Building resilience for your small business through challenging times
As Rwanda faces an uptick in COVID-19 infections and the government mandates new measures aimed at preventing a third wave, the SME Response Clinic wants to take a moment to recognize the challenges you face as a small business owner. Entrepreneurs like you have come so far in navigating the unchartered waters of a truly unprecedented health and economic crisis, but new developments indicate that there is further yet to go.
Micro-, small- and medium-enterprises (MSMEs) make up 97% of businesses in the country, contributing to 55% of total GDP and employing over 40% of Rwanda’s population (Microsave Report, 2017). The start and stop of operations for many if not most businesses over the past year and a half has had a tremendous impact on the economy but also importantly on the financial health of individual entrepreneurs like you and, importantly, your families. In addition to and often caused by the significant negative economic impact resulting from the pandemic, we are all struggling with challenges that affect our wellbeing. Increased levels of stress and anxiety make our day-to-day even tougher. Studies of entrepreneurs in Rwanda (as well as globally) undertaken in recent months indicate that business owners are facing high levels of anxiety caused by uncertainty about the future.
This uncertainty is not surprising as you work to navigate new and rapidly evolving regulations, make changes to your business operations to work to stay afloat, and manage relationships with your suppliers and customers remotely rather than face-to-face. You do all of this while working to ensure your families are healthy and safe.
Since our launch in May 2020, the SME Response Clinic has sought to provide you with updates and tips relevant to managing your business through the various challenges that have arisen and continue to arise as a result of the pandemic. Now, we want to offer you the opportunity to also focus on yourself so that you can in turn better manage your business, positively impacting your family, your employees, and your community at large.
Over the next few months, we will be providing simple tools to support you in building business resilience. These will include short videos, articles, and audio recordings that you can use to manage stress and maintain a positive outlook in the months ahead.
Stay in touch with us at smeresponseclinic@gmail.com and remember to stay safe!
Kubaka ubushobozi bw’ikigo cy’ubucuruzi gito mu bihe bigoye
Mu gihe u Rwanda ruhanganye n’ikibazo cy’izamuka ry’ubwandu bwa COVID-19 na guverinoma ikaba iri gushyiraho ingamba nshya zigamije gukumira umuvuduko wa gatatu w’ubwo bwandu, SME Response Clinic irashaka gufata umwanya wo kwemera ingorane muhura nazo mwebwe nk’abantu mufite ibigo by’ubucuruzi bito. Ba rwiyemezamirimo nkamwe bageze kure boga mu nyanja itarigeze imenywa y’ikibazo cy’ubuzima n’ihungabana ry’ubukungu kitigeze kibaho, ariko ibigenda bigerwaho bishya biragaragaza ko hakiri intera igomba guterwa.
Ibigo by’ubucuruzi bito n’Ibiciriritse (MSME) bigize 97% by’ibigo by’ubucuruzi byose byo mu gihugu, bikagira n’uruhare rungana na 55% by’umusaruro mbumbe w’Igihugu (GDP) kandi bikanaba bikoresha abantu bangana na 40% by’abaturage bose b’u Rwanda ( Microsave Report, 2017). Itangira n’ihagarara ry’ibikorwa bya byinshi muri ibyo bigo mu mwaka umwe n’igice ushize byagize ingaruka nyinshi ku bukungu ariko cyane cyane ku buzima bw’urwego rw’imari bwa ba rwiyemezamirimo bikorera ku giti cyabo nkamwe no ku miryango yanyu. Byongeye kandi bitewe n’ingaruka mbi zo mu rwego rw’ubukungu, twese duhanganye n’ingorane zihungabanya imibereho myiza yacu. Agahinda no kugira impungenge cyane bituma imibereho ya buri munsi irushaho gukomera. Ubushakashatsi kuri ba rwiyemezamirimo bo mu Rwanda bwakozwe mu mezi ashize bugaragaza ko abacuruzi bafite impungenge nyinshi baterwa no kutamenya neza uko ejo bizaba bimeze.
Uku kutamenya neza uko ejo bizaba bimeze ntibitangaje bitewe nuko mukora mwivuruguta mu mabwiriza mashya kandi agenda ahindagurika mu buryo bwihuse, mukagenda mukora impinduka mu bikorwa by’ubucuruzi bwanyu kugira ngo mubashe gukomeza gukora, munacunga imikoranire yanyu n’abo muranguraho ibicuruzwa n’abakiriya banyu mu buryo bwa kure aho kubikora imbonankubone. Ibyo byose mubikora ari nako mukora ibisoboka kugira ngo imiryango yanyu irusheho kugira ubuzima bwiza kandi inagire n’umutekano.
Kuva twatangira muri Gicurasi 2020, SME Response Clinic yashakishije uburyo bwo kubagezaho amakuru ajyanye n’igihe n’uburyo bwo gucunga ubucuruzi bwanyu mu ngorane zinyuranye zavutse kandi zikomeza kuvuka bitewe n’icyorezo. Ubungubu, turashaka kubaha amahirwe yo kugira ngo mubashe kwiyibandaho mwebwe ubwanyu ku buryo namwe mubasha gucunga neza ubucuruzi bwanyu kurushaho, bikarushaho kugirira akamaro imiryango yanyu, abakozi banyu, n’abaturanyi banyu muri rusange.
Mu mezi macye ari imbere, tuzagenda tubaha udukoresho dusanzwe tuzabafasha kongera intege mu bikorwa by’ubucuruzi byanyu. Ibyo bikoresho bizaba birimo, videwo ntoya, inyandiko, n’amajwi yafashwe ku byuma mushobora gukoresha murwanya agahinda, mukanagira icyizere cy’uko amezi ari imbere azaba ari meza.
Mureke tugumane kuri smeresponseclinic@gmail.com kandi mwibuke kuguma mufite umutekano!
