From Covanya to Kagame

Earlier this year, I participated in a Harvard Business School Immersion Experience Program that sent a 41 member team to Rwanda to work on short-term consulting projects with a host of local non-profit and for-profit organizations. LaToya Stallworth, Jacqueline Sandberg and myself opted to work with Indego Africa. As part of our project, we visited the Covanya basket-weaving cooperative in Nyamata, Rwanda and worked with the women on marketing and supply chain management. During our second day of teaching at the cooperative, we noticed a lovely blue and green plateau baskets with the name “Paul Kagame” stitched into the design. At that time we knew there was a strong chance our HBS delegation would get to meet the president of Rwanda, so we asked the creator of the basket if we could buy it from her and potentially present it to the President. When she heard the basket may be given to the president, she was ecstatic and insisted we take photographs to document the handover.

President Kagame and Tawanda.

About a week later, our visit with Mr. Paul Kagame was confirmed. Also, the leader of our delegation, Professor Wells, agreed to let the Indego team present the Covanya basket to the president! All 41 of us made our way to his offices in 6 Army-green Landcruisers. After an initial security check, we made our way to an attractive conference center. President Kagame appeared some moments later. For almost 2 hours he entertained questions from our delegation on a variety of topics ranging from his leadership influences, to his views on China-Africa partnerships. I was blown away by his humility, intelligence, and vision for Rwanda. At the end of the discussion, Professor Wells teed up our basket presentation, after delivering a gift from HBS: “Mr. President, the last gift we have for you is perhaps the most important. This is a gift from your people, specifically from a group of Rwandan women who are working to lift themselves out of poverty. I call on Tawanda to present it to you.” Nervously, I grabbed the microphone and explained the origins of the basket and how the women of Covanya would be very happy if I took a picture with him accepting the basket. The president stood up immediately and ushered me towards him for the photo opportunity. And voila! Definitely a surreal moment – a moment that was realized because of Covanya and the great work Indego has been doing with the women there.

- Tawanda Sibanda, HBS 2011