Rwanda, tucked into the hills of east Africa’s Rift Valley, is a small country with a tragic history and an outsized impact on African politics and international development. Three years ago, I landed in the capital, Kigali, and discovered a country striving to leap from poverty to middle-income in one generation, a country that preferred a vibrant economy to international aid. To help them, I co-founded a non-profit organization, BiggerFuture, to train emerging business men and women.
Two years into this experiment, we have 70 Rwandese entrepreneurs enrolled in a two-year program, guided by a network of North American business veterans who serve as mentors. As they build their companies, these Rwandese economic pioneers are building a sustainable economy that will bring peace, stability and prosperity to their country. —David Ormesher
(Learn more about BiggerFuture online at www.pm360online.com/TheScene_0611. David Ormesher is founder and CEO of closerlook, inc., a strategic marketing agency serving healthcare. He can be contacted at dormesher@closerlook.com, and on Twitter at @ormshr.)
Bigger Future attendees participate in small-group discussions, part of a quarterly planning exercise that brings volunteer U.S. entrepreneurs to Rwanda to help business owners. (Natasha Mazur Photo)
Lydie Hakizimana, owner of Drakkar, a Rwandese publishing company. She’s working to bring world-class education to schools in villages across the country to support a competitive, knowledge-based economy.
David Helmer, an entrepreneur from Indianapolis, coaching Efrem Mutashya, owner of a large coffee plantation, during a half-day “speed consulting” session.
Strategic planning tools from a partnership with The Strategic Coach are a part of the workshop curriculum.
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