For the last four weeks Steve Hindle, a Grow VC for Uganda and MSc in Development Studies Candidate has been in Malawi, researching for his dissertation on private sector development. Hear what he has to say…

Grow entrepreneur Naomi with Sophie Kumwanje

I’m now in Kampala, where I have had interesting discussions with Mohammed, Grow’s Uganda manager. I’ve also met up with my own Grow client Moses, and we will shortly visit the school where he is a director, and I’ll be fascinated to see the place that we have been discussing over the last few months.

I’m lucky to have had this time – many of my colleague VCs will only have the chance to see the difference that they make to their own clients. We can’t do everything – problems such as the lack of access to finance, poor infrastructure and lack of affordable business development schemes require concerted efforts by both government, private sector and the donor community.

But what I can say, without any doubt, is that the work of the Grow country teams and us VCs increases these entrepreneurs’ skills and abilities to take control of both their businesses and their lives, and the impact will long outlast the short period of time that we are involved.

If you ever get a chance to visit Malawi, Uganda or Rwanda, do make time to meet with the Grow teams and visit some entrepreneurs. It’s an amazing way to see first-hand how a determined entrepreneur can use Grow’s support to transform their business. ”

Tuesday, 7 April 2015

Tuesday, 3 March 2015

Grow Movement has gone walk about! Eric and the Grow Movement Rwanda team have spent the last couple of months on a new way of recruiting clients.

Tuesday, 3 March 2015

Jean Claude Ntakirutimana, a serial entrepreneur and long term client of Grow Movement runs Kigali sanitation LTD, a cleaning company which collects waste from Homes, offices and Public areas. Obsessed with business that brings about positive environmental impacts, Jean Claude continued to think out of the Box. Last year, he came up with a great idea of recycling of electronic hardware including computer which after refurbishment would be sold at a lower price to lower income earners especially in remote areas therefore promoting technology in less affluent sections of the community.

Jean Claude talking to Wouter and Himanshu

Eric, Rwanda Country Manager says “We are also grateful to both Wouter and Himanshu for investing their time and knowledge in making sure everything is ready according to FONERWA requirements. We are keeping all our fingers crossed for Jean Claude. If this project goes through, it will be yet again another amazing case study of how Grow Movement is inspiring entrepreneurs achieve dreams they wouldn’t have been able to achieve otherwise. Grow Movement team is extremely proud of Jean Claude for making the final phase of such a stiff competition.”

Tuesday, 3 March 2015

Grow Movement launched its #uganda600 impact evaluation project at London Business School last week with over 70 of its volunteers new and past. Starting in June 2015, 600 entrepreneurs in Kampala, Uganda will start working with 600 Grow Movement Consultants. Three of the Worlds most renowned business schools; London Business School, Booth School of Business Chicago and Stanford will evaluate the impact of virtual consultancy on key social and economic indicators.

Prof Naufel Vilcassim

Claire Jenkins CEO

Claire Jenkins, CEO spoke to new and existing volunteers asking for help with recruiting additional volunteers to support the evaluation. Claire is asking all consultants to ‘volunteer a peer’ for #uganda600. 600 new consultants are required by June 2015!

If you have a business peer that you think would enjoy and benefit from this experience and has 6 months available from June 2015 then please contact researchproject@growmovement.org

Tuesday, 3 March 2015