Councillor shares his business expertese in Kigali
Ealing's Conservative Council Leader is helping business people in the troubled African country Rwanda.
Northfield Councillor, David Millican, is working in Kigali, Rwanda’s capital, for two weeks as part of Project Umubano.
He is drawing on over 30 years experience in business marketing, by offering advice to business people representing sectors as diverse as construction, manufacturing, agriculture, tourism and retail.
Cllr Millican says 110 business representatives of Kigali Chamber of Commerce have the same issues as business people in London. They need access to finance; they need better transport; a better skilled workforce; the developers need greater clarity from Kigali City Council.
David Cameron and Andrew Mitchell, now the Secretary of State for International Development, established Project Umubano in 2007 as a Conservative Party social action initiative. 100 volunteers are working across Rwanda in education, medical centres, community projects and business mentoring.
“This really is one of the most rewarding projects I have ever worked on,” said Councillor Millican. “As a country, emerging from a troubled past, business people are looking for support and direction. My presentation to the business people on Effective Leadership acted as a strong motivation to the 110 business people.”
"When I met with the British High Commissioner in Rwanda he told me how our initiative to mentor Rwandan businesses is such a powerful catalyst for growth and development."
“The people of Rwanda suffered from the terrible genocide of the 1980’s, culminating in 1 million being killed in 1994. Having visited the national Genocide memorial, an orphanage and met so many business people, I am hugely impressed and re-assured that this small country is moving in the right direction”
21st July 2011