'Economics is about people. It is a social science, not an exact science'. ChairmanLuc Bonte of Entrepreneurs for Entrepreneurs liked to quote from the recent book 'Gigantism' by Geert Noels at the general meeting of OVO. Some 100 listeners showed up at Puilaetco Dewaay's premises in Brussels.
Moulin du Nil Blanc Ltd' (MNB) from Rwanda is the first project financed by the OVO Acceleration Fund of OVO. "It is a very important step for the OVO Acceleration Fund," says general manager Björn Macauter, who points out that in the near future several African social and sustainable entrepreneurs will be eligible for financing.
Innovex in Uganda, a specialist in data processing and monitoring of solar energy systems, has concluded a financing deal with four Belgian entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs for Entrepreneurs (OVO) facilitated the agreement.
Akaboxi, that offers small farming communities a digital system to ensure financial inclusivity, won the first Sustainable Technology for Africa award in Uganda. Entrepreneurs for Entrepreneurs (OVO) thereby opened access to wider transfer of knowledge and a social loan.
A 3-day inspirational trip to visit start-up entrepreneurs in Uganda and scale-ups in Kampala promises to present lively, passionate and sometimes surprising encounters.
We mustn’t kid ourselves, migration is here to stay, and will likely even increase, but it also presents an opportunity. Promoting local entrepreneurship is a must to achieve more prosperity, better healthcare and education. That was the general tenor of the debate at the OVO conference: ‘Does increased entrepreneurship in the South imply less migration?’
The Entrepreneurs for Entrepreneurs Award was given to EA Fruits Farm in Tanzania at the OVO conference in Brussels. The panel acknowledged EA Fruits as the best project out of the 3 nominees ‘because the concept is easy to duplicate and can contribute to the sustainability of the local economy’.
Umicore has supported IngénieuxSud for a few years now. Students of the Catholic University of Louvain (UCL) work with students from Africa, South America or Asia for a whole academic year on a sustainable project that offers a solution to meet the needs of the local population.
Creating sustainable value is not only Umicore’s aim, but also Rikolto’s (the erstwhile Vredeseilanden) when it comes to supporting coffee farmers in Ecuador: ensuring that farmers get a fair chance in their struggle against climate change, deforestation, the aging population and all other social challenges faced by the world.
Pedro Masamuna, who took part in the Sustainable Technology for Africa contest arranged by OVO with Worldwide Solidarity for Education (WSE), has equipped the first school with his technology kit. The Likuni Boys Secondary School in Malawi was the lucky recipient.
Voka, the Flemish Chamber of Commerce and Industry, wants to strengthen ties with Entrepreneurs for Entrepreneurs and is also calling on entrepreneurs to support OVO.
The three winners of the Sustainable Technology for Africa event have been announced. MNB won the panel over and walked away with the main spoils. The start-up wants to drive down the import of mushrooms into Rwanda by getting local coffee farmers to grow them using coffee waste as fertilizer. “This will give farmers an income throughout the year and it will complete the coffee cycle.”
Solarly is one of the three winners of Sustainable Technology for Africa. Jean-Grégoire Orban de Xivry expends all his efforts on solar power in an effort to find an answer to the tremendous demand for electricity in Africa. For that purpose he developed a handy, budget-friendly power box.
Three African start-ups from Belgium were lauded during the Sustainable Technology for Africa event. They will receive further coaching, knowledge sharing and a social loan of up to EUR 100,000. It is supported by Entrepreneurs for Entrepreneurs in cooperation with Thomas More, VITO and The African Diaspora Projects Initiative.
In addition to its NGO and B2B models, Entrepreneurs for Entrepreneurs has now launched an investment fund too. The organization is currently engaged in negotiations with the King Baudouin Foundation to host the fund.
“For the last five years I have been making direct loans to entrepreneurial people in the South,” Freddy De Mulder tells us. Until 2008 he was the CEO of Opel Antwerp and later he headed up sales operations at General Motors for 25 European countries. “An investment of EUR 20,000 can give thousands of people a better life and secure their future."
Siemens has been active in Africa since 1976. CEO André Bouffioux went there for business for the first time in 1993. “You can only do business in a country or area you have appreciation for and see the potential of. As soon as you realize that Africa offers a huge market, lots of goodwill, proper education and positive entrepreneurs, you’re ready to do business there.”
The Flemish 3D printing pioneer Materialise has invested in sustainable projects in the South for years. One of these is African Drive, with which CEO Fried Vancraen and his companions offer safe and punctual public transport to people in Benin. The project is running like clockwork thanks to the help they received from Entrepreneurs for Entrepreneurs.
“We invest in sustainable business practices." Miko added this line to its mission more than 10 years ago. The results of this have exceeded the wildest expectations of the coffee roaster from Kempen. And Entrepreneurs for Entrepreneurs has also had a little something to do with this.
Have an idea for a social project in Africa, or for a sustainable product? Want to flesh it out in more detail but don’t know where to start? SusTech4Africa helps businesses, (aspiring) entrepreneurs, engineers and researchers with an African background to build their idea into a proper business plan and provides the tools to carry on from there. What is more, as winner you will also receive start-up capital in the form of a social loan.
“The clothing sector has been under pressure for some time now, as have profits. It is a highly competitive industry and the pace of change is rapid. “But as a business owner, you remain responsible for improving the welfare of people – customers, staff and suppliers. At least as I see it,” says Dirk Perquy, who heads up the Belgian clothing company Terre Bleue.
“That’s exactly what we need,” replied the dean of the Antwerp Management School (AMS) Paul Matthyssens enthusiastically when Entrepreneurs for Entrepreneurs volunteer Hugo Van de Cauter proposed that they cooperate towards the end of last year.
For the fifth year in a row Co-valent, the training fund for the chemicals, plastics and life sciences sectors, is supporting projects in the South. Co-valent is managed by the unions and by Essenscia as the employers’ federation. Entrepreneurs for Entrepreneurs acts on behalf of Essenscia, partly thanks to the intermediary role the former HR director Leo Scheers played. “A covalent bond is a firm bond between atoms”, he starts off enthusiastically. As former HR director at BASF and with his PhD in science, he should know.
Rony Inslegers was Head of Service Departments at C&A until 2004. In 2009, he became a volunteer consultant for CFP, as Entrepreneurs for Entrepreneurs was called back then. “Our mission is something that I believe strongly in. As time goes on, you’re not just raising funds but offering a real service.”
Don Bosco schools can be found all over the world. They work according to the pedagogical project designed by Italian priest, philosopher and educator Giovanni Bosco, who found his calling in the 19th century in the betterment and education of young criminals and ex- convicts in Turin. He offered them shelter and education and helped them find work.