Could business consultancy via a local business advisor work?

Eric ready and waiting to talk grow!

A challenge we face in Rwanda is being able to offer our services to a wide audience. Our consultants mainly speak English, French, German, Spanish, Hindi and Arabic. We have very few Kinyarwanda (Rwandese local language) speakers. This means that there is a considerable number of entrepreneurs that we are unable to assist.

Recruiting Kinyarwanda speakers from the Diaspora communities in Canada, UK and the USA has been positive yet we still do not have enough. So in line with our organisational value of 'Continuous Improvement', what could we do to improve?

With the BDF team in Kigali

Eric and I went to visit BDF in Rwanda, the Business Development Fund http://www.bdf.rw/.  BDF Ltd is a new company established to support SMEs in form of on and off farm Credit Guarantee, Lines of Credit, Matching Grants as well as Advisory Services.  

Many of their clients receiving funding are Kinyarwandan speakers only so would be unable to benefit from Grow services. Or could there by a way? Eric and I discussed with Janet and Livingston the possibility of trialling using Grow consultants supporting BDF business advisors as they coach local businesses.

Eric and I liked this idea as not only would we be able to provide support to Kinyarwandan speakers, but also enhance the skills base of business advisors as they start off in their new roles.

What do you think? Can consultancy work via a business advisor who then translates with a local client?