achieve greater success in the near days to come.

Wekesa Zablon Wanyama

W

25Yrs

Artist

ekesa holds a Bachelor’s degree in Art and Design. At 25 years of age, Wekesa is destined for greatness. He is young, brilliant, and innovative.

Wekesa he believes that in each and every African, is a unique talent that is awaiting its discovery.

JANETH MOSHA

Construction

19 Yrs

A

t only 19 years, she is the youngest on the Team but probably the smartest of all. Janeth is a brilliant, overzealous, and hardworking African Woman. Her Passion to succeed is inherent, and she would do anything to get what she wants in Life. Her passion is to set up a Real Estate company that will set up magnificent Buildings and Apartments in the whole of Tanzania.

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Review

The Judges

They Identified the Most Brilliant Minds of Africa

ETHAN MUSOLINI

He is a young, energetic and versatile intellectual whose name has become a household item in east and central Africa. An astute entrepreneur, Ethan has single-handedly steered the birth and growth of a strong Human Capital Development company in East Africa.

He is currently the Founder and CEO of Success Africa, a consultancy firm whose principle goal is to drive success into each Ugandan family by inculcating in people certain selfhelp skills for personal and national development. Ethan is a friend of the youth and aspires to create a more useful young generation for Uganda and Africa at large.

BLESSING NSHAHO

He is the Chairman and CEO of Asset Business Solutions, a former Associate Director Ernest and Young, and an accomplished entrepreneurship educator and a great resource.

Blessing is an experienced consultant in Auditing, Business Transactions, Human Capital Development, and Technology Implementation.

YVES NKULIKIYE

T

he CEO wanted the best candidates from each East African nation. He was therefore meticulous as he chose the judges he felt would identify the creme de-la-creme of all applicants in the East Africa.

They Said it 22 | www.facebook.com/InspireAfrica

BEATRICE BISANGWA

A mother of six, and a senior citizen of the Republic of Uganda, Beat, as is fondly called, is a consultant in Human Capital Development specializing in soft skills development. She is also a Director at the Organization of African First Ladies (OAFLA-Uganda) and an accomplished entrepreneur running a successful milk processing business in the heart of Uganda.

“ It’s obvious you didn’t think through the Business Idea before you came here“ Beatrice

“If you don’t know the current exchange rate, you must be lost!” Blessing

He is an accomplished youthful entrepreneur from Kigali with several investments in Rwanda. His interest in hotels, real estate, retail and wholesale of fast moving consumer goods has equipped him with the unstoppable urge to excel. Yves holds a MSc. Finance from the great and famous University of Texas, in the United States of America. He is presently the Chief Finance Officer of Lemigo Hotel, one of the best hotels in the heart of Kigali, Rwanda.

“You don’t run business like a charity organizations, please come back next season when you are ready” - Ethan

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Review

What Did We Learn

From The Tasks

Chasing time and stiff competition in a series of tough tasks, the contestants had this much to learn

F

ruit selling: In this first task, the contestants had to buy fruits, make juice out of them and package for sale, all in a bid to add value and fetch higher profits. In a shrewd business move, the contestants packaged their juice in gold, silver and bronze categories – all of varied prices –to cater for the different financial stands of customers. The ingenuity of the contestants extended to observing hygiene, and presenting the products in a style that would induce the customer to buy.

So what’s there to learn from all this? Of course planning and execution comes to mind first, without which no one can package, sell, let alone make a profit. In selling, you’ll also realize the need for every business man to learn the art of negotiation if you are to sell at a good price and make profits.

In buying fruits and turning them into juice, and packaging for sell, the contestants and the viewers alike

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learned that you can start small and grow big through thinking big. But more importantly, they learned about the importance of market research which involves not knowing the best places to get quality raw materials at relatively cheaper price but you must also have target markets in which your product is guaranteed to move fast.

Mirindariffic promotion activation was the second task

and all it involved was activate mirindarific promotion through the existing distribution channels. The greatest lesson from all this is that an entrepreneur must be highly creative; comes up with plans that ensure the success of the project regardless of the circumstances that may occur. Patience and resilience are core virtues in this game, and faith. More importantly, a winning team must at all times share unity of purpose, dreams and courage in the face of adversity. Complaining of a situation only escalates an already sorry situation, be positive. Also

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Review

From the Contestants

understanding the market in which an entrepreneur is operating is essential as are personal skills and confidence in selling a product to achieve the set targets.

Nakumatt Stores Salespersons:

This task required contestants to register customers for smart card, and selling of various products. Just how do you approach a customer and convince him to embrace a new idea such as using a smart card. This is where the skill of treating the customer as kind must be learned and mastered.

Betty people learn the skills of business practice. With 2,000 candidates directly trained, 100 successful enterprises started

Clarisse

Daphine

Personnel motivation has to be maintained, and also training to refresh skills in handling clients is important.

For a fast moving goods enterprise, the contestants learned that there is need to have a database of stocks ordered

people learn the skills of business practice. With 2,000 candidates directly trained, 100 successful enterprises started

people learn the skills of business practice. With 2,000 candidates directly trained, 100 successful enterprises started people learn the skills of business practice. With 2,000 candidates directly trained, 100 successful enterprises started

Davis people learn the skills of business practice. With 2,000 candidates directly trained, 100 successful enterprises started

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they purchase, so offering warranty boosts confidence in your products.

The contestants also learned of the need to develop a personal relationship with your clients by sending them e-mails concerning any new developments/ products and sending seasons greetings on important dates like birthdays or national holidays.

Reilagh Investment Bank: This unique task about e-commerce was a little challenging to contestants especially in a country where e-commerce is not vibrant. The contestants learned that it requires research and training as well as abiding by the given country’s laws concerning e-commerce.

They learned that this business, though risky, offers opportunities for huge profits especially with innovative products that provide solutions to most clients in Africa where internet penetration in bound to increase.

KCB Bank: Here, the contestants had

to develop a bankable business plan.

With credit facilities available for use by businessmen, banks are interested in making profits hence want more success for the businesses they lend to. The contestants learned that the entrepreneur understand loan repayment modes and the changes that may arise due inflation.

by clients not normally stocked or otherwise. This helps to determine if there is need to start stocking the same or putting mechanism that allow for such products to be available on order, and put up effective feedback mechanisms to enable gathering of information from clients to help serve them better.

For customers of bulky products, offer after sales services such as helping lift the purchased goods to their vehicles. This gives customers confidence in the store, and definitely earns you more customers through referrals. Besides, customers want assurance on the quality of goods

Businesses that provide solutions to masses stand a better opportunity at financing. Put up proper business structure, corporate governance, to ensure longevity of business incase one is incapacitated. Have a clear succession plan for the business.

They also learnt that businesses need to develop a rapport with banks by regular banking to enhance credit worthy status.

Most importantly, the entrepreneur must understand the strengths and weaknesses of competitors to be able to compete favorably by developing creative models.

Develop a comprehensive business plan, distribution channels and marketing plan before applying for a credit facility.

Review Have more than one signatory for the account and ensure all cheque leaves are accounted for. Insure your business to build the confidence of your banker in your business. Adopt internet banking: it’s cheap, convenient and safe.

RWANDAIR

This task was exciting. It involved developing a new route and market entry strategies for the new Boeing 737-800 Next Generation Sky Interior Airplane. In a world that is becoming more digitalized, internet marketing has to be integrated in a marketing plan. Use of social media to advertise a product is cheaper and gives an opportunity for clients to provide feedback in real-time.

The contestants learned that customer massage practices are essential in ensuring retention of clients, as is understanding their different tastes and culture to determine pricing and marketing of products.

Developing a Commercial for JB Belmont Hotel: Advertising is

one way of engaging human intellect to make money from it. The lesson inhere is straight – you have to be at the top of your creative game always. It goes with being unique too, if you are going to create something that will capture and enthrall customers.

Cookout Competition at Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort:

It was a shocking surprise to the contestants to be asked to prepare a two coarse meal for an investor. This investor needed pleasing because he was about to invest $1billion in the country. The lesson is simple: be prepared always, for anything. And having multiple skills

including whipping up a quick meal can go a long way in clinching you a business deal.

Kigali-Kampala Road Trip: Having missed a flight, a team of three people were given $25 which was a quarter of the fare to meet an investor in Uganda’s capital, Kampala, in less than 10 hours.

The teams were supposed to raise three quarters of the fare in a small town called Mbarara where they were instructed to sell fresh beans and tomatoes at 6pm. But imagine selling tomatoes in a place where they are plenty and where no one wants to look at them?

The contestants learned the lesson the hard way – that you must develop a thick skin to be able to take on any task.

And important you must be a confident negotiator that will charm a potential customer into buying goods they might not even be in need of! Also, as the saying goes, “Stormy seas make skillful sailors”.

So always have a contingency plan, always!

Nation Media Group:

The task was about developing a fiveyear strategic plan for a regional media company with interest in print and radio. Here, you have to understand the areas to be covered, and the materials needed to execute the same. Time is the most precious commodity since the press works on tight deadlines.

So here the involved have to excel at time management or they will have no business going for them.

But importantly, one must have the ability to match market segments with the right products, and put in place mechanisms that mitigate spiraling of cost of production. Also retrain staff to improve skills and boost morale.

From the Contestants Alex people learn the skills of business practice. With 2,000 candidates directly trained, 100 successful enterprises started

Lucy people learn the skills of business practice. With 2,000 candidates directly trained, 100 successful enterprises started people learn the skills of business practice. With 2,000 candidates directly trained, 100 successful enterprises started

Valerie people learn the skills of business practice. With 2,000 candidates directly trained, 100 successful enterprises started

Firsts Most Challenging

Judges’s Best

Audience’s Best

Teams having to travel from kigali, Rwanda with just a Quarter of the fare. Teams had to sell fresh beans and Tomatoes at 6pm, to raise the balance.

Team Ka-ching, which had 343% profit margin, after selling fruits worth 100,000 for 345,000/- in less than 4 hours.

One of the Teams developed a New destination route for Rwandair, From kigali, Rwanda to Lagos, Nigeria. Currently Rwandair flies to Lagos as a result of this brilliant Idea from the Team www.facebook.com/InspireAfrica |27

KCBÊBANKÊUGANDAÊISÊPROUDÊTOÊBEÊPARTÊOF THEÊBANKINGÊEVOLUTIONÊINÊUGANDA. FROMÊBARTERÊTRADEÊTOÊSMEÊBANKING. ÊFROMÊCOWRIEÊSHELLSÊTOÊONLINEÊBANKING.

Competetive Forex and money market rates plus Fixed deposits

ValueÊAdded Services URA E-Tax, E-Water, Western Union money transfer

info@kcb.co.ug

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Review

InspireAfrica

Academy The Training ground for the future Leaders of Africa.

What is Inspire Africa Academy?

I

nspire Africa Academy is a training facility that aims at transforming lives of young, brilliant Africans by equipping each and every member of the academy with life skills, core principles and values that have for long been forgotten in the formal education.

Can this be the Key to Breaking Africa’s chains of Poverty

Inspire Africa Academy focuses on providing education through four major categories: Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Management and Wealth Creation. The Inspire Africa Academy helps develop successful entrepreneurs by providing real world mentoring, training and a network of support from local business leaders.

How will the Academy achieve this?

Our methodology is to form a broad based alliance of local, national and International companies, organizations and associations in both the public and private sector that will partner with us to provide the trainings, products and services that we shall offer.

We shall work with national and local governments to help codify, clarify, and articulate the specific problems, issues and concerns in their localities to determine training goals and objectives for the clients they send to our Academy. Each client shall receive one on one guidance/mentoring to structure and implement a strategic plan to offer them the best training in the most cost and time effective manner. We are flexible, willing to design specific curriculum for those with “special needs”

We shall offer highly specialized and focused curriculum to support local and national governments to build /strengthen infrastructure, build capacity, develop a strong sense of community mobilize, wisely allocate and manage resources.

We shall conduct research on the national and International level in all aspects of policy and governance to be able to offer guidance on best practices. We will organize high level think tanks, bringing together the brightest minds in economics,

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What does the academy intend to do?

Leadership Training (at all levels; local, national and international Management Training Training in enterprise creation, development and support Soft Skills and Life Skills training at all levels Curriculum Design and Development Specialized training in Reintegration of marginalized communities; Advocate for change on the International Level as it relates to policy, development and governance Training in research methods and best practices Training in capacity building for local and national governments, NGO’s, churches and small businesses Training in the design and development of social change processes Training in community building.

Building business networks for creation of more opportunities

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radio, theatrical productions, Inspire Africa Academy books, video games, magazines focuses on providing etc., Publish Academic Journals, education through Research Papers, We shall identify, documentaries, four major categories: recruit and train Magazines, high level visionary Leadership, Periodicals that leaders who in turn educate, train, Entrepreneurship, will become agents inform. Plan, of change in their Management and organize and own communities. facilitate events/ We shall engage Wealth Creation gatherings that community bring together leaders, business, high level visionary government and leaders from religious leaders Africa with their in dialogue for counter parts in the purpose of information sharing, the U.S. and Europe for the purpose of analysis of current and changing trends mutual teaching and learning.

Create and to establish and nurture a sense of Opportunities for Volunteers to come to community.

Africa from the West and for Africans to Develop programming and products that study abroad. entertain and inform; film, television, philosophy, governance, health and nutrition; including mental health.

Buy one DVD, Change a life.

all Proceeds go to Inspire Africa Academy support

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Review

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Review

BUILDING A BUSINESS TO LAST The First Steps

Article by Ndyaguma Briam

Inspire Africa is a Human Capital Development organization with the sole goal of engineering successful entrepreneurship in Africa through identifying the best business minds in Africa and guiding them through their entrepreneurial cause by providing them with logistical assistance, knowledge and other requisite services to propel them into successful business personalities.

A

ll around the world, people who want to take full control of their lives are starting businesses, be it small, medium or big. We are going to pass through the 10 steps that you must take when starting a business, which if followed carefully, could help your business last a life time.

Step 1. Decide what you are going to sell, manufacture, or distribute.

This is the first key step in starting a business. Usually people always have many thoughts and ideas but have not decided on what they should venture into.

Make sure you do enough research and ground work before making that decision.

Following your passion when deciding what to sell is one of the greatest strengths you can add to your business, because you will do all the activities with enthusiasm.

If you have business partners, then you have to make sure that you all agree on a specific product in which all your interests are relatively similar.

Step 2. Select a business ownership

type.

There are three major ownership types.

Sole proprietorship is the most popular type of ownership because it’s easy to set up and doesn’t need many legal formalities of registration. However, sole proprietorship has unlimited liability, meaning that creditors can take your personal assets in case of a bad debt. Partnerships; these are similar to sole proprietorship in that they have unlimited liability, however, they have a maximum of 20 members. Limited liability company; this is the most secure and professional today. With a limited liability company, your personal assets are not at stake.

Step 3. Create a business plan.

A business plan is a document which precisely describes what you are going to sell, to whom, and how you are going to market it. This business plan should be as simple as possible and strictly realistic.

You must make sure that your business plan contains the market analysis, potential competitors, the personnel with their specific responsibilities, financial strategy showing where the money is coming from and how it’s going to be used, the values and mission of the business, and lastly the time frame for completing each objectives.

Step 4. Find the funding for your

business.

This step is one of the most important and mandatory steps to starting a business.

There is no business which has no startup costs. There are many ways you can fund your business. You can use your personal savings, initial revenues, you can get a loan if you already have fixed assets, you could also get a grant which would substantially boost your business. Finally, you can also call in investors to inject money in your business in exchange for shares in your company. www.facebook.com/InspireAfrica |33

Step 5. Find a great team to work

with.

All the 10 steps should be given taken seriously because each of them is equally important and interdependent.

In case any step is challenging for you, you can consider out sourcing it so that another firm can do it for you at a fee.

Starting a business is not an easy process but if you have a positive attitude and you follow these steps, then there is no reason why you shouldn’t own a business.

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The people that are on your team greatly determine the success of the business.

Choosing a team player needs you to study an individual critically, you should consider finding out how that individual responds to tough times. If he is the type who will just quit when the going gets tough, then you may have to reconsider your decision. Your team players should be time-tested. You should also be in position to know their individual strengths and weaknesses. Remember that tough times never last but tough people do.

Step 6. Do research.

Doing research prior to the startup is very key and should never be taken for granted. Your Research should make sure it covers the status of the market, the total cost of doing business, what is required to do business, the taxes involved, and all the simple dynamics of the business.

One of the cheap ways of doing research is approaching the entrepreneurs who have already done what you are intending to do. Ask them how they started, the challenges being faced, and how you can improve your business.

Step 7. Establish a brand name.

A brand name is what speaks for a business at first gaze. It should not just be an ambiguous combination of letters but a meaningful combination of words. A good brand name should speak for the business before the client asks what the business is about. You should make sure you get a brand name which doesn’t discriminate sex, religion, culture or tribe. Ensure that your market share is not divided by such issues. You should never have a brand name that is hard to spell or pronounce and Don’t forget to supplement the brand name with a logo and a slogan which will differentiate you from your competitors.

Step 8. Establish a good location.

We have to agree that location of the business greatly determines the success of the business. The location of the business should therefore be accurately determined.

This is usually a hard task because the prime locations seem to be taken up or very expensive. A lot of ground work and patience is needed to get a good location.

Care should be taken, so that you don’t put your business miles away from your target market.

Step 9. Set up a record keeping

system.

Records in any business are as important as the finance itself. Big companies invest millions and millions of dollars to ensure that the business records are secure.

This shows the extent to which essential business records are. You may opt for a records management system which may be purchased from IT firms, or you may just set up a simple records book where sales, cash inflows, expenses, taxes, stock, debtors, creditors and any other transaction must be recorded.

Step 10. Market and sell your product or service.

You are not in business not until you really sell something. If you don’t market and sell your product or service, then you can never claim that you are doing business.

You clearly and toughly need to study the target market and develop a marketing strategy which will pull them to your business. You also need to ask yourself these questions. Who is your potential buyer, how much is he willing to buy your product? What fraction of the market share are you going after? Why would a potential customer buy from you instead of your competitor? What reason does your customer have to refer your business to someone else? If you can find the correct answers to these questions then you are in business.

O

ff-farm employment in Rwanda has more than trebled over the last decade, reaching 1.4 million in 2011.

This is according to the latest household survey conducted by the National Institute of Statistics, which shows that 28% of all jobs in the country are now outside of agriculture.

Now the Government of Rwanda, following the annual Leadership Retreat held in early March, wants to see this figure rise to 50% of all jobs by 2020, equivalent to 1.8 million new jobs.

The significant drop in the national poverty rate - 12 percentage points since 2005 – has been linked to Rwandese moving into more skilled, higher value added sectors of employment, in turn the key drivers of recent economic growth.

Rwanda’s industrial and service sectors are currently flourishing, having averaged annual growth of 9% and 11% respectively over the last five years.

Industrial growth has been spearheaded by construction and manufacturing, both labour intensive industries, and are projected to lead job creation over the next decade.

In the service sector, the expansion of finance and insurance services across the country as well as growth in the tourism and ICT sectors are playing a key role in employment outside of agriculture.

Meeting the ambitious new Vision 2020 targets for job creation, will require continued investment in the skills demanded by emerging sectors.

Higher Education as well as Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) will be vital in this regard.

Enrolment rates for TVET in secondary schools reached almost 30,000 in 2010, and more than 73,000 students were enrolled in tertiary education for 2011.

Nonetheless, these figures need to rise further, especially in courses with a strong link to the job market.

MINICOM 3.2 million off-farm

jobs targeted by 2020 The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MINICOM) has fostered the link between skills development and job demand through the Rural Apprenticeship Training Programme, a key service of the Rural and Micro Enterprise Promotion Project (PPPMER). This responds to the huge demand of many young women and men for professional skills development in Rwanda, and has trained over 10,000 individuals since 2004. It has enabled the start-up of 2,347 enterprises and created 5,281 jobs Another key initiative being pioneered by MINICOM and Rwanda Development Board (RDB) is fostering an entrepreneurial mind-set amongst the population.

This is being championed through initiatives such as the new Hanga Umurimo program, which focuses on sensitisation for mind-set change but also encourages prospective entrepreneurs to submit business plans for their ideas in the nationwide Hanga Umurimo business competition. Assistance is at hand from the district-level Business Development Centres, and the best ideas are selected for financing by banks and other financial institutions.

Over 16,000 applications were received

during the first rollout of the scheme from all parts of the country, and now financing will be extended to 600 firms in the first phase following significant interest from the financial sector. Key partners include the International Finance Corporation (IFC), BRD’s Business Development Fund (BDF) and districts through the Access to Finance Forum (AFF).

This decentralisation to the district level is key to the success of the program, helping to mobilise stakeholders and inspire communities alike. This concept forms the basis of the Small & Medium Enterprise (SME) clustering programme designed by MINICOM, which identifies the most competitive SME sectors per district across the country for targeted support.

22 unique SME product clusters emerged countrywide across all the 30 districts, including areas such as ICT, essential oil, diary, furniture, wine, meat, pineapple and fishing. Strategic interventions are then designed in areas such as cluster organization, access to finance, market information, skills development and production technologies.

A strong entrepreneurial class of Rwandese can lead the way in off-farm employment and economic growth, and in the process help to shift from the mind-set of ‘job-seeking’ to ‘job-creating’. www.facebook.com/InspireAfrica |35

The Foundation runs The Mandela Rhodes Scholarship scheme that aims to help in building leadership excellence in Africa. The Scholarship is open to individuals across the continent with a recognised first degree, and who would be under the age of 30 at the time of taking up the Scholarship.

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NELSON

Review

MANDELA

NEVER CEASES TO INSPIRE Article by Dennis D. Muhumuza

I

n the movie, The Great Debaters, James Farmer Sr. (Forest Whitaker) says the education of the child is the most important job. The political doyen, Nelson Mandela, agrees. Having inspired indigenous South Africans to bury the bitterness of long suffering emanating from the apartheid regime, and live at peace and in harmony with their white counterparts, the former South African president is also academically inspiring and empowering young graduates around the continent through the Mandela Rhodes Foundation.

and it is because of her academic prowess and gift of leadership that she was appointed the PRO of CMRS. The CMRS which comprises current and past recipients of the Mandela Rhodes Scholarship, has existed since the first batch was selected in 2005, and now it’s the platform upon which the diverse, super talented, inspiring and committed young African intellectuals engage each other in hot debates and conversations about the issues affecting the continent.

In addition to the opportunity to interact with a diverse group The Foundation runs The Mandela of fellow-Scholars that spans Recognise that Rhodes Scholarship scheme that aims to the continent and academic help in building leadership excellence the world is hungry disciplines, they become part of a in Africa. The Scholarship is open for action, not words. wide-ranging network of young to individuals across the continent Act with courage and Africans of excellence who are with a recognised first degree, vision. Sometimes it falls on expected to play exceptional and who would be under the age a generation to be great. leadership roles in their fields of 30 at the time of taking up the and help transform societies in You can be that great Scholarship. Indeed, the Scholarship the years following their time ‘in targets individuals that reflect in generation. Let your residence’. their character a commitment to the greatness blossom principles of education, reconciliation, Mr. Mandela once challenged world leadership and entrepreneurship. While leaders to deal with the ever-increasing pursuing their chosen post-graduate degree poverty and inequality through action when at a recognised South African university or tertiary he said, wWell, he has never been one to just speak. institution, each Scholar benefits from access to From his sacrifice and indefatigable fight that ended leadership development programmes, rooted in the apartheid, and now all the action that is happening aforementioned principles. at Mandela Rhodes Foundation, the icon has never “After, they take back what they have learned to their ceased to inspire. As he once said during his address home countries and be the exceptional leader that at t Westminster Hall, London, on July 2 2003: “We the Scholarship identified in them,” says Cynthia know with confidence that the work of The Mandela Ayeza Mutabaazi, the Public Relations Officer of the Rhodes Foundation will substantively contribute to Community of Mandela Rhodes Scholars (CMRS). a better life for the people of South Africa and further Ms. Ayeza, a Ugandan, benefited from the Scholarship abroad on the African continent.” www.facebook.com/InspireAfrica |37

Review

KIIRA EV Is Makerere University Pushing Innovation to Greater Heights In Africa 1

2-Seater Electric Car

Kiira-EV Design

Specifications

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3

3000mm long, wheel base 2175mm, 1600mm wide and 1500mm high Target Speed 60 km/hr and Range 50 Km

2

and Cargo weight is 4 Curb 500kgs and 200kgs respectively 5 Aluminium-alloy chassis 6 Front wheel Drive

Review

I

t was Tuesday November 1, 2011, and as the gorgeous 2-Seater Electric Vehicle cruised gently around Makerere University on its first test run, a sense of unspeakable pride rippled through the heart and soul of every Ugandan that had come to gaze at the great invention.

Designed and built by Ugandans at the Technology Department, Makerere University, the lime green Kiira EV was instantly praised as what will revolutionize Uganda’s transport sector.

Not only is it environmentally friendly (it’s powered by batteries) – making it cost-effective, it is also built with a solid exterior to persevere through the renowned African terrain. In an age where technological innovations that correspond with the lifestyle of a people will determine which nation will continue to lag or advance, the Kiira EV certainly comes to save the day not only for the people of Uganda but for all Africans as well.

The original idea to make the car was conceived at the Makerere University Centre for Research in Transportation Technologies (CRTT) established in 2009 to champion Research and Development of Eco-friendly Transportation Solutions for Africa. At

CRTT, the Vehicle Design Project (VDP) was initiated out of the experiences gained from Makerere University’s participation in the collaborative framework of 31 premier engineering universities of the world that designed and produced Vision 200, a 5-passenger plug in hybrid electric vehicle that was exhibited in Torino, Italy, in 2008.

The CRTT aims at undertaking Research and Development of green transport solutions to address needs in Public Transport (Electric Buses), Agricultural Mechanization (e.g. tractors and trucks) and Private transport (Sport Utility Vehicles, sedans, etc.), as well as Special Purpose Vehicles for the Military, Aviation and Space Exploration, and Marine Transport. And the Kiira EV is the testimony of the determination to walk the talk, something that no doubt should allay the fears of all innovators whose ideas stay in the mind and never see the light of day.

You should have been there to see the broad smile of President Yoweri Museveni as he launched the fascinating car on November 24, 2011. It’s said that nothing can stop an idea whose time has come. Yes, the Kiira EV was just the beginning of greater more innovations.

Already, the same team that assembled it is also working on a Plug-in Solar Electric Bus, the Kayoola, a 28-Seater commuter vehicle, targeting public transport in urban centers.

President Museveni whose faith in modern science and technology is unshakable quickly availed the Faculty of Technology to the tune of 25 billion Ugandan shillings from the 2010-2014 through the Presidential Support for Science and Innovations without which the Kiira EV would not possibly have been made. It’s proof that His Excellency would as well willingly support other initiatives that have the potential of impacting our society fundamentally.

Clearly, the Kiira EV is one of those inspirational stories that remind us of the sheer greatness of what we can achieve when we think outside the box and get pragmatic. Prof. Tickodri Togboa, the Principle Investigator of the Vehicle Design Project (VDP) captured it better when he said, “We believe we have demonstratively provided the kind of framework necessary to harness the inherent passion in the top cream of the youth from the secondary education system by enabling them to participate in the challenge to seek solutions to our contemporary development issues.”

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THE BUSINESS IMPLICATIONS of Regional Integration on East Africans

Mr. Rajesh Aggarwal, opened his speech by letting all delegates know the inception of workshop: when he met Ms. Agatha Nderitu at another workshop. He went ahead to point out that East African Regional Integration is the best compared to other regions, as far as the ITC has observed.

K

The meeting was attended by delegates in the Private sector, Public sector, International Trade Centre (ITC), East African Business Council (EABC) and East African Community (EAC) Secretariat from Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and Switzerland.

In his opening remarks, the Deputy Secretary General of the EAC Secretariat, Mr. Jean Claude Nsengeyumva, welcomed the delegates to the meeting and thanked the Republic of Rwanda for having accepted to host the workshop, for the affectionate welcome accorded to all the delegates, and for the outstanding services put in place to make the meeting a success. Turning to the objective of the meeting, Mr. Jean Claude Nsengeyumva pointed out that the goals of the East African Community Secretariat and a few facts that discussed the progress of the East African Community so far.

The workshop was officially opened by: Deputy Secretary General, East African Community (EAC) Secretariat—Mr. Jean Claude Nsengeyumva; Executive Director, East African Business Council (EABC)—Ms. Agatha Nderitu; and Chief of Business and Trade Policy, International Trade Center (ITC)—Mr. Rajesh Aggarwal

The Chief of Business and Trade Policy from the ITC, Mr. Rajesh Aggarwal, opened his speech by letting all delegates know the inception of workshop: when he met Ms. Agatha Nderitu at another workshop. He went ahead to point out that East African Regional Integration is the best compared to other regions, as far as the ITC has observed.

igali, Rwanda—A two-day workshop on the business implications of Regional Integration on East Africans was held at Umubano Hotel, in Kigali, Rwanda, recently.

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Turning to the objective of the meeting, presentations and discussions of the two-day workshop kicked off in high gear. These discussions and presentations were mainly focused on: exploring the challenges stemming from the East African Integration process, prioritizing these challenges and then implementing an action plan towards alleviating these challenges. On conclusion of the workshop, the delegates and participants were thanked for participating with enthusiasm, and the workshop was closed with all present trusting that the challenges addressed in this meeting would be forwarded to the EAC Secretariat who would then consider solutions for them.

Adapted from [http://www. chamberuganda.com/node/135]

Regional integration gets $7million boost The East African Community (EAC) Partnership Fund Steering Committee has approved $7,315,000 to support four key priority areas in the EAC integration agenda this financial year.

The Partnership Fund is a basket fund with contributions from development partners to support activities in the EAC. The areas to be boosted are the implementation of Common Market Protocol, finalization and execution of the Monetary Union Protocol, promoting citizen involvement in regional integration and the strengthening of EAC institutions.

Jean Claude Nsengiyumva, the EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Productive and Social Sectors, said the fund has now been fully integrated in the main planning and budgeting cycle of the bloc.

“The fund had become a very important budgetary support to the main EAC budget and that it had enabled the EAC to implement several activities in the integration process,” he noted.

The meeting to approve the fund was held in Arusha, Tanzania and attended by the development partners’ representatives from Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, DFID-UK, European Union, World Bank, Norway among others.

Nsengiyumva further said that convening of the extraordinary forum was meant to ensure the partners were involved in the planning process before the budget is finalised.

The EAC budget for 2012/2013 is set to be completed by the end of April.

“The fund has played a key role in enabling the community to speed up the implementation of several activities in the partner countries,” she added.

The EAC Secretariat prepares the EAC budget in consultations with the bloc’s organs and institutions, then the Council of Ministers approves the budget before being tabled in the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) for debate and final approval.

Gisela Habel, the Chair of the Partnership Fund Steering Committee, observed that there was a general positive reception for the progress being made in the integration agenda and the continued efforts to focus on the result-based outputs.

By Frank Kanyesigye, The New Times in Rwanda.

Speaking to The New Times yesterday, Monique Mukaluriza, the Minister of EAC Affairs, said the development fund was of great importance towards fast-tracking regional integration programmes. www.facebook.com/InspireAfrica |41

Review

The Power Behind

GRAHAM

POWER

The 57-year-old is also currently the Chairman of Transformation Africa and Global Day of Prayer, the largest prayer movement in all recorded history with partners in nearly every country with a mandate to pray for the needs of the world.

Striving to make society Better

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Review

T

ime itself does not change things; It is God working through people who change things – over time. This is the creed that informs the purpose of South African entrepreneur, Graham Power’s life. A journey characterized by challenges, self-discovery and an encounter with God. He grew up as one of the five children in a working class home. His father was a motor mechanic and his mother pedalled her bicycle to work in a local store everyday.

When his father passed away, Graham had finished school, so he went straight to work, for a local and Construction Company, as a trainee Surveyor.

Driven by a hunger for success and financial independence, Graham went the extra mile; working harder, smarter and longer than most of his colleagues and peers. He quickly rose through the ranks, becoming the youngest Contracts Manager.

In 1983, Graham ventured out to become his own boss. With one employee and a small truck, he began by doing small paving jobs and soon registered numerous companies. Money started flowing in, and he continued expanding what we know today as the Power Group of Companies, for which he is Found and Board Chairman. The Group’s core purpose is “to improve the quality of life in Africa through infrastructure development.”

Interestingly, even after becoming one of Southern Africa’s top leaders in the fields of civil engineering, development and construction, and after attaining all the riches and financial independence he had long longed for, Graham remained restless. There was some emptiness in his life he could not understand; a void that could not be filled by another business deal, an article in the newspaper, another award or even new property.

In February 1999, after doing a lot of reading and soul searching, Graham came to realise that he was created for a much more significant purpose. He clearly understood that God had called him to serve, with all of the talents and abilities he was endowed with. And so, he gave his life, family and business to Christ.

This decision has had some significant and far-reaching consequences for his personal and business life; giving him a perspective on life that removed his ego from the centre of his actions and decisions. His reason for doing business was no longer motivated by a drive for personal success and recognition but to achieve a much more important objective; true transformation and a positive renewal of society. That’s why Graham is very much involved in the community.

His overwhelming desire to see society changed through ethics and values, spurred him to initiate the Unashamedly Ethical campaign that challenges people to fight against systemic corruption in order to eradicate systemic poverty.

The 57-year-old is also currently the Chairman of Transformation Africa and Global Day of Prayer, the largest prayer movement in all recorded history with partners in nearly every country with a mandate to pray for the needs of the world. So much does Graham believe in the power of prayer to transform lives that in 2001 he led a gathering of 45,000 people that filled Newlands Stadium in Capetown, South Africa, to pray for the needs of the nation.

The author of Not By Might Nor By Power and Transform Your Work Life, Graham is a strong believer in people and what they are capable of. He believes if all of your life is given over to Christ Jesus then there is no need to balance God and business. God is a part of every aspect of your life. As such one’s faith changes how one does business, who one does business with and what one gains from business dealings to share with others.

Graham also believes in the old adage that all work without play makes Jack a dull boy. So he tries to find time for rugby, which he loves so much. Out of his very busy schedule, he also finds time to cycle his bike as a way of relaxing.

A native of Cape Town, South Africa, Graham believes that our courage, our thoughts and our initiatives spur actions that trigger events that shape the future for ourselves and those whose lives we touch.

Guided and braced by the h our purpose as a G simple and enormou

To improve the quality of lif

Judges’s Best people learn the skills of business practice. With 2,000 candidates directly trained, 100 successful enterprises started

Judges’s Best people learn the skills of business practice. With 2,000 candidates directly trained, 100 successful enterprises started

Judges’s Best people learn the skills of business practice. With 2,000 candidates directly trained, 100 successful enterprises started

www.facebook.com/InspireAfrica |43

Review

TRAILBLAZER

Vérone

Mankou

Invents Africa’s First Tablet Computer Inspiring young Africans to dream

“digitally” big.

I

f you are one of those people who still think Africa is “technologically challenged” or lagging behind where other continents are coming up with the latest innovations in ICT, you’re in for a rude awakening.

Just a couple of months after Makerere University students invented their own car, the now famously known Kiira EV, a Congolese national has as well created Africa’s first handheld tablet computer that experts say is sure to rival Apple’s iPad and related western inventions.

The new tablet called “Way-C,” which means “the light of the stars” in Congolese, was invented by 26-year-old Vérone Mankou, under his company – VMK – which specializes in website design, application development and consulting.

Mankou’s creation will with no doubt spur Africa’s young men and women in all sectors to stretch their creativity and develop stuff that will change the face of this world.

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Moreover in a continent weighed down by low internet usage because of the high cost of computers, slow internet speed and poor network when it comes to making phone calls, the low cost tablet computer is the seen as the antidote that will revolutionize the way internet and mobile phones are used in Africa.

Mankou’s tablet is described in one online article as “a 7-inch model, like BlackBerry’s Playbook or Samsung’s smaller Galaxy Tab, and features a 1,2GHz processor, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of internal memory and Wi-Fi support.” It is also said to “run version 2.3.3 of Google’s Android operating system and support a user interface called ‘Kongo’”.

The entire project that birthed the tablet was launched in 2006 and cost VMK over 80 million CFA francs. The finished product was first presented to the public in September 2011 but went on the market early this year, distributed by Airtel Congo, a private mobile telephone company which is a subsidiary of the Indian group Bharti. It’s available in Congo, Cameroon, Benin,

Ivory Coast, Togo, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Niger, Mali, Ghana, Mauritania and Senegal, and is already being promoted in Belgium, France and India.

Assembled in China because of lack of requisite factories in Congo, the Way-C will cost you 150,000 CFA francs ($299), which by all accounts is a fair price considering the technology used and the costs that went into its making.

Considering the high costs incurred

by African business men during the importation of phones and computers, the Way-C should be welcomed as redeemer that will save African businessmen from high taxes at crossborder trade.

Even more, the time is ripe for funding organizations and governments to support innovations like Mankou’s Way-C if this continent is to make such more strides in science and technology.

But who is this new whiz kid, Mankou? Well, the young entrepreneur is the son of an engineer and teacher, and has always been fascinated by technology. When he founded VMK as an IT services and company, it was because he always wanted to infiltrate the hardware market with new innovations.

He started seeking funding to turn his ideas into reality and that’s how the Way-C project, what he calls “the project of his life” was realized.

well.

On top of being the Managing Director of VMK, Vérone Mankou is also the Advisor to the New Communication Technologies at the Ministry of Post, Telecommunication and New Technologies in his country. Now touted as the “Steve Jobs of Africa” only the sky is the limit for the dark-skinned young man with a smile ladies would kill for!

Digitalizing the continent, he believes, is the way to go if Africa is to catch up and even leapfrog the developed world in new technological advancements.

He’s confident that with innovations like the Way-C, he will, “little by little touch the greatest number”

2

3000mm long, wheel base 2175mm, 1600mm wide and 1500mm high

The Way-C is designed for “emerging markets” to help Africans with a gadget that comes with applications that correspond with the needs of African in terms of userfriendliness, and local content.

However, Mankou also has an insatiable desire to penetrate the global market as www.facebook.com/InspireAfrica |45

Review

Designing Your Way to Success Article by: Ethan Musolini is the CEO of Success Africa,

A motivational speaker, author and HR consultant. info@ethanmusolini.com.

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F

or every great building you’ve ever seen, it never happened by accident. There is a dream first. An architect is found.

A plan is drawn – what’s in someone’s mind is captured on paper. Materials necessary to build are listed and a budget is drawn. Financial resources are put together. A team is put together – from a structural engineer to a porter. A schedule is drawn. Then the work begins.

Most importantly, the bigger and higher the structure is, the deeper the foundation. Oh, and of course the materials used have to be very strong.

Ever heard of ‘never build your house on a shaky foundation’? Then, there is constant monitoring to make sure you are on track – on time, on budget and following the original plan. When the structure is finished, we all marvel and say – what a gentleman/woman! Why? Because we know there is a lot behind the scenes that we never saw. Toil, tears, planning, sacrifice and a big dream.

Life is like that too. There has to be a design and the processes are related.

So how come when someone succeeds or is a major success, a good number of people just mention plainly “that one is very lucky”? May be it’s because some of us have never thought about life that way. But designing and building a house is more less like designing and building a great life. Here are the steps to think about as you design your dream life.

What do you want?

State what you want and make it as specific as possible. The concept of making generalized statements like “I want more money” doesn’t work. This is what I mean. Recently I was running a workshop and I asked the audience.

“How many of us want more money?”

Almost everyone put up their hands.

One lady came in front and I handed her a note of one thousand Uganda Shillings (1,000 UGX). I asked her, “That’s more money, isn’t it?” she said “yes”. I asked again…”Are you now satisfied and very happy?” Her answer was an affirmative “No”. She later mentioned how she would be happier with 50,000 UGX or more. Now, that’s being specific.

you design your life to success, remember to be clear, have balance, plan, assemble a dream team, manage your mind and emotions effectively. Most importantly, stay focused until you realize your dream.

Remember balance When a house is being built, it’s not just the foundation but…pillars, ring beam, floor, walls, windows and the like. That’s what makes a complete house or else it might crumble or it won’t be comfortable to live in.

Same with life. As you think about what you want, plan for all areas of your life like health, spirituality, finances, career, love and contribution to society. And make sure you work on all those areas. Otherwise, it doesn’t make sense to earn all the money and loose your spouse because you spend all the time at work. Or spend all day in the gym to look healthy but you forget your career and financial life. You need your life to look like a ‘complete house’.

Plan Now that it’s clear as to what you want and the balance needed, it’s time to plan. What will you need to get there?

Remember the building materials for the house which have to be budgeted for?

Same with building your life. Do you have to go for further education, a new job, start dating, buy an exercise machine, and register for swimming lessons? Think and write it down.

Dream team A house is never built alone. There is always a team like we noted earlier. So, who is needed on your team to get there? If you don’t have a mentor, get one as soon as possible. A mentor is someone you admire.

Someone who has lived a kind of life you hold in high regard and yet at the same time is willing to share his/her wisdom and guidance with you. This makes the process of living your desired life shorter since you will avoid the mistakes your mentor made and take the shortest routes possible.

Enroll your spouse in your dream if you have one. Most importantly get people who can cheer you on but challenge you when you go wrong. You don’t want bootlickers who can’t warn you of impending dangers.

At the same time, stay away from very negative people who don’t believe in you.

It should be be people who believe in you and yet at the same time ready to correct you when you go wrong.

Manage your mind Those who have built houses will tell you, it takes a lot of self belief and dogged determination and persistence. A great mindset. With life, you need the same thing. Plan to feed your mind with positive literature. Self help books, motivational audios and videos. Keep feeding your mind with great nutrients and stay away from discouraging news and ideas.

Focus Lastly you have to be focused. Can you imagine if someone was building a mansion and then mid way through changes the focus, crushes it down and switches to smaller rentals? Then mid way through crushes it down and starts building a hotel? Would such a person ever finish?

May be they would but it would take a lot of time, money and energy. Unfortunately, that’s how some people live their lives.

They make two steps in one direction, then change their journey, then return, then stop to start a new destination.

That’s frustrating. Decide, plan and stick to the plan of your life until you get there.

It’s cheaper, quicker and more enjoyable.

So, as you design your life to success, remember to be clear, have balance, plan, assemble a dream team, manage your mind and emotions effectively. Most importantly, stay focused until you realize your dream.

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Review

0 3 20 rtunity o p p O

s n o k c e B

The PRIDE of Africa 48 | www.facebook.com/InspireAfrica

I

n a world where national economies are becoming too capricious even for tested economists to predict, only the country with a shrewd plan is bound to survive. Well, Kenya is one of those countries with foresight, and has formulated the Kenya Vision 2030, a new development blueprint expected to transform this East African nation into a newly industrialized “middle-income country providing a high quality life to all its citizens by the year 2030.”

The Vision is based on three “pillars”: the economic – to maintain a sustained economic growth of 10 percent per annum over the next 25 years; the social – a just and cohesive society enjoying equitable social development in a clean and secure environment, and the political, an issue-based, people-centered, resultoriented, and accountable democratic political.

Tourism, increasing value in Agriculture, a better and more inclusive wholesale and retail trade sector, manufacturing for the regional market, Business Process Offshoring (BPO) and Financial Services are the sectors expected to act as key growth drivers in the journey to 2030.

Already, foundations are being laid actively by the government to achieve an environment that promotes peak performance in the aforementioned sectors. The Kenyan government already recognizes that the journey towards prosperity involves the building of a just and cohesive society that enjoys equitable social development in a clean and secure environment.

The empowerment of the Kenyans is expected to make the dream come true too. This empowerment is being done through education to have more trained personnel able to deal with the challenges brought about by the Vision.

There has been tremendous success in achieving this through private schools and universities.

In the sectors of Health; Water and Sanitation; the Environment; Housing and Urbanization; the target is to increase the number of housing units –

the rate of construction from the current 50,000 units to 200,000 units per year.

And Kenya being the home of long and middle distance runners, the sectors of Gender, Youth and Culture are getting the requisite support through corporate and Government sponsorship, so that the country will become the ultimate host destination of this genre of sports. This will not only attract the global players and win the country fame, poverty reduction will as well be achieved as the sportsmen and women will earn from their talents and improve their welfare.

By making special provisions for Kenyans with various disabilities and previously marginalized communities, the Vision also seeks to make everybody take up an active role in realization of the same. These policies will be equally anchored on an all-round adoption of science, technology and innovation (STI) as an implementation tool. To this end, an I-Hub has been established where young innovators develop mobile applications and other software to help build solutions for socio-economic problems of modern day Africa.

The political pillar envisions a country with a democratic system reflecting the aspirations and expectations of its people. A state in which equality is entrenched, irrespective of one’s race, ethnicity, religion, gender or socioeconomic status; a nation that not only respects but also harnesses the diversity of its peoples’ values, traditions and aspirations for the benefit of all. The political pillar vision for 2030 is: “a

democratic political system that is issuesbased, people-centered, result-oriented and accountable to the public”. Through a 2010 referendum, Kenya adopted the most progressive constitution in the world whose implementation is on schedule to institutionalize reform and devolution.

As it is, the economic, social and political pillars of Kenya Vision 2030 are anchored on macroeconomic stability; continuity in governance reforms; enhanced equity and wealth creation opportunities for the poor; infrastructure; energy; science, technology and innovation (STI); land reform; human resources development; security as well as public sector reforms.

However, achieving the envisaged economic growth will depend heavily on concerted public and private sector partnership. Otherwise, Kenya is truly living to the bill as the biggest economy in the region. The Capital, Nairobi, is the host of UNEP, the regional headquarters for major global companies such as Standard Chartered Bank while Africa’s premier technopolis is coming up in Konza, 60kms from the Capital, a new free port has been commissioned in the historic city of Lamu and the first superhighway in East Africa is due for completion soon.

All of the above promise steady sustainable rewards for local and foreign investors. Africa is arguably the next destination of global business, and Africans must not be left behind. The cradle of mankind is redefining the African dream as the frontier of next generation business.

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Review

SAVING

UGANDA From Its Oil

In this analysis, Dr Jason Hickel puts forward the steps Ugandan lawmakers must take to ensure that the country as a whole benefits from its petroleum reserves.

By Dr Jason Hickel is a research fellow at London School of Economics (LSE)’s Department of Anthropology. This article originally appeared in Foreign Policy in Focus in June last year.

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Review Most importantly, the country’s robust small-scale farming sector – which accounts for around 70 percent of employment – could be seriously undermined by the impending influx of foreign currency.

I

n 2006, Uganda confirmed the presence of enormous commercial petroleum reserves around Lake Albert along the country’s western border. Since then, geologists have proven at least 2 billion barrels With only about 25 percent of the region explored some reports indicate that there could be as much as three times that amount – enough to make Uganda a major player in the African oil industry. The oil is set to begin flowing later this year, or perhaps in early 2012, with production targeted at around 200,000 barrels per day.

This discovery marks the beginning of a new epoch in Uganda’s history, and hopes are high across the country that the flow of oil will jump start development and ameliorate poverty.

Historically speaking, these hopes are terribly misplaced, for the discovery of oil in Africa has rarely brought about positive socio-economic outcomes. Indeed, quite the opposite is true: regions with an abundance of non-renewable sub-surface resources nearly always experience declining development and less economic growth than countries with fewer such resources.

Nigeria offers a disturbing example of this trend. Since production began in the mid 1960s, Nigeria has seen an oil bonanza worth more than $340 billion. But the economy remains in absolute tatters: more than 70% of Nigerians live in conditions of intractable poverty – earning less than a dollar a day – and the infant mortality rate is among the highest in the world.

Similar problems plague Africa’s other major petroleum producers, like Chad, Angola, Gabon, and Equatorial Guinea.

Economists call this paradox of poverty amid plenty the “resource curse.” As economies become over-reliant on extractive industries, exchange rates appreciate and make imports cheap to the point of undercutting local producers and crippling economic diversification – a scenario known as the “Dutch Disease.”

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As these concerns gain popular traction, Ugandan policymakers have been scrambling to put together a legislative framework that will manage production and revenues once the oil hits the pipelines.

If Ugandans do not take immediate action to protect the yields of their land, the country may soon go the way of Nigeria In addition, when states rely on rents instead of taxes for the bulk of their revenue, the social contract of accountability between government and citizens gradually erodes, and administrators have no incentive to invest in human resources, encourage industry, or promote the development of a middle class that would provide a sustainable tax base.

Such states tend to become heavily repressive: oil-producing countries spend three times more on military force than developed countries and 10 times more than underdeveloped countries (as a proportion of GDP).

If careful controls are not put in place soon, Uganda will suffer exactly this fate. Instead of producing positive development outcomes, petroleum exploitation in Uganda (by Tullow Oil, Total, and China National Offshore Oil Corporation) is likely to deepen income inequalities, entrench poverty, contribute to economic degradation, and devastate the environment.

In 2008 the government approved a new National Oil and Gas Policy framework, the ostensible goal of which is to “use the country’s oil and gas resources to contribute to early achievement of poverty eradication and create lasting value to society.”

The minister of energy and mineral development drafted it in consultation with experts from Norway, which has pioneered some of the world’s best practices in the petroleum industry.

For example, revenues from Norway’s oil production feed into a massive Future Generations Fund, support the country’s extensive welfare system, and keep the unemployment rate at around 3 percent – one of the lowest in the world.

Any casual observer would be duly impressed with the language that the framework includes. It discusses environmental protection, proposes using revenues for future generations, and promises to ensure that Ugandans benefit from new employment opportunities.

It also suggests that oil companies should invest in local human resources (Uganda presently lacks the skilled labour that the oil industry requires) and follow the standards of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI).

On closer inspection, however, the National Oil and Gas Policy is dangerously vague and absolutely toothless. The framework does not bear the authority of law, and includes no mechanisms that would make its proposed regulations mandatory.

Even if the framework’s proposals were to end up as actual legislation, it includes

Review nothing that oil companies would not ordinarily promote in their attempts to erect a façade of legitimacy and burnish the image of an industry beleaguered by PR nightmares.

In fact, the framework pays far more attention to creating a favourable investment climate for foreign companies than it does to ensuring the welfare of Ugandans.

The framework misses a monumental opportunity to forestall the resource curse and make Uganda’s oil work for the good of common Ugandans.

A policy dedicated to this goal might borrow language from Alaska’s constitution to require that natural resources be used for “the maximum benefit of the people” and only according to principles of sustainability.

Such provisions would arm Ugandans with powerful leverage to ensure that the country’s common wealth accrues to common citizens for generations to come.

On the regulatory side, local content rules should require all multinational companies to tier up over a set period to at least 80 percent local contracts and labour, and to invest in local capacity even to the point of training local engineers.

The Ugandan government should also raise environmental regulations to meet the highest international standards and demand that both foreign and national oil companies pay regularly into an escrow account to cover the costs of spills and other environmental damage.

On the revenue side, the government should tax oil company profits at relatively high levels, beginning with Norway’s 78 per cent tax on net income and adjusting downward slightly to account for underdeveloped infrastructure and geopolitical risk to investors.

These revenues should be paid into an independently audited account, with audits available to the public on a quarterly basis. At least 10 per cent of revenues should go to a Future Generations Fund — following the Norwegian and Alaskan

models — to provide an investment base that will last until long after the oil is gone.

The Fund should be heavily fortified against misuse by government officials, and the interest from the Fund should go back to citizens in the form of a pension scheme.

Like Norway, the Fund should retain an ethics adviser to ensure that its investments meet conscientious environmental and labour standards, and promote local growth wherever possible.

Twenty per cent of revenues should be designated specifically for economic diversification. Using oil money to subsidise more sustainable sectors like agriculture and manufacturing would prevent the Dutch Disease, create widespread local employment (which the oil industry does not), and wean the state away from its dependence on rents to rely instead on taxes paid by a growing middle class.

Finally, following international recommendations initially made for Chad, 50 per cent of revenues should be designated for priority human needs such as education, health, infrastructure, and rural development, with distribution subject to rigorous democratic oversight.

Policies along these lines should be clearly enshrined in the proposed Petroleum Exploration, Development, and Production Act, and the Public Finance and Accountability Law that the government is presently amending.

Unfortunately, the process of drafting these laws has been conducted largely in secret, with little input from opposition parties or civil society leaders.

For Ugandans to reap the benefits of oil production, the country must actually receive the revenues it deserves. As it stands, the framework fails to protect Uganda from being plundered by the multinational corporations that will soon come to dominate the economy.

A new study by Global Financial Integrity shows that commercial tax evasion and

commodity mispricing accounts for up to 65 per cent of illicit capital flight from Africa, compared to only 3 per cent through domestic corruption.

Since 1970 – the beginning of the era of global market deregulation – as much as $1.17 trillion has disappeared from the continent through tax evasion and mispricing alone. This trend is most conspicuous in the case of petroleumexporting countries where foreign multinationals have a strong presence, with Nigeria and Angola topping the list.

This $1.17 trillion in resource theft amounts to many times more than the continent has ever received in aid. Figures like this demonstrate that there is nothing “natural” or “given” about poverty in Africa – it is the product of long-term, systematic extraction of wealth.

Implementing the EITI would be a good first step toward solving this problem, as it requires regular publication and independent audit of all financial exchanges between oil companies and governments.

But the EITI cannot prevent mispricing, and nor can it expose the common practice whereby companies launder money internally in order to report lower taxable profits. To plug these holes, Uganda would have to solicit the services of dedicated international watchdogs like the Tax Justice Network.

Franz Fanon, one of Africa’s greatest voices in the anti-colonial movement recognized that “for a colonised people the most essential value, because the most concrete, is first and foremost the land: the land which will bring them bread and, above all, dignity.”

If Ugandans do not take immediate action to protect the yields of their land, the country may soon go the way of Nigeria and become yet another example of how – decades after the end of formal colonialism – profiteering companies continue to pillage Africa’s resources, leaving nothing in their wake but poverty, broken promises, and empty holes in the ground. www.facebook.com/InspireAfrica |53

Review

RWANDA

The New African Dawn.

The Land of a thousand

Hills 54 | www.facebook.com/InspireAfrica

Review

T

he story of Rwanda is a story of bitterness turned to sweetness! From the horrors of genocide and acerbic dictatorship, this small beautiful East African country is today lauded as the newest and strongest story of recovery and success on the African continent, thanks to the democracy, peace and unity ushered in by its progressive leader, Paul Kagame.

Popularly known as the “Land of a Thousand Hills,” Rwanda is currently acclaimed as the last hope and symbol of sanity in Africa because of the determination of its leadership to better the welfare of its 11.4 million people through provision of public services; healthcare, education, water supply, communications services, as well as improving the road network, and doing everything it takes to advance. With zero tolerance for corruption and laziness, it’s not surprising that Rwanda is one of the fastest growing economies in the world.

Located in the heart of the Great Lakes region of east-central Africa, and bordered by Uganda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania, Rwanda enjoys a beautiful and palatable climatic endowment as well as soils with natural and virgin fertility.

The land around Lake Kivu, which lies between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is a very fertile farmland, and the introduction of modern farming techniques by the government has helped increase production. Not only is the country now a great exporter of cash crops such as coffee, tea (its mountain tea is considered to be one of the finest in the world), tin, wolframite and pyrethrum, its robust agricultural potential makes it a potential food basket for East and Central Africa as well.

For lovers of nature in all its purity, you’ll never find greener and breathtaking landscapes like those of Rwanda.

Endowed with five volcanoes, twentythree lakes, and numerous rivers – some forming the source of the River Nile, tropical forests in the north and the

gentle hills and valleys of remarkable beauty, Rwanda duly fits the tagline, “Blessed by nature!” The Virunga Mountains in the north offer tourists one of a kind journey considering they are indwelling place of one third of the world’s remaining Mountain Gorillas, and about 670 bird species, a million species of flora, game reserves, resorts and islands on the expansive Lake Kivu.

No wonder tourism is Rwanda’s leading foreign exchange earner.

It should also interest any visitor or potential investor that Rwanda is not only the cleanest nation in Africa, it’s also a safe haven with one of the lowest crime rates in Africa. So the security of visitors and investors and their property/business is guaranteed without question. Besides, all major attractions are located within 1-5 hour drive from the capital, Kigali. www.facebook.com/InspireAfrica |55

M

r. Murindabigwi Derek Meilleur, is the Founder and CEO of IGIHE Ltd, a media company that owns the popular Rwandan online website brand, www. igihe.com. Meilleur has won numerous accolades in entrepreneurship and innovation. Frank Abaho of Inspire Africa Magazine had an exclusive interview with him.

Briefly tell us about your background?

I was born in Nyanza, Rwanda, in 1984, in a family of eight children. I’m a genocide survivor. I hold degree in Business and IT from the National University of Rwanda. I founded IGIHE Ltd., in 2009 which we’ve expanded into various media brands – Igihe Newspaper, www.igihe.com, Igihe Real Estate and Igihe TV.

How did you start this path to entrepreneurship?

I started at 16 years, with a small shop in my area. And in my Senior Three, together with a friend, Oscar, we registered an enterprise dealing in Fumigation Services specifically targeting homes and institutions.

56 | www.facebook.com/InspireAfrica

Later, I embraced the IT Sector by selling music videos and audios in Nyamirambo, one of Kigali’s busiest urban towns. I was running this alongside a carpentry business in my Senior Five.

Thereafter in my Senior Six, I owned a bar - “New Life” – which I later sold and bought a Diary Milk depot from a certain lady who was leaving the country. Finally in my Senior Six vacation, I was dealing in the sale of charcoal and wood.

You are a pioneer in the internet online business; what was the inspiration behind starting Igihe. com and why in Kinyarwanda?

Actually, igihe.com is not the pioneer in that sense because there were other websites, but it was only the first online news daily website. Being passionate about the media, in 2008, I got the inspiration to start Igihe.com alongside other university students from NUR and others like KIST, KIE. We started with a zero budget and as volunteers; we were just working in a challenging environment surviving on our little savings at university.

I was here, during the 1994 genocide and know well how the then genocidal regime manipulated the media to a devastating effect. The media was used to spread the propaganda and it did

Being passionate about the media, in 2008, I got the inspiration to start Igihe.com alongside other university students from NUR and others like KIST, KIE. We started with a zero budget and as volunteers; we were just working in a challenging environment surviving on our little savings at university. not stop at the genocide. Unfortunately even after the genocide, the perpetrators continued their genocidal campaign of spreading hatred, divisionism and genocide ideologies but in a new sophisticated avenue – the INTERNET. The target is the youths who have embraced the internet. So my dream was to stop this using the Internet. That’s why I started Igihe.com, an online daily website Igihe.com is a Kinyarwanda website; this is the language used by almost 99% of the Rwandan society. This was the best way to access the majority. Igihe. com intended to tell the true Rwandan story – a story of unity, development, peace and hope. The story would be told in a balanced way, without bias and in a unifying manner. Igihe.com was formed to fight against the hate ideology that was being spread through the internet.

RWANDA

The New African Dawn.

Youths that wanted to be part of a new Rwanda, a new era of change in the Rwandan media. We as the Igihe. com team believed in team work, creating a culture of positive change in Rwanda, and achieving a dream of self employment. The urge to bring about positive change among our people, the Rwandese, drove igihe.com to the greatest heights that we have achieved today.

What achievements have you realized and what advice do you give to other youths?

In 2010, I was awarded Innovator of the Year by the NUR. Later, in 2011, I won the CYRWA – Celebrating Young Rwandan Achievers – award from the Imbuto Foundation, under the entrepreneurship category.

Then in 2011, I was honored by the Junior Chamber International, among the TOYPA (Ten Outstanding Young Persons) in the World in the category of Personal Achievement and Accomplishment; based on the impact of Igihe.com on the Rwandan society and the internet growth. All these awards, I have attained through hard work and a great team at IGIHE. I would like to advise the youths to always be determined to achieve their dreams in spite of the ‘dream killers’ out there. The youths should be courageous and proactive to empower themselves and their communities.

As a successful entrepreneur, what is your take on the Project Inspire Africa?

I think it’s a great initiative with a positive impact; the competition is a motivation to the youths to work hard, innovate and seek self employment as job creators. Ultimately, this is a foundation of the growth in the private sector in E.A. I would like to urge all policy makers to support this noble project and facilitate it to succeed beyond East Africa to the rest of Africa and hhthe world.

And being such a friendly country, a warm reception is a must, complimented by comfortable facilities, fine food and a rich cultural heritage.

The richness of Rwandan culture is embodied by the wide range of fine crafts that include pottery, basketry, painting, jewelry, wood carving, metalwork, and the making of gourd containers of dazzling beauty. All ethnic groups cherish oral traditions of proverbs, songs, and chants. The Tutsi, in particular, are known for their epic songs and dynastic poetry chronicling the origins of the Tutsi ruling class. Needless to say, music and dance are an integral part of Rwandan ceremonies, festivals, social gatherings and storytelling. The most famous traditional dance is a highly choreographed routine consisting of three components: the “Umushagiriro” or cow dance, performed by women; the “Intore” or dance of heroes, performed by men; and the drumming, also traditionally performed by men, on drums known as “Ingoma.”

A member of the East African

From Page 55

Community (EAC), the African Union (AU), the Commonwealth, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), and the Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL), Rwanda is a country that believes in economic, social and political interdependence. It also believes in sustainable development, and thus has developed one of the strongest transport infrastructures on the African continent which serves as a wonderful lubricant for business and investment growth.

With the most functional and reliable road and air transport networks in East and Central Africa, Rwanda is certainly a nation for every willing investor. The building boom ever since President Paul Kagame took over explains Rwanda’s modern look today.

The sixth president of Rwanda, Kagame has also pulled the country’s GDP (Nominal) to 6.055 billion USD in just less than 15 years with an annual growth rate of 7-8 % which is one of the fastest growing economies in the world.

Overall, the 54-year-old president has been praised for his leadership in peace building and reconciliation, development, good governance, promotion of human rights and women’s empowerment on top of advancing education and embracing information and communications technology. Under his leadership, Rwanda has been endorsed by pundits as Africa’s biggest success story.

Thus if you have not visited the country of the sun to find out why it’s called the land of a thousand hills, then you have not been to the heart of Africa! Visit Rwanda now. Invest in Rwanda today.

Prosper in Rwanda – your number one African investment destination! www.facebook.com/InspireAfrica |57

Review

Kikuubo “Juakali” Uganda’s Richest Street

Article by Kamukama Polly

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Review

H

ajji Musa Katende’s story is a byword of rags to riches tale. As he now sits in his multi-million shilling worth of capital boutique at the second floor of the enormous Star Shoppers complex, he cannot help but reminisce about his life in Kikuubo.

“Indians used to have cotton stores around this place in the 60s. This was the time when cotton trade was the leading business in the entire East Africa; almost all other businesses depended on it.

Young Ugandan men and women used to flock this area to trade with Indians,” Muyombya explained.

According to Katende, Kikuubo is his mother, father, relatives and home. As the 52-year old businessman narrates his life to me, I get to understand why he pays the kind of homage he does to the short, narrow lane.

Having come to Kampala in 1970 as a house help of an Indian family, Katende was left homeless after then president, Idi Amin expelled all Asians in 1972. Lucky for the trader, he was able to claim for the small stall that his masters owned along the now famous Kikuubo.

“That stall has made me who I am today,” Katende proudly declares adding that, “I have seen Kikuubo grow from a filthy ramshackle road to the most talked about shopping center in Kampala.”

Katende intimated to me that though he did not go to school, he has been able to take all his 10 children through university. He also says he has travelled the world, mostly on shopping trips. He now owns several complexes and a string of other business across the country.

Yet Katende is not alone. Most of the traders I spoke to shared more or less the same story. Whilst some came to Kikuubo as hawkers in the wake of Amin’s tyranny, others migrated came in later to tap the ever increasing number of customers. However, one thing unites all these traders- owning multimillion businesses.

Sandwiched between towering complexes in down-town Kampala, Kikuubo is famed for being the cradle of some of Uganda’s richest business personalities. Measuring at only about 200m in length and branching from Namirembe Road up to Hotel Equatorial, the lane houses over 5, 000 multi-million business units that range from boutiques to banks and hotels.

“We now have over 50 storied arcades and as you can see, others are coming up. We did not have this kind of urbanization before the 90s,” said Sam Muyombya the publicist of Kikuubo Business Community (KBC)- a body that unites all the area’s traders.

He added that: “We earn a lot of money which we in turn revert back to business; that is why the number of big building grows by the day.”

Muyombya too, like Katende has been trading from Kikuubo for a long time.

Though he refused to divulge details of his businesses, he said he shops in Dubai, Japan and the UK adding that business knows no book-knowledge.

“As a leader of this area, I know most of the traders and I can assure you that they are not that much educated. But look at what they have achieved; they own all these tall buildings around town,” Muyombya said.

Asked how a notorious, dirty street eventually turned out to be a business haven, Muyombya said Kikuubo had always been popular with traders and customers despite being in a swampy, dangerous area.

KCB chairperson, Hajji Muhamed Katimbo who spoke to XtraOrdinary on phone said the tight security and cleanliness in the area have equally played a role in drawing customers, adding that the council has always been committed towards upholding Kikuubo as the lead business hub in Kampala.

“We do not get these customers out of luck; first we have a policy that does not entertain competition, every trader stocks different goods. Then, we do not entertain idlers and dirty traders; that is why everybody who shops from Kikuubo is thrilled to come back again,” Katimbo explained.

However, when XtraOrdinary paid a visit to the famous lane, it saw some flipsides.

While some traders had encroached on road reserves contrary to KCCA directives, flowing sewage had cut off a section of the street towards the Hotel Equatorial side. At a building corner, a group of thuggish-looking youths sat gambling whilst chewing bangi.

That said though, there is no doubt that Kikuubo is one of the safest, cleanest and most elite business areas in the country; there are not many shopping centers where you can buy vegetables, clothes and even cars at the same time! www.facebook.com/InspireAfrica |59

6

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Relaxation reigns here amid a serene landscape.

Hotel Facilities: * 96 rooms with high standard comfort * 4 restaurants including a VIP lounge * 3 bars with beautiful open air places * 3 conference halls with capacity ranging from 20 up to 1,000 persons. * Health facilities including swimming pool, sauna, gym, spa and massage. _Lemigo Hotel Kimihurura - PO Box 2770 - Kigali - Rwanda Phone: +250 784 040 924 - E-mail: info@lemigohotel.com - Website: www. lemigohotel.com

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HOW TO APPLY Complete the application Form below.

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In less than 50 words, Write the unique Business Idea that will enable you to be Part of the 50,000 entrepreneurial trainees or to be part of the TV reality series coded Project Inspire Africa Season II out of which $50,000 worth of startup capital will be won.

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PAYMENTS:BANK : Eco Bank – Uganda, Equity – Kenya , Stanbic - Tanzania ACCOUNT NAME: Inspire Africa Limited Account Number: 110205436019 (For USD, &UGX) MOBILE MONEY : +256 704 677 473 / +254 706 199 123 Registration Fees: $15, KSH 2,000, TSH 35,000, RWF12,000, UGX 40,000

ATTACH A PHOTOCOPY OF ID/NATIONAL ID/PASSPORT/DRIVING PERMIT Place your application form together with the deposit slip or Mobile Money Reference Number, Make sure that you seal the envelop and drop it at any Eco Bank Branch in East Africa or any Simba Outlet in Uganda, RDB in Rwanda, Nation Media for Kenya or any Inspire Africa Office For online registration log on to www.inspireafrica.co.ug, or visit our facebook page www.facebook.com/InspireAfrica, email the form to register@inspireafrica.co.ug 62 | www.facebook.com/InspireAfrica

NOTE: YOUR APPLICATION MUST BE SUBMITTED BY 30TH JUNE 2012

InspireAfrica

s l a i n o m i t Tes

Something good is something shared. That’s why Jesus told the once demon-possessed man He had healed to go and tell the world what the Lord had done for him. Similarly, those who attended a high-level management training organized by Inspire Africa and its partners cannot stop talking of the goodness of it all, as is here below:

I

would like to thank Inspire Africa so much for this high-level training. Over the past few days when I took the class, I found myself!

It was uncomfortable but also very relieving to know that God is not out there but right here inside me, to know that I have the creative genius to be anything that I set out to be.

The class has set me on a path of self discovery that I intend to stay on because the journey of self discovery is a journey of a lifetime.

I

am more self aware of who I am and the infinite possibilities that are around me. I have learnt how knowing who I am relates to business and success, to share my knowledge and understanding so that the truth I have learnt can be of help to others. I have also learnt to honor my needs and the needs of others.

I

would like to extend my sincere and honorable appreciation toward the efforts and teachings on modern leadership that Africa needs to rise (leadershift). By attending the classes of “a Journey to self-discovery” for one week, my life has experienced a new shift. You have helped me to know what I am. And this has become the most important

lesson I have ever received in my life.

INSPIRE AFRICA

The Viewers Have Their Say.

I

enjoyed the time I spent with you in class especially during interactive sessions with other members.

Charles Rwanda

I

, Brian, would like to thank you for the life-changing classes that I attended from Tuesday 10th to Friday 14th January. These classes opened my mind to different but necessary aspects of my life with regards to my spirit, mind and actions. I learnt the value of being congruent in my everyday actions with myself as a whole. More still, I have learnt that what affects the mind and spirit will consequently affect my decisions. I have discovered who I am, how great I can be and my abilities over others. In addition to the classes, the business lessons in marketing and sales were awesome. There is a lot to learn from Inspire Africa. Inspire Africa is not only a goldmine but also a blessing to my life. All this came at the right time when I needed it and it has been so helpful – Brian, Uganda

Through the Social media platform, the viewers were tasked to describe what Inspire Africa is, in less than 50 words, this is what we got: Inspire Africa is a real African initiative minded to provide young Africans reasonable ways of thinking about entrepreneurship. With smart ideas, you are led to the CEO; an inspiration of a man who mastered turning his dreams in reality. Amazingly, for a smart CEO-ship dreamer, a $50,000 award is waiting - Frederic Francois Nshimiyimana, Rwanda Inspire Africa is a television show aimed at impacting positively on the entrepreneurship abilities of the viewers. Through the interactions on the show, we are able to pick up the best practices for business and success in life – Dearna Letasi, Uganda.

www.facebook.com/InspireAfrica |63

INSPIREAFRICA

The Viewers Have Their Say.

Inspire Africa is a contest that involves different people from the East African countries who are given various tasks on which they are supposed to perform to their best and the people who perform poorly are sent home. This program seeks to reduce unemployment and promote creativity and innovation among young people. It also seeks to help people who have ideas on different businesses and gives them a platform on which to market and advertise themselves and their businesses. Lastly I want to thank whoever is behind the Inspire African program, thanks for being a voice to the young people and for creating employment opportunities for them. God bless Nyamigisha Joy, Uganda Inspire Africa has been real of inspiration to most of us, the youth. It tells us to overcome fear, increase self-awareness and confidence, it teaches us to hold onto our dream, be creative and innovative, ‘’opportunities are there only that we just don’t open a door for them!” Shadrack Kamenya, Mwanza-Tanzania It’s a program that enlarges the awareness on entrepreneurship to young minds wishing to invest in successful ventures by showing its moral-ethical path of being their dream through its episodes. Also gives moral awareness for successful minds to give back for those willing to succeed for community empowerment – Gabriel Killian, Dar es Saalam-Tanzania

I

am privileged to have been part of the training that was organized

by Inspire Africa at Nob View Hotel from 10th to 14th January. This training enabled me to honor my emotions and that feelings have power hence making me a more confident woman.

M

ost of all, I have been challenged in various ways such as placing my values high in my daily routines, in business as well as be accountable to myself and to others. I’m also more aware of the value of having everything planned out and putting it on paper.

In the long run, it’s less costly and time-consuming – Atuhirwe, Uganda

F

or a long time I moved in an illusion of who I truly was; it was defined by the people around me and the things that had gone on in my life. This high level training opened my mind, heart and soul to who I truly am. Now I live a life of complete happiness because I know who I am. I thank you so much for the consultants that you brought in. They had great insight, experience and love that spread to each one of us that attended. Life is cruel out in the world but what Inspire Africa is doing is amazing, reaching out to us the youth, the future of Africa and equipping us with the skills to impact our communities. Most of all, I would like to thank Inspire Africa for encouraging a holistic training of self-discovery and technical skills for if these are far from each other there is no way we can move forward as a Continent – Rachael, Uganda

I

felt inspired after attending the leadershift training class by Leaders causing leaders at Nob View Ntinda. Kampala. I went there open-minded without expecting anything in particular. The training

64 | www.facebook.com/InspireAfrica

changed my outlook about many things in life. I found some of the unhappiness in my life has been my choice. This was a fundamental change because my full image of life and success was fully blown up.

I

gained more skills in marketing, interpersonal skills, teambuilding skills as well as management skills. I gained a great insight as far as success is concerned and the price that needs to be paid in order to succeed. I gained project management skills and this will enable me build organized and timeless business projects.

A

s a committed and practicing born-again Christian, my faith was strengthened. The training showed me that God lives in me and with Him my achievements will be infinite. That encouraged me and showed me that success wasn’t far since God had given me the necessary tools and authority to succeed.

I

would like to recommend this training to anyone who has suffered from low self-esteem, decline in mental strength, the youth since they have unfulfilled potential, leaders and people anticipating to be leaders in future. This would be invaluable knowledge to any citizen of Uganda.

I

would like to thank the management of Leaders causing Leaders, Inspire Africa as well as Addison Williams Inc., for giving me this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to study and gain valuable skills. I feel so happy and relieved. Thank you very much and God bless you – Abesi, Uganda

INSPIREAFRICA

The Viewers Have Their Say.

THE VIEWERS: What they learnt from the TV series.

Tell us the lessons and personal experiences you have had, from watching theTV show?

Pacuto Peter: I have really come to learn that the first thing to have is interest!!!

Just having a desire for something interesting will move you a far step from what you are today. The passion of doing it cannot be underestimated at any cost.

Business can be in the mind but if you don’t have the interest to do it then nothing will happen even if you have the dime. Now believe me, in anything I will be doing, I’ll love it from the word go.

Brenda A. James: Humble beginnings and patience, keeping time, punctuality, and toughness because a person who is weak and soft can’t manage the business world.

Ben Byron: I’ve always been a spendthrift but after the shows, I’ve come to learn about saving and how to save, how to run a business and steadily my boutique has gained because it was at a verge of collapse. I’m grateful because my boutique has improved over the time. “Spend less and save more for investment” is my new found slogan!

Thanks for Inspire Africa!

Raymond Jakissa: I’ve learnt to be aggressive when executing any business task and that there’s always room for learning from my mistakes.

Robert Tugume: A lot. I’ve learnt that all the skills e.g expression, saving skills, clientele relations and time management are important. And most of all I’ve learnt that anytime is time to save and kick off the business no matter the age, and everyone should stand out.

W-ymrwt Vivica: I’ve learnt that positivity; confidence, teamwork, aggression, patience, risk taking, customer care, hardwork, sacrifice and above all faith will take me to greater heights. I’ve also learnt that being successful is not rocket science, rather start small and get big.

Kazibwe Muko Damian Daniels: Self grooming in terms of spending, being focused to what you want, believing in and using maximally your abilities and controlling inabilities and emotions as much as possible, managing time ‘cause time lost is never recovered, and yet competition takes time to advantage, self sacrifice for success is not manna from heaven but it comes with hard work, and above all the journey of a prominent business can start with that humble beginning and grow into something you can’t imagine.

Okello Dominic: Every episode has got unique tasks. New ideas, unique and smart solutions are required. Two most important lessons that I learnt were creativity and competition in all business.

The most creative ideas become the answers to these tasks. However hard a task may be, it has got a unique solution.

It’s all about you and your brain. Think, think and think competitively and at the end, success is all yours.

Keri Charles: The show has taught me how to practice good customer care, team work, hardwork, creativity, motivation and good marketing skills in order to maximize profits in a business

Shie Glo: It keeps you on pressure; you see everyone is doing their best to stay in the house; it’s actually breathtaking.

If I were a member in that house, I would actually die of heart attack after seeing that guy come up. It’s actually too inspiring. With these lessons, Africa will go higher, now I can’t even waste a coin on ice cream anymore… Jesus Christ!!!!!!!!!!!

Nandawula Joanita: True inspiration for me, I’ve learnt to appreciate the value of time and not to undermine any business, specifically speaking, the task that involved the participants in vending fruits on the streets of Kampala, after this show, I was able to start up a small business somewhere using a minimum of 200,000 and as I write this I’m proudly making savings of 100,000 per month.

Time is money, always take the blame; forget using excuses for your failures.

Joanitah Hope M: The show has taught me to be prepared to handle any business opportunity that comes my way.

You must always have an open mind and always willing to learn. The show has shown me the values of great teamwork and individual efforts so as to get great results. Inspire has taught me to be an aggressive leader.

Faridah Bint Abdul: I’ve learnt how to come up with a good business proposal, business ideas, and I’ve also improved on my creativity and critical thinking skills.

I now think business and do everything in a business way i.e. I don’t waste time, I save and want to grow my business to become a billionaire in the next couple of years. www.facebook.com/InspireAfrica |65

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