Babson-Rwanda Entrepreneurship Center Holds Developing Entrepreneurs Workshop

The Babson-Rwanda Entrepreneurship Center (BREC) held its 2nd Workshop on Developing Entrepreneurs at the Telecom House in Kigali, Rwanda, on Tuesday, July 26th, 2011. Nearly forty people attended representing more than twenty organizations dedicated to advancing entrepreneurship in the country.

The two-part workshop:

• focused on helping entrepreneurs to access finance

• highlighted the Entrepreneurship Alliance and Global Entrepreneurship Week, two initiatives that BREC is spearheading in Rwanda.

Babson College undergrad, Renee Edwards (’13) moderated a panel discussion with representatives from different financial institutions and business service providers in the country, including:

• Mr. John Kagarama, Business Development Fund

• Mr. Peter Rwema, Association of Micro Finance Institutions in Rwanda

• Ms. Gloria Nyambok, Kenya Commercial Bank

• Mr. Rebson Dzala, Center for Business Solutions

After the panel, BREC Country Director Christopher Smith (’09 GEP ’10) led a presentation on alternative forms of financing. 

During the second half of the workshop, Smith’s co-Director, Benjamin Cox (’10), discussed the progress of the Entrepreneurship Alliance since its inception in March, and both gave an overview of Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) and how others can join the campaign in Rwanda.

There are currently twelve events being planned for GEW in Rwanda, which will take place between November 14th, and 20th, 2011. Over the next few months, Smith and Cox will be reaching out to other organizations and companies in effort to add to the number of official events. This is the first year that Rwanda is participating in this international initiative.

For more information, contact the BREC country directors atBREC@babson.edu.