During the summer recess I returned to Rwanda for the 10th anniversary of Project Umubano, the Social Action Project which has been run by the Conservative Party over the past decade. The project will be familiar to many local youngsters and football players who have over generously donated thousands of football shirts to enthusiastic players in Rwanda since my first trip in 2008.
The aim of Project Umubano has always been to change the lives of those living in Rwanda and the story of John, a young entrepreneur who I met this year, is a real example of how the project has helped to changed lives. On the day of the first session of coaching for young entrepreneurs, John arrived at Solace Ministry in Kigali half an hour early. He had heard that there would be some coaching available, together with financial support, for the best thought out ideas and he wanted to ensure he would not miss out on this opportunity. I'm not sure whether he realised there would be another eighty equally enthusiastic people there but this only served to encourage him.
John told us about his business plans for chicken farming and listened attentively as my colleagues went through preparing a business mission statement; cash flow forecasting; setting up website and e-commerce to help prepare his pitch for funds.
When we broke into individual groups to provide mentoring on a one-to-one basis, I found out how thorough his research, John had already considered which breed of chicken he wanted and the markets he would supply. John’s preparation had focussed on exports to a neighbouring country where prices would be higher. It was a delight to learn later on that John had been successful before the judges and had been awarded funding to help bring his back business idea to fruition.
The next stage of our project was to determine which ideas had what it takes to go further through a “Dragons Den” style assessment.
It was a real pleasure to work with the young entrepreneurs in Kigali but it was clear that none of us could be both coach and referee, so I offered join other colleagues who had been delivering the same course in Huye. Together with another MP and a local business person I would be a Dragon in the Dragons Den.
There we heard six pitches for funds for different businesses, with some proposals more clearly thought through than others, deciding to support proposals as diverse as a young woman supplying car components, another providing guidance and advice to people opening a bank account for the first time, and a bar owner wishing to expand to offer home deliveries of beer.
As we returned to Kigali to re-join our colleagues, my thoughts turned to the future of some of the bright and capable young Rwandans we had met since we began this journey 10 years ago. Project Umubano is all about Conservatives wanting to help make a change in a small way, and on the 10th anniversary of this project, it had once again in its own way, delivered.
Mark