"Stand Bold": Emelienne Blogs 10,000 Women Program

As many of you know, Emelienne Nyirumana (right), the Treasurer of Indego Africa's partner co-op Cocoki, was accepted into the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women Initiative in Rwanda this summer (learn more HERE and HERE). We are excited to announce that Emelienne will be blogging her experience at the School of Finance & Banking in Kigali over the next several months. Please enjoy her first post and note that all comments will be passed directly on to Emelienne!

STAND BOLD, by Emelienne Nyirumana, Sept. 17, 2010.

My name is Emelienne Nyirumana, I am one of the members of Cocoki and I am one of the businesswomen who were able to pass the exam in order to be accepted in Goldman Sachs trainings Group 5. We started the trainings on July 12. The first lesson was “The Essential Things in Doing Business” by Dr. Bideri. During the three day training session, I learned many things that will benefit Cocoki such as: what is business, where and how to do business, human resource management, business planning and many other topics. In the afternoons, we had a wonderful course called “The Entrepreneurs Mindset.” Using some of the interesting stories of different people, Dr. Murty taught us what an entrepreneur is, different types of entrepreneurs, and he concluded by giving us an example of a business plan. He gave us practical advice and kept telling us to “Think out of the box.”

The second phase started on August 2nd with Mr. Jean Bosco Kabagambe, teaching us how to evaluate ourselves, our experience, strengths and weaknesses so that we may start a business. We learned also different types of businesses, their similarities and differences with cooperatives, how to register a business, taxes, how you can get funds to start a business. During this session, we were visited by one of the Goldman Sach’s last year’s graduate, an entrepreneur businesswoman called Christine Murebwayire. Using her own business as example, she showed us how she started her business after graduating from Goldman Sachs. Her experience was very helpful since we all could see that everything is possible when you work hard.

On August 4th, we started a course called “Service in Rwanda” by Rose Baguma, lecturer at School of Finance and Banking. Rose shared with us the results of the research made in Rwanda about service, which showed that Rwanda has many things to change in terms of service. We evaluated our businesses in terms of service delivery.

On the 5th, Dr. Brow helped us review our business plans and present them in front of the class. He helped us in identifying the weaknesses and strengths of our businesses and how we can expand. I liked this session because it helped me to stand bold and present my business plan in front of many people. Dr. Brown concluded on the 6th showing and explaining how and why our business plans should bring in a new value that none has done before (creativity and innovation).

The third phase started on August 16th. During this phase we focused on Marketing Strategies. Mr. Steven Musonera, from the USA, showed us the difference between a business plan and a marketing plan, why we should have an updated marketing plan and why it needs to be customer centered.

On August 19th, Dr. Moses Kayijuka introduced the Public Relations course to us. We learned about the impact of communication on businesses; for example we have to know how to communicate with our customers, with our employees, and how to treat people related to your business.

Until my next post!
- Emelienne

Indego Africa Wins Prestigious Fair Trade Award!

Indego Africa is excited to announce that it has received the Fair Trade Federation's award for “Most Positive Change in a Producer Community,” which was given at the 2010 Fair Trade Futures Conference. “Indego Africa stood out among the six nominees for this particular award,” remarked Carmen K. Iezzi, Fair Trade Federation executive director, in a press release. “Their innovative business and education model creates a broad, deep, and sustainable impact on the artisans’ lives.”

Indego is a proud member of the Fair Trade Federation, a trade association that strengthens and promotes more than 150 North American organizations fully committed to Fair Trade, which has strict membership requirements reserved only for organizations that demonstrate a commitment to the long-term development of their artisan partners. As a Fair Trade Organization, Indego Africa has been evaluated for its full commitment to nine Fair Trade Principles, including transparency, capacity-building, paying promptly and fairly, environmental sustainability, and safe and empowering workplaces (learn more at indegoafrica.org/fairtrade). Indego Africa is committed to the highest standards of integrity and ethics in all relations with its producers and the community organizations that support them, and is proud to have been recognized by the Fair Trade Federation for these commitments. Thanks FTF!

- Matt

Yoga Bag Bonanza

One of Indego Africa’s most popular product lines is our stylish, useful, and high quality Yoga Bag Collection. Hand crafted by the remarkable women artisans at Cocoki cooperative in Rwanda, and available in a wide selection of striking prints and colors, these fair trade Yoga Bags are the perfect addition to any yoga gear!

Indego Africa's Yoga Bags are handcrafted from Dutch wax cloth and have a beautiful African motif that makes a statement at the gym or on the go. The zipper up the side also allows for easy packing and unpacking while a separate pocket creates a place for wallets, keys, or other essentials.

Sold by Bikram Yoga in NYC and on our online shop, these bags are quickly becoming a fixture on the New York yoga scene. Indeed, they have been featured on the awesome Yoga Peeps blog while Cocoki’s other textile products were recently showcased in Food & Wine Magazine.

Finally, get excited because Indego Africa has just announced the online launch of two new limited-edition prints in "teal peacock" and "lime green"! Don't hesitate . . . SHOP NOW!

- Dana Fetch, Fall 2010 Sales & Marketing Intern

Interview with Conor French, Indego Africa's New CFO

An interview between Indego Africa (IA) and its new chief financial officer Conor French (CF) (pictured far right in the North Cascades).

IA: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

CF: Absolutely. Raised in the vibrant Cape Verdean community in New Bedford, Mass., but with enough days under my belt in prep school to fastidiously tie a Double Windsor and on the west coast to perfect a lazysurfer’s drawl, I am on the one hand a product of the remarkably diverse environments in which I have been fortunate to live, both in the U.S. and abroad. By trade, I am on the other hand a pretty experienced corporate attorney. Perhaps self-interestedly, I like to think there is vast potential in blending proven training and expertise in a more conventional field – for me, law generally and leveraged finance – with firsthand knowledge and insight acquired living and working in a broad array of socio-cultural and political settings.

IA: What was your turning point in jumping from corporate law to social enterprise?

CF: There really wasn’t one. The sole stock of a couple of hippies/1960s era idealists, my assimilation into corporate culture probably ranked alongside Jimi Hendrix’s premature death as their greatest disappointment. I had to emerge at some point, if only to save face at family dinners. In all seriousness, I enrolled in law school with an unwavering, long-term objective of empowering myself to foment change in my community and the communities around me. While I could have never imagined at the time that that commitment would deliver me to this particular calling, I am thrilled that my strengths, skill-set, and experiences enable me to work with IA in creating such meaningful opportunities for these extraordinary artisan women in Rwanda.

IA: Where did the motivation come from to address issues of development in Africa?

CF: It would be easiest to probably point to a stint living in Kenya during college, but truthfully it goes back to my unshakable belief in the interconnectedness of all people. My favorite quote is from Australian Aboriginal activist Lily Walker, who once said: “If you come here to help me, then you are wasting your time. But if you come here because your liberation is bound up in mine, then let us begin.” With the meteoric clip at which global interactions increase every day, it is incumbent upon us to recognize that we are all inextricably linked as a people and that injustice, even if borne by another, deeply and profoundly affects us all.

Central Africa has undergone seismic socio-political and economic shifts over the past couple decades and breaking the interrelated cycles of poverty and inter-ethnic conflict is crucial to bringing peace and stability to Rwanda in particular and Central Africa in general. The communities in which IA operates continue to reel under the weight of protracted poverty and IA tackles head-on root causes ranging from an acute scarcity of income-earning opportunities to inadequate job and management skills in a changing economy.

IA: What stood out about IA as opposed to other non-profits you surveyed in the social entrepreneurship space?

CF: Two things: vision and professionalism. I think that anyone who does their homework on IA grasps the innovation and power of the model and mission, especially with regard to sustainability and responsibility to the artisan women, so I will focus on the latter. By professionalism, I really refer to IA’s principled adherence to values such as transparency, good governance, and best business practices. The collective academic pedigree of the IA staff is certainly impressive, but it is its business experience and acumen that probably stands out the most. I see tremendous prescience and wisdom in assembling and running a non-profit, social enterprise as effectively and efficiently as a Fortune 500 company.
IA: What is something that nobody would know about you?

CF: Probably a tie between being related to Kenny G. (pictured right with Conor and Conor's mom) and having characters named after me on Guiding Light and Saturday Night Live. On an unrelated note, I am still pretty furious that I didn’t get Kenny G.’s flowing locks.

IA: What do think IA can accomplish with you onboard?

CF: Anything (laughing). IA has such a diverse and talented staff already in place and, coupled with the energetic backing of five regional boards and an extensive support network, we are poised to scale our operations and really deepen our impact in Rwanda and perhaps beyond. So many of the pieces are already in place and it is up to us and our supporters to make it happen. Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose!