The preparatory work with Benevolab and Exchangevzw is done. My research is completed as well. I am ready to pack actually.
I realised that going on a mission will result into 18 hours of a work a day. (I remember how it was like setting up the microStart branch in Antwerp.) So I am pretty sure UCTCCN are going to want me working at 110% which I am more than happy to do. I want them to receive the best support ever. Hence I planned a vacation in a Rwanda after completing the mission.
While working there I am planning on taking a break to see the following:
1. Volcano/ gorilla hike visit Musanze caves
2. Go to Kibuye, relax do a boat ride and visit God’s bed
3. Complete the entire Nile - Congo trail by bike
4. Go to Akagera Safari Park
5. Visit Nyungwe, walk across the canopy and stop at the last Royal House.
Considering Rwanda is about the size of Belgium I looked at the map and figured that with a good SUV this should all be possible in 5 days. Although Rwanda has an extensive road network, I didn’t realise that Rwanda’s rural areas road network hasn’t been completed. Therefore road travel can be slow and complicated.
I had been given the price of 3600 USD that included 3 hotel nights in mid-luxury range hotels/lodging, private driver/car hire 4X4 SUV for 5 days, private guide, food, safari permit, gorilla permits, etc. I was surprised by this price. I knew that the price for a gorilla permit was 750 UD and had a budget of 2000 euro in mind. We are talking almost double now. I thought I was getting conned and decided to contact all the tour operators listed in the Rwandan Tours and Travel Association. http://www.rttarwanda.org/content/our-members I asked them to give me a quotation of the three different itineraries. I received many responses in a very short time. The prices were all between 3000 USD and 7000 USD. Some agencies had slightly adapted the itineraries and had given other hotel options. One tour operator even send me an excel sheet with everything detailed out.
I decided to drop Akagame Park as I am planning to conduct a safari in Tanzania next year. I also dropped the bike Nile Congo river ride as I bike as slow as a snail. I am not in the best shape of my life considering I used to run collegiate track. My friends have seen me bike and wonder each time how come I don’t fall off as my speed is almost at standstill. Many tourists in good shape havent been able to complete the bike ride. Cancelling those 2 activities brings the price down to 3250 USD. I am going to have to dig in my savings but I am convinced it will be worth every penny!
Now I need to start packing!
2 weeks in Gisenyi in the tea plantations, 1 week hiking and a few days visiting Kigali staying with my friend’s mom (Mrs. Anne-Marie Katengwa) who is the owner of Chez Lando in Kigali. As a female entrepreneur in Rwanda, she has a lot of important contacts and arranged for me a meeting to represent Exchangevzw at the Rwandan Board of Development (http://www.rdb.rw)
What do I need to take for a business/holiday trip? I might have to do some online shopping!
Before calling the UCTCCN coordinator I decided to research as much as I could on tea. Realising I am no tea producing expert I understand that there are some issues with the tea cooperatives in Rwanda as there are only 3 factories and some of the cooperatives are a bit far away from the factory. Tea leaves need to be brought to the factory as soon as possible to guarantee the premium tea quality. Most of the tea being sold is from Kenya while Rwandan tea is actually of higher quality but not well known. Rwanda has clear guidelines in relation to tea production. Online a lot of information can be found on tea production: http://www.ifad.org/english/operations/pf/rwa/i596rw/web/teac1_intro1.htm
I contacted Numerien the coordinator of UCTCCN and received all the necessary information. UCTCCN was created in 2007 and operates from the district RUBAVU, sector Nyundo. UCTCCN is a co-operative consisting of 4 more cooperatives. These being 1) Cooperative théicoles de la Pfunda (COOTP), 2) Cooperative théicole de Ramba (COTRAGAG), 3) Cooperative théicoles de Gasiza (COOPTHEGA) 4) Cooperative théicole de Rutsiro (RUTEGROC). The entire union consists of 5538 individuals. This is going to be one hell of a mission!
My job is to assist in creating a strategic plan to make the union more professional in order for it to be an added value for the small tea farmers. On top of that UCTCCN would like me to create an initial framework for creating a microfinance and microsavings division inside the tea union. So that tea farmers can go to their cooperative to resolve their financial problems.
I have 2 weeks to do this. I doubt 2 weeks will be sufficient so they have mailed me already as much information as currently available.
Anderhalf jaar geleden startte ze ‘from scratch’ de Antwerpse vestiging van Microstart op. Daarvoor legde kersvers Exchange-experte Francine Carron al een opmerkelijk professioneel internationaal parcours af via onder meer Zuid-Europa, de VS, India & West-Afrika. Binnen enkele weken begint ze aan haar eerste opdracht voor onze organisatie. Een ideaal moment om een kort portret van deze gedreven dame te schetsen.
MSA Francine
Exchange: Toen we voor het eerste je CV lazen, zagen we er niet meteen een duidelijke lijn in. Begrijp je dat?
Francine Carron: “Ergens wel, hoewel er wel degelijk een logica in zit. Ik volgde mijn middelbare school in Houston, Texas en ging toen Internationale Betrekkingen studeren eerst in de Verenigde Staten en studeerde af in Brussel. Mijn eerste professionele ervaring deed ik op bij het United Nations Office for Project Services in Liberia. Het was die ervaring die het zaadje plantte om de daaropvolgende jaren bij grote spelers als Procter & Gamble, Jones Lang LaSalle en Engel & Volkers jobs aan te nemen als projectleider en commercieel agente. Toen ik ten gevolge van de financiële crisis mijn job verloor, ging ik opnieuw studeren: een master Politieke Communicatie aan de Universiteit Antwerpen en vervolgens ook een MBA Global Management aan de Antwerp Management School. Daarna volgde een periode als founding partner scheepsmakelaardij en een jaar marketingconsultancy bij Groupon. In 2013 startte ik mijn eigen fliantropische project: via ProNetwork ondersteunen we mensen die moeilijkheden hebben bij het solliciteren.”
Exchange: Sinds anderhalf jaar heb je Microstart Antwerpen op de kaart gezet.
Francine Carron: “Precies. Voor mij is het een soort best of two worlds. Er zit in mijn werk een duidelijke businesscomponent, maar ook het humanitaire vind ik belangrijk. Bij Microstart verstrekken we immers microkredieten aan starters en kleine ondernemers die niet de nodige financiering vinden bij de klassieke banken. Het betreft leningen tot 15.000 euro. Vaak gaat het om nieuwe Belgen van de eerste generatie, denk bijvoorbeeld aan vluchtelingen uit Syrië. Die mensen weten wel degelijk hoe ze moeten ondernemen, maar beschikken helaas niet over een startkapitaal. Het kunnen overigens net zo goed jonge wolven van bij ons zijn die bij de grootbank niet au sérieux worden genomen. Daar maken wij het verschil.”
IMG_1673-2
Exchange: Is het risico dan niet ontzettend groot?
Francine Carron: (lacht) “Dat is nu typisch de manier waarop een klassieke kredietverstrekker denkt! Uiteraard gaan we bekijken hoe het businessplan van elk dossier in elkaar zit en verder onderzoeken we ook de omgeving van de ondernemer. Dat leidt ertoe dat ik bijvoorbeeld de moskee binnenstap of met de familie van de kredietaanvrager ga praten. Net zoals Exchange, werkt ook Microstart met vrijwilligers die de ondernemers bijstaan met raad en daad. Zo verkleinen we de kans op mislukking.”
Exchange: Ze falen dus wel degelijk?
Francine Carron: “We hebben op anderhalf jaar tijd zo’n 170 kredieten verstrekt en dit vooral voor zaken die deel uitmaken van de lokale middenstand: een fietsenhandel, een voedingswinkel, een kweekbedrijf enz. Maar ook een start-up in ICT of een taxibedrijf zit in onze portfolio. Deze zaken hebben het lang niet makkelijk. De economie ondervindt nog steeds de naweeën van de crisis. Als het met een bepaalde zaak dreigt mis te gaan, dan zullen wij verdere ondersteuning bieden of ze begeleiden naar een veilige exit, zonder dat er diepe financiële putten worden geslagen.”
francine-carron
Exchange: En dan de hamvraag: wat brengt jou bij Exchange?
Francine Carron: “Microstart wordt ondersteund door BNP Paribas Fortis. Sinds jullie met deze bank een partnerschap aangingen, zag ik geregeld projectoproepen van jullie verschijnen. Toen ik vernam dat een theecoöperatie in Rwanda een strategisch expert zocht, was ik meteen kandidaat! In mijn huidige functie bij Microstart heb ik voortdurend contact met mensen uit alle hoeken van de wereld. Alleen speelt alles zich in Antwerpen af. Vandaar dat het kriebelt om opnieuw een internationale uitdaging aan te gaan.”
Exchange: Wat wordt er precies van je verwacht?
Francine Carron: “De coöperatie wil dat ik hen ondersteun bij het uitwerken van een toekomststrategie. Daarnaast zouden zich ook als lokale microfinacieringsinstelling willen gaan profileren. Over de haalbaarheid van dat laatste heb ik wel mijn twijfels. Sowieso is het van hier uit erg moeilijk om de huidige situatie van de coöperatie te kunnen inschatten. Veel zal pas ter plaatse duidelijk worden.”
Exchange: Het wordt je eerste project voor Exchange. Bovendien ben je jong en heb je Rwanda nog nooit in bezocht. Niet nerveus?
Francine Carron: “(kordaat) Integendeel! Ik heb al heel wat internationale ervaring. En omdat mijn vader in Liberia woont en mijn moeder in Nigeria, heeft het continent geen grote geheimen meer voor mij. Ik denk trouwens dat het net goed is dat ik jong ben. Ik trek met een heel open vizier naar Gisenyi om er mezelf vanaf 19 september twee weken lang voor de volle 110% in te zetten.”
Exchange: 110%?
Francine Carron: “In de banksector is 100% misschien het maximum, maar voor Exchange mag het wat mij betreft wat meer zijn (plooit dubbel)!”
Je kan Francines Exchange-project volgen op haar blog: microfinancemasala.tumblr.com.
Preparing for Rwanda!
Before starting to discuss the entire project with the Rwandan Organisation ‘Union des cooperatives Théicoles de la Crete Congo Nil - UCTCCN’ I have to be interviewed by Exhange vzw. (http://www.exchangevzw.be)
Exchange vzw is a Belgian organisation that offers companies and organisations the possibility to benefit from a wide range of voluntary top experts. Exchange offers expertise almost for free so that companies in developing countries can grow the (local) economy to create new jobs. Companies and socio-economic organisations whom comply with a set of clearly defined selection criteria can apply for assistance of a volunteer expert. Exchange vzw learned throughout the years that there is a tangible need for assistance on a technical or management level.
What is Exchange vzw procedure ? The selected volunteer expert and the company exchange of knowledge takes place directly. The entrepreneur/ company asks himself for expertise as he understands best what the needs of the company exactly are. The company decides which expert he wishes to collaborate with. (Me in this case!..yay.) Afterwards, an intensive exchange of knowledge and cross-pollination between both parties takes place. Exchange obtains tangible results with an absolute minimum of means. Voluntary high-level experts with the right competences, a proven track record and intrinsic motivation help companies expand or improve. Exchange funds itself via private companies and subsidies in the West whom are interested in giving ‘free consulting’ to help other companies.
I am nervous about the interview with Exchangevzw, it feels like going to a job interview all over again! What wil they ask? I am not a tea expert - I am knowledgable about the genocide but I am not an expert on Central and East Africa… So everything continues with Google search…
1. Youtube: is a good help starting with the US Policy toward Rwanda - Congressional hearing held on May 20, 2015 : 2,5 hours of listening while cleaning around the house gives you a little maybe ?‘biased? inside into Rwandan politics at the moment https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMPSNh690NY
2. While reading the history of Rwanda all over again, I was shocked to find out that it was the Belgians who created such a large division between the Hutus and Tutsis. The Belgian colonials arrived and measured the noses of the local population. Hutus had bigger noses whereas Tutsis had slimmer more European-like noses. Everyone received an ID card that said whether they were Hutus or Tutsis. Such a division didn’t really exist in pre-colonial Rwanda. Being a Hutu or a Tutsi had more to do with how much wealth a person had. However, it was the Belgians who created the ethnical divide in Rwanda which later was a basis for genocide propoganda. While growing up in Belgium, we were not taught in elementary school why there was such a division between Hutus and Tutsis. We used to watch the news in 1994 of the genocide in school and were thought that it was the savage behaviour of the African people. (A good thing that there is now a movement called #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou). The 1994 genocide images have always stuck with me,… the red-colored rivers, the dead bodies floating…as a child I felt much pain for the Rwandan people.
Enough history read,
3. Tripadvisor: While going through traveller photos my love for Rwanda is growing stronger. Magnificent pictures by those travellers, I can’t get enough. Those mountains are beyond fantastic. My friends are telling me: ‘Now that you have seen the entire country online there is no more point to go.’ They are scared that I will be travelling alone. Most people still have those horrible genocide pictures of Rwanda in their head. After viewing Rwanda’s nature for hours I am convinced this might be the most beautiful place on earth.
4. Pinterest & Instagram: are good tools to learn about activities in Rwanda. On Instagram I learned that women are allowed in the Rwandan army just as Israel. Rwanda is one of the largest contributors of soldiers to the UN deployment missions. Rwanda also has 60% women in the government. Seems like Rwanda is the place to be for career driven women. #noglassceiling All of a sudden Rwanda is starting to sound as a better place to live than Belgium.
5. Stromae: is the most famous Belgian international artists and is of Rwandan origin. After scrolling down on his Facebook page I read that he has cancelled his concerts in Congo and Rwanda. It might be moved to September. Hopefully I ll be there as well! I definitely can’t wait to sing a long to Papaoutai in Kigali.
6. My personal contacts/ The importance of alumni networks: Who better to contact than my Rwandese friend Nausicaa HK whom I went to the international university (http://www.vesalius.edu) Vesalius College with in 2003? Last time I checked Nausicaa was working as a communication officer for UNDP in Kigali. I contact her on Facebook, Ubuntu she says! In no time I know everything about Rwanda and now have a place to stay in Kigali as Nausicaa is inviting me. That makes me think…Who else do I know? Aha! Anne-Marie from SN Brussels was previously station manager in Monrovia and is now based in Kigali. It seems as if I am going to have a good time in Rwanda and now I am ready for the interview with Exchangevzw.
