Could you help African food entrepreneurs?

By Nicholas Robinson

- Last updated on GMT

The Grow Movement charity works with food entrepreneurs in Africa
The Grow Movement charity works with food entrepreneurs in Africa

Related tags Africa

UK food and drink manufacturing professionals are being encouraged to mentor African entrepreneurs as a way of helping them to improve their underperforming businesses.

Grow Movement, a charity founded in 2009 which works with developing businesses in Africa, has called on experts in the UK food and drink sector to help these entrepreneurs acquire the skills they need to grow their companies.

Those with formal qualifications in business, wide experience in the food sector and/or managers at blue chip companies are being sought to coach entrepreneurs in Uganda, Rwanda and Malawi by Skype, email or phone.

Grow Movement works with micro- to medium-sized businesses that employ between one and upwards of 22 people. However, most firms it works with employ fewer than five people.

Don’t necessarily have the skills

Many entrepreneurs in Africa don’t necessarily have the skills or knowledge to make their businesses as profitable as they could, nor identify the potential for growth, said Claire Jenkins, chief executive of Grow Movement.

Working with African entrepreneurs for six months, UK volunteers could help them turn their businesses around. Volunteers might offer coaching on finance, different business models, strategy and marketing, Jenkins added.

To date, more than 15,000 entrepreneurs in Africa have been helped to improve their businesses since the charity was founded and nearly 500 jobs have been created as a result.

“We believe the biggest potential to create jobs is by helping those that already run a business to run it better,”​ said Jenkins.

The charity supports all types of businesses in Africa, however, there has been considerable growth in the agri-processing sector, where entrepreneurs are especially in need of support, she added.

To get involved visit: Grow Movement

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Become part of a Growing team

Posted by Janet Curran,

For many volunteers working with a GROW client is a life-enhancing experience where they learn as much as their client. Being a GROW consultant is not just about building links with Africa; it is also about being part of a team here in the UK of committed and enthusiastic volunteers who are on hand to share advice and expertise with each other.

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The Good Side of Business

Posted by Craig Harrison,

I'm excited about the potential that business has to make a difference in developing economies. Not just because of being able to produce better food or products, but because of the flow-on effects that income and jobs create in communities. I'm on my third project with Grow Movement, and highly recommend this as a way of using your business skills to do some good.

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This is a very worthy initiative!

Posted by David Krynauw,

I have been a Grow volunteer consultant for a while now and cannot speak highly enough of the experience. The business owners in Rwanda that I worked with were such nice people, they were a pleasure to deal with. It opened my eyes to what good work is being done in Africa, and how experienced mentors from first world countries can really make a difference to the business owners in Rwanda.

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