Are you an entrepreneur in the energy sector? Apply for the Cooking Energy Business Growth Fund by December 19
Are you an entrepreneur in the energy sector? Apply for the Cooking Energy Business Growth Fund by December 19
Energising Development (EnDev), a multi-donor funded, multi-country initiative that supports sustainable access to modern energy, seeks applicants for their Cooking Energy Business Growth Fund (CEBGF) for Rwanda. The Fund is implemented by GIZ, a German development agency, and SNV, a Netherlands Development Organisation, in partnership with Inkomoko Entrepreneurship Development and funded by the European Union and Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. Through the Fund, EnDev aims to identify and support up to ten companies and cooperatives in Rwanda with outstanding ideas that create affordable and clean cooking solutions that will improve household cooking practices in Rwanda. These ideas should also address Rwanda’s environmental and health challenges, such as indoor pollution and deforestation.
EnDev will offer successful businesses an investment grant to support implementing one or more clearly defined goals with this initiative. CBEGF will also include a capacity-building offer from Inkomoko Entrepreneurship Development, covering training, business assessment, investment readiness, and pitch presentation.
Selected or winning companies and cooperatives will receive grant funding, cash prizes, and in-kind support for their business idea with a total cost of up to RWF 50 million. CEBGF shall support 10% to 80% of the total cost of implementing the business idea.
Interested applicants should fulfil the following criteria to apply:
- Idea or business must reduce the consumption of firewood or switch to other types of cooking energy (except LPG)
- The business must be registered with the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) or Rwanda Cooperative Society (RCA)
- The total investment required to implement the idea or solution should not be above 50 million Rwandan francs
- The business must be seeking funding for 10% to 80% of the total cost of implementing the business idea or solution
- The business must have been in operation for at least six months
Applications will be evaluated based on the following:
- Expected benefits of the proposed activity or idea
- Economic viability and sustainability of the proposed activity or idea
- Viability, robustness and institutional strengths of the business (e.g. team composition, assets, own financial contribution, prior recognition)
- The degree to which the proposal accelerates sustainable market development for improved/clean cooking solutions in Rwanda, avoiding market distortion or unfair competition (e.g., third-party funded free distribution)
To apply for the Fund, visit: Application form
Apply for the Innovation for Climate Resilience Fund.
Apply for the Innovation for Climate Resilience Fund.
The Global Innovation Fund (GIF), a UK-based non-profit impact investment fund, has launched the Innovation for Climate Resilience Fund. The Fund seeks to support entrepreneurs in climate resilience and adaptation and was established in partnership with the Adaption Research Alliance and Global Resilience Partnership, with seed funding from the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
The Fund aims to address the challenge of generating evidence of impact and scalability of climate innovations through working with innovators to improve the rigor of measurement and evaluation towards climate resilience and adaptation.
The Innovation for Climate Resilience fund will finance innovators through grants, equity, and debt instruments, whose innovations demonstrate potential to scale and support the world’s poorest to build resilience and adaption. Global Innovation Fund has a staged funding approach where innovations in the pilot stage can receive up to USD 230 000, innovations in the testing and transition stage receive up to USD 2.3 million, and innovations in the scaling-up stage receive up to USD 15 million.
Innovations eligible for funding should fulfil the following:
- Have an innovation focused on the poor
- Present novel approaches
- Be able to improve upon alternative solutions
- Have innovations backed by evidence of potential impact
- Innovation can be applied in several different settings
- Demonstrate a potential to scale to reach millions of people
- Be led by strong and dynamic teams
- Be ready for investment
- Demonstrate potential to generate new knowledge on what works
- Demonstrate a clear role for Global Innovation Fund
To apply for the Fund, visit Innovation for Climate Resilience Fund.
SME Response Clinic hosts radio show Supporting Entrepreneurs’ Wellbeing during COVID-19 on KT Radio in partnership with the Geruka Healing Centre
SME Response Clinic hosts radio show Supporting Entrepreneurs’ Wellbeing during COVID-19 on KT Radio in partnership with the Geruka Healing Centre
On 18 October 2021, the SME Response Clinic launched the Building Back Healthier Series with a session on KT Radio’s Ubyumbwa Ute? radio show in partnership with the Geruka Healing Centre. This conversation aimed to support small business owners with insights to positively impact their wellbeing, featuring expert psychologists in conversation with entrepreneurs.
As one of the fastest-growing economies on the African continent, Rwanda has earned a reputation for innovation in many sectors, including the implementation of different measures to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The government formed a robust nationwide response in March 2020, which included lockdowns and curfews. While effective, these measures have affected the lives and businesses of Rwandans, including their mental health and wellbeing.
The Geruka Healing Centre, which was established in 2019 to respond to the mental health and psychological needs of Rwandans, has seen an increase in demand for services from entrepreneurs over the course of the pandemic. In addition to seeking strategies for maintaining their own personal wellbeing, businesses have also been looking for guidance and financial support for the well-being of their employees.
Early on, the radio session discussed that understanding warning signs for people struggling experiencing challenges with mental health is usually difficult. However, Dr Vincent Sezibera, interviewed during the radio show, explained that there are clear biological, psychological, and social signs. A symptom of deteriorating mental health can manifest itself through depression or stress. People may express that they “feel lonely” or are “falling asleep all the time.” Some may experience loss of appetite or concentration. Regardless of the way it manifests, it is important to get help once you see the signs.
“The number of days you experience a mental health issue is not [important]. What’s important is that you look for mental health support once those manifestations [begin to] lead to significant social or occupational impairment or when you do feel not comfortable and there have been changes in how and what you enjoyed doing before.” – Dr Vincent Sezibera
In addition to Dr Vincent Sezibera, the radio show also featured two entrepreneurs, Gloria Girabawe, Founder of Flove, and Jeannette Umutoniwase, Founder of Inzira Dreamz Networks. Read on to learn more about Jeannette’s and Gloria’s stories.
Jeannette’s Story
Jeannette Umutoniwase is the founder of Inzira Dreamz Networks, a social enterprise that supports women and youth empowerment by teaching them how to be self-reliant through entrepreneurship activities like crafting clothes, bags, and shoes. Jeannette is passionate about giving hope to the community, especially young people, and creating positive transformation, so she also offers leadership coaching and self-awareness training. During the pandemic, Jeannette’s business suffered because the markets were closed, and its products could be sold. Jeannette and her coworkers felt overwhelmed, depressed, angry, and sad. Because she could not meet in person with her colleagues, she also felt isolated and lonely.
She began to worry about her mental health. Jeannette was able to regain her well-being by reaching out for professional support and sharing resources with those working in the same field experiencing similar hardships. She realized that she wasn’t the only one affected by the lockdowns. Jeannette began using digital tools like Zoom to stay connected with her workmates, which helped, and to interact with customers. As businesses have begun opening back up, Jeannette has slowly gained back her customers. She feels reassured in her ability to communicate swiftly with her customers, address concerns, and serve the market.
Gloria’s Story
Gloria is the founder of Flove, a Rwandan company that hires teen mothers to produce handbags for women. Her passion as an entrepreneur is empowering women. With Flove, Gloria creates job opportunities, pays a livable wage, and fosters a safe space to talk about mental health issues. Like Jeannette, she also organizes workshops on mental wellbeing so that her employees can learn to cope with trauma and mental health issues.
Gloria launched her business during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and noticed warning signs of a nervous breakdown – defined as a period of extreme mental or emotional stress – in herself after a few months of lockdown. She began to feel discouraged, exhausted, less productive and stressed. She launched her business during an extremely challenging time and needed someone to speak to so that she could validate business ideas. She realized that her mental well-being was suffering. At one point, she went to the hospital with symptoms similar to COVID-19 but tested negative. Gloria knew that she needed to improve her personal wellbeing so that she could be the best boss and run a thriving business for her staff.
Gloria learned by experience that one of the ways to cope with mental health issues is to seek out other business owners and share experiences. Gloria met with other entrepreneurs so that she could communicate her frustrations and test out her ideas. Because she saw that other businesswomen were experiencing similar challenges, Gloria’s depression began to ease. Dr Sezibera and other mental health experts agree – it is critical for business owners to talk about their challenges and struggles with peers and professionals, like Gloria. Doing so is the first step toward building back healthier.
Building Back Healthier
Jeannette and Gloria are building back healthier by maintaining their connections with the community and their customers. They are working with their peers to support each other to overcome the hardships and impacts of the pandemic. Dr. Sezibera agrees that these are important tools to positively impact mental health and wellbeing – talking to others, sharing resources, and staying in touch are key.
See our blog post featuring tips and tools for small business owners to improve their wellbeing, and stay tuned for our next webinar, which will be held on our Facebook and YouTube channels in early December.
Supporting Entrepreneurs’ Wellbeing During COVID-19: Tools and Tips to Build Back Healthier
Supporting Entrepreneurs’ Wellbeing During COVID-19: Tools and Tips to Build Back Healthier
Building back after a difficult time is always stressful. Entrepreneurs have faced unprecedented pressure as they work to re-open their businesses and recover from losses while maintaining and ensuring their health and wellbeing as the COVID-19 pandemic drags on.
During a recent radio show that aired on KT Radio, the SME Response Clinic and Geruka Healing Centre shared tips for how entrepreneurs and businesses can manage stress and burnout related to the everchanging business environment. Read on for more.
Tips for entrepreneurs and small business owners
Take care of yourself.
The day-to-day hustle and the need to stay on top of market and supplier demands makes it difficult to find time to care for yourself. It’s important to take time to enjoy simple things like listening to music and exercising after work to help prepare for the next workday. Some entrepreneurs have found practicing breathing exercises or walking back home from work to be helpful. Taking time to practice mindfulness after a hectic day is a great way to take care of yourself.
Be gentle with yourself.
Do not blame yourself for things that are out of your control, such as government lockdowns or the availability of COVID-19 vaccines. Instead, take stock of the things you can control and focus on what you can accomplish in a given day. Set realistic goals to help build a sense of fulfillment.
Practice a healthy lifestyle.
Maintaining a healthy diet, drinking enough water, and jogging or walking a few minutes after a long day can go a long way in maintaining a good balance in your life. There’s strong evidence that physical exercise produces an effect equivalent to antidepressants, and playing sports can help overcome depression. Reducing unhealthy coping behaviors such as alcohol and drug use are also important in improving overall wellbeing.
Connect with others.
Although measures such as curfews have halted physical meet ups with loved ones, some people have found it useful to stay socially connected through texts, calls, and virtual events. These activities build a sense of belonging and togetherness during difficult times. Look for opportunities to connect with those around you, and if none exist, reach out and schedule time for a group call or start a group chat on WhatsApp.
Avoid misinformation.
With the onset of the pandemic, we’ve seen an uptick in misinformation circulating on social media and other channels. Staying up to date on the latest information about the pandemic is key for entrepreneurs in order to stay ahead of the competition, but overloading yourself with misinformation can increase anxiety. You may access accurate information on COVID-19 here: https://www.rbc.gov.rw/index.php?id=707 or how to look for information safely here: https://cyber.gov.rw/updates/article/7-tips-to-be-safe-online/.
Put your phone down once in a while.
While phones and digital tools have been critical during the pandemic, reducing excessive use of technological equipment during the day may help your brain rest and reset. Normalize having time away from technological devices such as your phone or computer, and take time to bond and build connections with people around you.
Seek professional help.
In Kinyarwanda, we say “Ibuye ryagaragaye ntiriba rikishe isuka,” which loosely translates to, “a stone visible in the field can no longer destroy a hoe”. As an entrepreneur, if you continue to see signs of depression or anxiety, it’s important to seek out professional support in your area. Seeking help is not a sign of weakness! Please reach out to Geruka Healing Centre for mental health support.
Tips to implement for your business
Create safe and open workspaces.
Employees should be able to share distresses or challenges that arise from work. Build in peer support networks and allow employees to share their feelings and stressors. Whenever possible, have a professional facilitate the conversations.
Recognize and acknowledge employee efforts.
Appreciate employee sacrifices and reward them when you can for their hard work during challenging times, such as by giving time off. Building strong relationships between the employee and employer helps boosts employee morale and ultimately results in reduced risk of stress and burnout.
Provide access to information.
Give employees access to important information on how to manage stress and burnout as well as useful health and wellness techniques for selfcare. For some people, having this knowledge easily accessible will promote a positive change. Techniques could include writing down on a piece of paper what’s stressing you along with how you know it is causing you stress and an idea or two for what you can do about it. Visit this SME Response Clinic for more health and wellness tips.
Ensure emotional and physical safety.
Safety and security are key for employees wellbeing. Promoting a safe and secure work environment will build trust and a sense of ownership. Honor and respect your staff by giving them enough time to adjust as needed to upcoming changes at work to encourage a smooth transition and avoid mental shocks.
Building Back Healthier
The silver lining from the COVID-19 pandemic could be that we have learned to change the way we work, confront our day-to-day stresses, and talk about our needs. By turning inward to better understand emotions and cultivate compassion, it’s easier for business owners and leaders to address employee’s concerns and build resilience for any future challenges they may confront. Stay tuned for more from the SME Response Clinic on the topic!
Join us in our up coming webinar about “Practical Strategies for Coping with Stress”
Join us in our up coming webinar about “Practical Strategies for Coping with Stress”
The SME Response Clinic in partnership with Geruka Healing Center will be holding a live discussion as part of the Building Back Healthier Series. Building off the radio show that launched the series, the webinar will focus on supporting entrepreneurs with practical strategies to cope with stress.
The discussion will take place on Friday, 12th November 2021 at 2 pm via the SME Response Clinic Facebook page and YouTube Channel. The discussions will feature Dr Jean Pierre Ndagijimana, Co-Founder, Rwanda Psychological Society (RPS), Johnson Runuya, Founder & CEO, Johnson The Baker, and Claudine Tuyisenge Founder & Manager, Kicirwanda. The discussions will be in Kinyarwanda
Meet Mushiyimana Beatrice, KCB Bank Biashara Club Member.
Meet Mushiyimana Beatrice, KCB Bank Biashara Club Member.
The SME Response Clinic spoke with Mushiyimana Beatrice, a small business owner and member of the KCB Bank Biashara Club, about the Biashara Club’s impact on her business. Beatrice highlighted the numerous benefits of membership, including access to training and lower-interest financing. Watch the interview to learn more.
To learn more, watch the video and visit KCB Bank Biashara Club to register to become a Biashara Club member.
Are you a social business with a solution for sustainable food systems looking to scale up? Apply for the Grow Up Social Incubator by November 21!
Are you a social business with a solution for sustainable food systems looking to scale up? Apply for the Grow Up Social Incubator by November 21!
Yunus Environment Hub, a global social business network focused on creating solutions for the environmental crisis, is launching its 2022 cohort of the GrowUp Incubator for social businesses focusing on sustainable food systems in East Africa. The GrowUp Incubator aims to support and grow the skills of early-stage entrepreneurs who can create sustainable environmental and social impact. The cohort will support social business entrepreneurs in Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Burundi. The program provides critical support to social business entrepreneurs in a post-revenue stage.
Why should you join the Grow Up Social Incubator?
Successful applicants will receive access to the following benefits through the 6-month program:
- Bi-weekly tailored mentorship
- Interactive capacity-building bootcamp and training
- Networking with local partners
- Peer-to-peer support to share challenges and discover solutions
Who is eligible to apply?
To be eligible, your business must:
- Be located in one of the above-mentioned target countries in East Africa
- Solve a challenge within one or more thematic areas related to food systems
- Be beyond the experimentation stage
- Have your product/service on the market for 6 months to 3 years
- Be legally registered or plan on doing it during the incubation program
- Be led by a person or by the community (i.e., through a cooperative model)
- Be able to demonstrate substantial environmental and social impact
- Be in pre-seed investment but the post-revenue stage
- Have accumulated sales to date of approximately 10,000 – 25,000 USD
- Have 2-3 people from the team who will participate in the program
- Have regular access to stable internet to participate in mentoring sessions and cohort events
How to apply
Social businesses that are eligible can apply by completing the application form here.
If you are interested in becoming a mentor for the cohort, please find the Terms of Reference and apply here.
Application Deadline: 21 November 2021
For more information,
Email: Anna.Khudiiash@yunuseh.com.
How to network your way to building a robust business
How to network your way to building a robust business
If you want to build a robust business, it is important to get out there, make connections, and network with others. Business networking involves connecting with potential customers and other individuals who might refer business to you. It also means making contact with people who can provide key information that can help you grow your business and is based on creating trusting relationships with other businesspeople.
Networking helps you promote your business and can lead to new opportunities, both very important as business owners seek to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic. Of course, with the disruptions caused by the pandemic, which have meant fewer chances to meet others in person, there has been a shift to networking virtually, which can actually offer you more opportunities to build connections across borders.
Below are some key reasons why networking is important for your small business and tips on how to network well to achieve your business goals.
- Networking is a great way to acquire new business leads. Leveraging the contacts you make when you meet people can open doors for business opportunities. Always communicate professionally when you follow up on leads, be sensitive to timing (for example, send that email when you promised to), and use common courtesy when following up.
- Networking can help you to identify business best practices. Learning from what others do is a valuable strategy for all businesses. For example, suppose you own a wholesale store and belong to an association. Ask around to find programs that other members use for stock management or other critical operational tasks that you can bring back to your own business.
- Regular networking will help you build confidence. It will help you become more familiar with talking to people you don’t know over time, enhancing your communications skills and enabling you to make lasting connections that can bring both positive professional and personal results.
- Networking is a great way to make relevant connections. It will enable you to meet and engage with highly influential people you wouldn’t otherwise be able to talk to or find easily. You can call on these new connections for assistance when you need them. So be sure to ask the right questions to find out if the person you are networking with knows who you want to know.
Don’t wait until you have run out of opportunities to start networking. Be sure to start making these connections to expand the number of opportunities that come your way!
Are you an early or growth stage startup interested in scaling your business? Apply for the THRIVE VIII Accelerator program 2022
Are you an early or growth stage startup interested in scaling your business? Apply for the THRIVE VIII Accelerator program 2022
The THRIVE Accelerator program seeks applicants for the THRIVE VIII Accelerator program 2022. The program targets and supports early and growth-stage startups active in various agriculture value chains to facilitate their business growth. The annual program offers a three month virtual and in-person training that provides investment opportunities and direct access to practical learnings from Central California’s largest agriculture companies.
Why should you join the program?
By joining the program, successful applicants will get the following benefits:
- Investment funding of up to $100,000 ($50,000 cash, $50k in program value).
- Access to an extensive partner network inclusive of over 6,000 farmers, growers, and agriculture partners for technology adoption
- Mentorship and coaching from experts and industry leaders from our extensive global entrepreneur network
- Participation in our award-winning program that will validate your startup to potential investors and give you access to THRIVE’s ecosystem
Who is eligible to apply?
To be eligible, applicants must have technologies that drive towards a more efficient, sustainable and secure agriculture future with a focus on:
- Supply chain management and traceability
- Big data and predictive analytics
- Biotechnology
- Indoor farming
- Animal health and livestock
How to apply
Eligible startups can apply by filling in the form here.
Application Deadline: 05th November 2021.
For more information, visit https://thriveagrifood.com/
Struggling to manage Internet costs for your small business? Here are ways to optimize your Internet usage.
Struggling to manage Internet costs for your small business? Here are ways to optimize your Internet usage.
Due to the pandemic, most businesses globally are working remotely, and as a result, there is increased demand for Internet connectivity. However, increased demand has come alongside higher costs. Internet service is an essential tool for improving competitiveness and efficiency, reaching customers, and interacting with vendors, and with the Covid-19 pandemic, it has become even more critical. Business owners in Rwanda are already struggling to maintain their businesses afloat are now also grappling with this added expense.
- Determine the data speed and reliability you need
Internet speeds are determined by how much data the connection can download or upload per second—often referred to in Mbps (megabits per second) or Gbps (gigabits per second). The speed and reliability also depend on your location and the data plan you have. Business owners must engage service providers to test data speeds at their locations; this helps you understand whether the connection will be fast enough and offer a performance quality suited for services and applications you use. It also helps you avoid overspending. Businesses can also take advantage of several tools available on the Internet to evaluate data speed needs, such as https://www.verizonwireless.com/freedom/datacalculator.html.
- Choose an appropriate Internet connection
There are different types of Internet connections, offering various performances in terms of data speed and mobility. These include optical fibre, cable, satellite, WiFi, and 3G/4G mobile networks. While the different types of connections are associated with various pros and cons, the choice of connection typically depends on your requirements. In terms of reliability and link uptime, broadband WiFi Internet and Mobile WiFi routers (Mifi) serve as a clear leader against using 3G/4G mobile networks. Mifi routers are the best option for businesses having less than five users who are working remotely. For companies with more than five workers, broadband Internet provides a suitable connection. It allows you to connect up to 10 devices at the same time.
- Reduce unnecessary streaming
Streaming of any kind (music, videos, etc.) increases data usage dramatically. Video streaming is especially something to be cautious about when you need bandwidth for other tasks such as online marketing or virtual meetings. When using apps like Facebook or YouTube, ensure to switch off ‘auto play’ and decide which videos you want to open and watch. You can also cut back on data usage from streaming by watching videos in standard definition instead of high definition. When watching a video, you can select the data usage options auto or low, which consume less data than watching in medium or high that consume more data. Businesses can also consider restricting users to limit streaming, ensuring they instead use bandwidth for more critical tasks for business operations.
- Schedule data usage according to business activities
Business activity usually rises and falls according to predictable schedules. Many companies operate on a nine-to-five schedule, while some experience peak activity when the sunsets. Scheduling activities and data usage according to this pattern allows further optimization of digital resources. Suppose your business operates on a nine-to-five basis. Here, you can limit backups and software updates until the evening when operations are done and save a particularly intensive update or backup for the weekend instead. A company that has activities concentrated in the evenings and on weekends should consider the opposite schedule. These backups and updates are critical; remember, if your software isn’t up to date, you can suffer from seriously decreased performance, and you may also risk losing important information if data backup is not done regularly.
The actions above are not exhaustive on optimizing your Internet usage, but they are a strong starting point. Let us know how they work for you via this email: smeresponseclinic@gmail.com