Eric Iyraemye applies to Young #African #Leaders Initiative #Rwanda #YALI #volunteer #entrepreneur

Having led global teams in both Tesco and BT I have had the pleasure of nurturing graduate talent. As part of Grow Movement expansion plans we have recruited some real talent into the team. 
Eric Iyaremye arrived to the Rwandan team in 2013 as an exceptional graduate from a scheme called 'Generation Rwanda'. He is a gifted young African with drive, creativity and integrity who in his first 6 months has been a driving force behind our achievements.

It was both my pleasure and that of our Trustees to write him  references this week for the  'Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders'. The Washington Fellowship is the new flagship program of the President's young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). This program will bring over 500 young leaders to the USA for leadership training, academic course work and mentoring, and will create unique opportunities in Africa to put those new skills to practical use in propelling economic growth and prosperity.

Eric the Grow Movement team, the Board of Trustees and the Rwandan Volunteer Consultants and Clients are wishing you lots of luck in your application.

The challenges of #Retailing in #Uganda, #Rwanda and #Malawi

 Five hundred entrepreneurs from Uganda, Rwanda and Malawi will be joining our program in 2014. This will be our biggest year since we started in 2009. Of these clients many will be in the Retail sector, either selling from a shop front or via an extensive network of family and friends from their home or office.

Unlocking the talent of these entrepreneurs by sharing skills from  our global volunteer team has huge potential to create jobs in their communities .  Sharing knowledge on daily record keeping, different types of price promotions from 'Twofers', to 'Bogofs' to 'BHPs' and focusing on customer research into products that they would like to buy can make a real and tangible difference to business performance.  Providing this insight and experience has been invaluable to Evelyn who runs a cosmetics shop in Blantyre Malawi. With her consultant James they focused on which products were selling well. They carried out a full invenotry of all all of her stock realising that the majority of her sales were coming from 25% of her product. By running promotions on hair weave stock that was not selling well she was able to provide more space for the South African lotions  that were selling far better at a higher margin. This enabled her to increase her profits by 10%.

By investing your time in our entrepreneurs, building their business self confidence and sharing ideas you are able to make a real fundamental difference

Powerful & Inspiring Female #Entrepreneurs of #Malawi #womeninbusiness

Our Malawian female entrepreneurs are an inspiring group. I am amazed at what these women achieve. Running a business is impressive enough, these women often run 2, or 3 whilst having a full time job,and being a Mum not just to their own children but to other orphaned children as well. The commitment that these ladies have to their families is incredible.

Meet Grace, she is a Mum, as well as a full time secondary school teacher, running two businesses. She has started
a tailoring company and a nursery school. Her tailoring business she runs from her home, employing local tailors to make school uniforms. Working with her British consultant, Ashwin, they focused on the cost of her selling trips around Malawi, increasing her market and record keeping. She recently set up a nursery school in the area, when her niece had no where to send her daughter. Together they helped to create one additional tailoring job and 25% increase in profits.

Meet Chikondi. She works full time and is a mum. She also runs a guest house, is building a second one from the profits of her first, and is also running a bar restaurant in Blantyre, Malawi. With the help of her British consultants Tope and Joby she increased her profits by offering commission to local taxi drivers. She is now going live with a website in the New Year.

Spending time with these entrepreneurs I am amazed at how hard working they are, and what they manage to achieve whilst having so many additional responsibilities. To then take on an additional task of working with a Grow Movement consultant for 3 months and the extra work that that entails just impresses me beyond belief. These women are incredible and I am so proud that Grow Movement has the opportunity to be partnering with the National Association of Business Women (NABW) to support their businesses and enable them to create more jobs in their community.

Claire Jenkins CEO Grow Movement