Karisimbi Business Partners

Rwanda Can Be Proud of Its Economic Progress – WSJ

Karisimbi Business Partners — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:55:14 +0000

Since 2006, one million of the country’s 11 million citizens have emerged from poverty. Read more in John Rwangombwa’s (Rwanda Minister of Finance and Planning) editorial in the Wall Street Journal.

See article here

Karisimbi Partners featured for success with pyrethrum processor

Karisimbi Business Partners — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:49:56 +0000

Karisimbi Business Partners entered into SOPYRWA’s story at a pivotal point in its history. In 2009 the company’s financial position had deteriorated rapidly and it was headed for a full bankruptcy, imperiling the pyrethrum farmers that depended on its ability to purchase the cash crop from them. Karisimbi Partners was engaged to evaluate the company, key players, market, and critical dependencies to develop the necessary interventions to position the company for a profitable future. Today, SOPYRWA is rapidly gaining market share and is poised for further growth.

Read the recent article here.

Read the Karisimbi Partners’ case study regarding SOPYRWA here.

Seth KWIZERA, Ag. Director of Industrial Development Unit, MINICOM

Karisimbi Business Partners — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 06:50:49 +0000

“Karisimbi Partners is qualified, experienced and cooperative. The team demonstrates strong experience in the field of business advisory, is able to become quickly familiarized with the situation to be assessed, and delivers constructive and trustworthy outputs.”

World Bank Vice President commends Rwanda’s Growth

Karisimbi Business Partners — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:50:57 +0000

In her recent visit to Rwanda, World Bank Vice President, Rachel Kyte “commended the Government of Rwanda’s vision and commitment for implementing successful growth-driving policies.” Kyte spoke favorably of Rwanda, commenting on the great success story of its development as it shifts from “aid to more investment,” focusing particularly on the need for Rwanda’s government to enhance Foreign Direct Investment.

Read the full article here.

Made in Rwanda Leadership Summit Co-sponsored by Karisimbi Partners

Karisimbi Business Partners — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:15:16 +0000

More than 150 delegates from Canada and Rwanda, including international thought and business leaders, will gather in Kigali, Rwanda for the inaugural Made in Rwanda Leadership Summit. The Summit is an innovative think tank centered on the themes of leadership and the development of human capital.

The inaugural event is organized by Opportunity International Canada and The Wellspring Foundation for Education and sponsored by the Rwandan Development Board, Bridge2Rwanda, Private Sector Federation, Rwanda-Canada Chamber of Commerce, Urwego Opportunity Bank of Rwanda and Karisimbi Business Partners.

Made in Rwanda Leadership Summit

Karisimbi Business Partners — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:49:28 +0000

Leaders in business from both Rwanda and Canada will gather this week for the inaugural Made in Rwanda Leadership Summit. The event, hosted by Opportunity International Canada, will feature various keynote speakers, including Carter Crockett, founder and partner of Karisimbi Business Partners. The summit is focused on exploring the power of human capital and the potential for partnerships spanning various sectors in business, education, government, etc.

Read the full article here.

Rwanda to review commodity exchange plan

Karisimbi Business Partners — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:25:38 +0000

In an effort to reward farmers with better prices by eliminating intermediaries believed to be driving up the prices of staple crops, Rwanda is working to establish the first Rwanda Commodity Exchange. If successfully implemented as planned over the next 12 months, this could be of great benefit to both agri-processors and farmers alike.

Read the full article here.

Karisimbi Partners Supports Team Karisimbi Cyclist

Karisimbi Business Partners — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:49:01 +0000

Karisimbi Partners believes in helping businesses and individuals reach the summit of their potential. Over the past few years as we have had the opportunity to work across various parts of the country and among a wide variety of business sectors, we have come in contact with some remarkable people and organizations doing amazing things. In line with our social motivation, we have sought to support inspiring organizations and individuals here in Rwanda.

One such organization is Team Rwanda, a non-profit focused on building and developing the Rwandan cycling team. Their Mission: “Team Rwanda Cycling searches for talent to empower, enable and to inspire not just individuals but families, communities and a nation through cycling.” These young men are taken from extreme poverty and given an opportunity to develop their skill and talent for the good of their families, their country, and in pursuit of personal dreams.

Janvier Hadi of Team Rwanda competing in the 2011 Tour of Rwanda

Janvier Hadi is a promising nineteen year old rider that Karisimbi Partners is pleased to support in the development of his racing career. Far from a hobby, cycling can allow this young man (with only a primary school education) to provide for his family and serve as an inspiration for the youth of his country. In April of 2011, he won the Kigali to Butare Single Speed Race and earned the right to be evaluated in Musanze (Team Rwanda training headquarters). He tested quite well, had an excellent pedal stroke and fit the bill for an up-and-coming cyclist: tall, thin and young. He was mentored by one of Team Rwanda’s veteran riders, Gasore Hategeka, who was featured in an article in this summer’s New Yorker by Philip Gourevitch, Climbers.

Janvier has shown incredible promise. As a rookie, he made the top team, Team Karisimbi, for Team Rwanda for the 2011 Tour of Rwanda, and had a very strong showing. Based on Janvier’s performance, he was selected as the third rider to attend the UCI training camp in South Africa in February and March along with Gasore and another veteran rider, Nicodem. Sending Janvier to training camp in South Africa is essential to his growth as a rider. Karisimbi Partners is honored to provide the required support to cover Janvier’s camp fees and travel costs to attend this critical component in his development. This will be Janvier’s first time on a plane and first time outside Rwanda. He will come back in April transformed.

The week before training camp, Team Rwanda coach Jonathan Boyer was invited to Janvier’s home village to see the new house he bought with the winnings from the Tour of Rwanda. He bought the house for his family of seven! Janvier is another young rider giving hope to all the young boys…and girls…in Rwanda, hope that they too can make a difference to their family and even their country through cycling.

Janvier stands proudly in front of the house he bought for his family

Onward & upward,
Greg

Milk for Health and Wealth

Karisimbi Business Partners — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 12:53:53 +0000

A recent news article highlighted the forthcoming Rwanda National Milk Campaign to be launched in January 2012 and continuing throughout the year, with a primary goal of fighting chronic malnutrition among the young. Read article here

Karisimbi Partners has worked closely with a number of key industry processors in the milk value chain and welcomes this move by the Ministry of Agriculture to emphasize the importance of milk consumption for health and well-being of the population. Of critical importance to the success of this goal is the strength of the overall dairy sector and the value chain that supports it.

While milk is a desired commodity within the country and the region, the financial viability of players within the sector has been tenuous given the competition between raw (unprocessed) milk and pasteurized (processed) milk. Karisimbi Partners has been a strong proponent of government support to sensitize the public to the benefits and importance of processed milk consumption vs. the milk traditionally available in the informal channel. Given the low per capita income of the vast majority of the population, processed milk represents a price premium over that of its informal competitor, consequently limiting the market size for processors and the incomes of dairy farmers and other suppliers.

Karisimbi Partners has worked closely with key industry and government players to evaluate options for reducing processing costs and increasing efficiencies to bring pasteurized milk products to the general public at prices as close as possible to those found in the informal market. The National Milk Campaign should provide critical visibility and support to drive consumers to the formal dairy market. This can drastically change the market dynamics within the country, providing health, wealth and employment benefits to many families and dairy providers in this sector.

Lakeside Fish Farm Reaches Major Milestone

Karisimbi Business Partners — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 16:32:53 +0000

Lakeside, which will be the most advanced commercial fish farm in East Africa and the largest in Rwanda, yesterday achieved a major milestone with the introduction of its first Tilapia fingerlings to the newly constructed hatchery ponds and facility. Further construction is ongoing in accordance with the business plan.

Reaching this point is an important step for the high-growth start-up, which plans in 2012 to begin provision of millions of fingerlings to government institutions for regional lake stocking programs, and to provide two varieties of table fish for consumption by local consumer markets.

Roger Shaw, the founding entrepreneur and Managing Director of the enterprise was elated at this critical development: “This is a key objective to completing our first stage. Now we are a real fish farm.”

Karisimbi Partners has supported this project from its earliest stages, currently focused on market development, financial analysis and capital raising. Interested parties are encouraged to contact invest@karisimbipartners.com.

Tilapia fingerlings being released into a Lakeside Fish Farm hatchery pond