" The perseverance of the Rwandan youth is incredible."

In May of this year, 6 young Rwandan companies attended a boost camp run by OvO. They are currently receiving extensive guidance in setting up their business plan in view of financing.

The six companies operate in a broad range of sectors, from logistics to healthcare, from food processing to IT. According to Chris Vijt, the companies were not selected overnight. She and Andrew Herweg are country coordinators for Rwanda: "We did indeed make a very thorough selection, asking very specific questions so that we knew who we were dealing with. Of course, the participants also have to meet some basic requirements. They must have been in business for a while, be registered with the Rwanda Development Board and have more than 1 staff member. This is already the third time I have attended such a boostcamp and what keeps striking me is the drive and perseverance of the Rwandan youth, it is incredible."

Boostcamp followed by coaching

An OvO boostcamp usually lasts three days. It is a very intense period during which the participants, among other things, present their product or service, get to know OvO and each other and also visit companies that have participated before. After the boost camp, the coaching begins. Chris Vijt: "The coaching and guidance is very important and is also something that all participants greatly appreciate. The six companies began the coaching in June, and by the end of December they have to present their business plan based on which is decided whether they qualify for financing. In any case, by early November we were well advanced and two companies already announced that they wanted to apply for financing."

New: the OvO Club of Rwanda

The recent establishment of the local OvO Club proves that in Rwanda they do not sit on their hands. Some CEOs of companies that worked with OvO in the past are already members. The goal is to create interaction between the entrepreneurs and especially to learn from each other. By the way, OvO only provides advice; all activities are organized by the Rwandan members themselves. Finally, this quote from Chris Vijt that raises the best hopes for the country: "Kigali is the New York of Africa."