Telling the new story of Rwanda

Richard, our Rwandan Program Director, having fun post mission with a new friend at Rwanda's Akagera National ParkAkagera is home to the Akagera River, the most remote source of the Nile

As Bpeace works with our associates to tell their story in the marketplace, our mission as always is to tell the remarkable story of Rwanda, one of the most compelling places on earth. The genocide is just one part of this nation's history. The more lasting we hope will be the story of reconcilation and rebirth as a modern African nation. As such we hope that Rwanda stands forever in peace and refuge . . .a home . . .for all Rwandans, and of hope and beauty for visitors around the world. Come visit. The gorillas await at Parc National des Volcans, which we featured during our September 07 mission, 13 species of primates abound in Nyungwe National Park and the wonders of big game come to drink among the lakes of Akagera. We urge you to come and be a part Rwanda's recovery and to recover a little bit of your own humanity in the process.

And so after weeks of hard work, with Bpeace volunteers safetly back home, we must share a few photos of Richard last weekend when he visited one of Rwanda's natural wonders, Akagera National Park. As the Rwandan Tourism webite shares: "On the border with Tanzania, Akagera is, above all, big game country! Herds of elephant and buffalo emerge from the woodland to drink at the lakes, while lucky visitors might stumble across a leopard, a spotted hyena or even a stray lion. Giraffe and zebra haunt the savannah, and more than a dozen types of antelope inhabit the park, including the world's largest, the statuesque Cape eland".

Richard's and the volunteer's rest is well deserved following a truly successful mission. As this blog documents, months of preparation led to two weeks of intense delivery. The result?

One associate's store now has tools and advice to differentiate her from the dozens of other stores; Another has a path to perhaps creating retail franchises; One more has a entire new branding strategy to position her business for couples; groups of friends, families; not just kids; One of Sabra's mentees is closer to her loan; Two partners have new branding, signage, brochure and sales strategy to get lots more import business; An expanding associate has brochure and marketing plan to get more commercial corporate clients and start to inoculate the community for the grand opening of her new center later this year; While an associate with new dreams has the tools to expand into a new segment.

These businesses and their owners are the new story of Rwanda. We hope you will continue to follow their progress and be a part of it with a visit and by continuing to support their work and ours.

Camera shy but working

Marie, Cass and Toni have headed home. Athena, Sabra and Kate remain in Rwanda working, wrapping up, even fitting in a birthday celebration for Athena. Kate and Athena have now celebrated two of Kate's birthdays on Bpeace missions and one of Athena's (why did we forget the camera to record the passing year's festivities and wrinkles?)

Monday in a nutshell:

• Held several associate meetings to deliver final marketing materials to our "clients".
• Led a successful beauty school meeting in which the associates firmly committed to the project. They selected the model they wish to pursue --- practical lessons will be taught in their salons and theory offered in a classroom setting. Thank goodness for Bpeace volunteer Alix Samuelson's 40 hours of work assessing the financial impact of the difference approaches. But for now alert the beauty team at home! We have much to do in the coming months. And the associates are eager to meet you all by email and have asked for an exchange of photos and introductions.
• Met with FINA and BCR, two of the local banks. Sabra is still scratching her head. Kate happy that they seem to be competing for our business.
• Had dinner with Cari Clement from Rwanda Knits and her small team. Caught up on her program which continues to make progress
• And yes with a cut off of the lights a birthday crepe arrived along with the singing staff

Happy Birthday Athena.

A village gathers

The village dances at Sylvie's park on a very hot day with a new furry friend who has come from the far north.

But first Athena leads Bpeace volunteers and associates in a dialogue on how we can improve what Bpeace offers to make even more impact.

We gathered once again with all our associates at Sylvie's park, now known as "Magic Village".

Great morning in honest dialogue reviewing all that we have offered in the past 18 months and at this halfway point, a timely check-in on what works and what doesn't. Athena makes the conversation be free flowing and fun. Colored markers, arts and crafts, hand drawn pictures and much laughter.

There were many take aways but we feel good that Bpeace investments have made an impact. But most importantly we have new ideas on how we can really dial it up so that the acceleration we seek for these women is realized. Work for home in the coming months.

Marla get ready for us!

Bpeace power. Bpeace potential.

Solina and Kate in front of Solina's truck with the logo that Bpeace helped her create. The newly decorated truck sits along the boundary of land she recently purchased for a new nursery.

What makes Bpeace's work so powerful? What makes the potential so great?

• Our ever expanding heart for the women we serve (and this week it grew immeasurably).
• Our search for understanding and new ways of being and doing so we can better impact.
• And our member's ability to make things happen.

We do this work because our hearts call us. You don't use up your heart here but learn that it grows in the moments we create together, human to human, crossing cultures. "Stand in my shoes and look at the world from here" is the voice which rises as you ride along the poor yet stunning green countryside, meet the eyes of the roadside faces or sit in a quiet moment with a woman and her story. "Their shoes" makes us search for the ways which we can be better, do more, leave more . . .

Reflecting AND doing. While Solina was working with Bpeace marketing and finance volunteers visiting her in Rwanda, her traveling mentoring, a horticultural expert, was making things happen from home. Evidence? The email we received today:

"Hi all, Good news- it looks like we might have success recruiting the Universtity to do Soline's irrigation project. A friend of mine who lives in the college's town has many friends who work there and referred me to this guy. I will follow up and seal the deal. Susan, please remember to bring home the site plans that Soline has. Due to the issue with the burial site, I know she has a revised land survey plan, but the site plan may still need to be revised. If it has not been done yet, tell her to send the original plan. Sabra, The project will not be completed until May. We will not know the estimated cost until then, but Soline should include some number in her business plan, as her loan will need to cover it. I am taking a wild guess that $1,500. should cover it.

Thanks, Tatyana"

Bpeace power. Bpeace potential . . . .Heart. Reflection. Action

"Where is your camera?"

Sabra in straight talk action.

Cassie Greener captures Coke branding on a security wall in Rwanda. Wonder what their CMO would think? Maybe our crack mission team can help them.

Sabra brings humor, grouding and perspective to the mision team. Evidenced in today's blog title which is Sabra's standard question to Ange each time they see each other.

We asked Sabra to give us her throughts in this her third Bpeace mission to Rwanda:

"This is the Mission where I have been asking myself “Who is mentoring whom?” Pascasie is now in her OWN Depot on her OWN land, Soline has hectors (whatever that is) of land for her expanding Landscaping Business, and Peggy & Pirette have four Divisions within their Freight Forwarding Business. Logos are everywhere mirroring the growth of the Associates’ businesses. As I use the services of my business to prepare them for loan opportunities, again I wonder “Who is mentoring whom?” Then I remember it’s the BPeace experience. We grow as much as our Associates."

The day was filled with associate meetings with the team presenting new brochures and logos to a very happy Languida, Pierette and Peggy. Kate met with Aurea who is now working full-time as an attorney and has offered to provide our associates with legal assistance. Yes, we used to help her with the women's association AVEGA and now she will help us. That is the way of Rwanda and of Bpeace's work here.

But Sabra has been a banker making deals. She has been looking at the books and working hard on behalf of Pascasie, Pierrette and Peggy --- straight talk to local banks about the potential of these businesses, who when necessary she has compelled to come and see the businesses for themeselves. Bankers here have swooned. Money should follow

Today we are once again headed off to Sylvie's amusement park, formerly known as Bambino SuperCenter, now rebranded as Magic Village. We will gather with our associates and begin a dialogue to understand what is working and what is not in the services Bpeace provides . . .good half point check in with them which will help guide the next year and a half. More tomorrow on the outcomes.

We step into each other's gaps . . .

The blog editor (Kate) demonstates a lack of incredible lack of vanity in posting this otherwise fantastic picture of a truly beautiful team. Left to right: Susan, Toni, Marie, Sabra, Richard, Susan, Athena, Kate, Cass

But this team is the one that makes it happen, the Bpeace staff :
Richard Niwenshuti, Susan Ilyin, Susan Mbabazi

"Toni's writing this...so all I can say it's been a gift to learn as well as to share.

• Business people who join Bpeace all share the desire to transfer their hard-won business knowledge with emerging entrepreneurs trying to create peace in their communities. But we are not just up close and personal with Rwandans and Afghans, but with each other. And a funny thing happens along the way, we improve our own portfolio of skills by watching each other in action.

• Toni and Athena were awed watching Marie present logos to the Associates. She asked a series of probing questions that led the Associates to choose the logo that really fit with her business.

• Athena’s approach to training is to believe “everything we need is in the room.” In Athena’s classroom, the students do most of the work. And it’s great fun and very effective.

• Sabra takes accountability to a whole new level. With a big smile she says to our Associates, “you asked for a computer, we gave you a computer, now what are you doing with it?” Sabra’s tenacity was felt today by a loan officer who she persuaded to visit Pascasie’s new building, proving, that this Associate was a good loan risk.

• Fearless Kate as mission leader is grace under fire—multi-tasking is too weak a word. More like a Cirque du Soleil of unbelievable complex movements that seem easy to the untrained eye. How peaceful the world would be if we all adjusted as quickly as she.

• Cass brings unique perspectives that only a college student who discusses weighty topics with her friends could add. Well read and well spoken, expecting nothing and contributing everything.

• And Susan’s passion for the Rwandans keeps reminding us how deeply the genocide affected these people who want so desperately to now lift their entire country out of poverty as quickly as possible.

But its Richard and Susan Mbabazi, our Bpeace staff on the ground, hold this team all together, helping us navigate the unknown and the uncertain."

Logo mania begins

A little group work during the morning's workshop

A bit of value added help with remerchandising during a signage idea meeting at Constance's shop

Constance as client examines the logo options her "advertising agency" has presented

And she picks one which has incorporated the "headline" she created Tuesday. Yes we are that fast.

Sylvie, her husband and parter LOVE the rebranding the team presented for the amusement park which lives up to the vision she holds for this lovely oasis in the middle of Africa.

Speciose on the Serena's veranda with her inspiration book and new logo.

What do a funeral planning service, a nursery, a gift shop, a dairy, a freight forwarding company and a conference center have in common? They all need to be able to deliver a succinct and focused message to their potential customers in order to make sales. Today the Associates role-played the sales process. Then they worked in sub groups with bpeace members to outline the most important elements of their sales message, building on yesterday’s “headlines.” We had aha moments and a lot of laughs. Rwanda rules. So do Toni, Marie and Athena.

Then the logos started pouring out. Constance loved hers. What a joy showing both Sylvie and Speciose all the logo options that our designers at home created for them. Each of them were excited and inspired to see their brands come to life. Speciose was completely captivated by the inspiration kit that a Bpeace volunteer created for her. Pages and pages of images of flower arrangements, wedding invitations, floral shops, and wedding gowns were put together with great care to spark her imagination. And that's exactly what they did!

News flash. Here is my story!

Athena and Languida set the example for the day.

Soline gets it!

How to describe your business and brand in a headline was our objective for today. And how to use a headline in marketing and to deepen employee understanding was a good discussion. But as we kicked off the Key Message Workshop with examples from ads we’ve seen in Kigali we saw the light bulbs beginning to flicker in the minds of the associates. Maybe there is something to this marketing thing after all. By the end of the morning, after each woman had developed her own message that she loved -- the lights were shining bright. It was an unmistakable Aha! moment.

Among our favorites :

"We make beautiful queens" . . . .Harriette's salon

"Plants add life and style to your home and business" . . . .Soline's landscaping and nursery

"Your happiness is our only joy". . .Sylvie's amusement park

"Fresh milk is always on our uruhimbi" . . .Console's dairy bar.

p.s. Don't know what a uruhimbi is? Its the traditional place in Rwandan homes where every child knows they will find milk

Peaceful branding

Today Athena and Marie presented five potential logos to Francoise for her new catering business. When they were laid out on the table you should have seen her eyes light up as she clasped her hands together in surprise and happiness. That’s what this is all about, isn’t it? Making business dreams real. By the way, her restaurant and catering business is named Amahoro. Amahoro means peace.

Pushing a new logo through the market

Can we afford marketing? Sabra provides the know how. From Toni: "Visiting the Associates with Sabra, is like accompanying a goddess. Soline and Pascasie nearly jumped into her arms. They both are so appreciative of the operations and financial consulting Sabra provides."

New logo on the trucks in Sept, now seen on the staff t-shirts

here modeled by Solina and one of her beautiful staffers

Saint Paula will still be about greenery, but the brand will be more visible.

Toni and Solina begin to talk how.

Fresh marketing eyes take on Rwanda

Is this marketing? How to create breakthrough?

Amid the visual clutter that is Rwandan marketing in a growth economy.

Toni's day one : "The challenge of marketing in Rwanda aside from money is lack of business differentiation. And our “clients” in Rwanda are not unlike clients from my marketing days in the US. They recognize the value of marketing, but don’t realize how difficult it is to define your business in an authentic way that not only sets you apart, but that also sets the barrier high so a competitor can’t copy it so quickly.. When we visited Peggy and Pierrette’s freight forwarding business today, their office is a courtyard of 15 similar businesses, not one seemingly offering any services or benefits different than the other. Offering new services that would set Peggy and Pierrette’s business apart—like direct to the door deliveries--means they need to acquire a truck—not affordable for them right now.

There are multinational brands here. We must have passed half a dozen Coke kiosks today, Billboards, electronic ones at that, are prolific in Kigali, the real estate taken by the banks, telecom providers and a government Aids campaign."

And Athena's take: "Today I visited four of our enterprising Rwandan associates -- Francoise, with her lively restaurant and catering business, Speciose with her centrally-located flower and event planning business, Languida who is the perfect person to work with grieving families to arrange funeral services, and Sylvie, a visionary business woman who owns a beautiful center with a spectacular view and acres of manicured grounds where she hosts weddings and events and has an amusement park for kids.

Marketing in Rwanda equals word-of-mouth. In each of my four meetings the recurring theme was that the best way to get customers is through one person telling another about their business. Marketing practices that are common for us -- business cards, brochures, newspaper ads, signs outside a business -- are not a given here. The challenge is to determine the balance between working within the cultural norms and expectations and helping our associates break out of the box and get noticed. So many of the businesses here offer exactly the same products and services. The key will be to help our associates differentiate themselves from the competition and get the word out in a way that their target customers will respond positively. This is what we'll all be working on in the next several days."

The best Indian food in the world gets us together . . .in Kigali

Left to Right: Cass Greener (still feeling gorilla love), Kate Buggeln (thinking about the chocolate in her room), Toni Maloney (missing sweet Ray) , Sabra Richardson (fighting a cold), Susan Ilyin (wondering how will she keep the agenda moving), Athena Katsaros (loving a life which combines Africa and great Indian food), Marie Greener (been doing all the work so far!)

Finally we are all here in Kigali . . . and about to be filled to the rafters with the best Indian food outside of India. Has not stopped this late night blogger from a Belgium chocolate night cap. Thank god for connections. Tomorrow we hit it.

Marie kicks January 08 off

Jeanne's new Beirut cafe in Kigali hosts Marie's workshop

But is Marie launching a Rwandan skin care line or teaching branding?

Marie and Cass Greener arrived just in time to set the stage for this "all about marketing mission", leading a workshop which answers that important question:

Just to whom am I marketing?

Marie's first impressions
“As you walk and drive around Kigali you can’t help but notice the chaos of business signage. There are thousands of small businesses and storefronts. Most of them are located in boxy concrete or plaster buildings. Visual litter of hand painted signs stating the business name and what is offered inside. There are layers and layers of signs, with mostly words and phrases and little in the way of graphics. Your eye has a hard time focusing since there is so much verbal chaos. On the other hand, some businesses have no signage at all since they have to pay a fee to put one up and owners don't have a sense that it is worth the cost. It all feels very shoestring. The other thing you notice is the construction. Kigali is a boom town. There are multistory glass buildings going up all over. Many of the older business sections are slated for demolition. Clearly a more modern way of life is coming. How will the small businesses compete when the moneyed people come into town to take advantage of the boom?

Getting started
“This coming week, we hope to help our Associates understand the importance and power of good branding. We will be visiting them and helping with logos, business plans, brochures and so forth. To get them started thinking like brands I came into town early to hold a workshop on Understanding Your Target Consumer. Since we know that many small businesses fail by focusing on their own needs, I wanted to help the Associates understand that they need to put the consumer or customer at the heart of everything they do.”

Awakening brand building in Rwanda
“The workshop was held at one of our Associates businesses – a new Lebanese restaurant on the outskirts of town. The women arrived and as we started they seemed a bit wary as I started to explain the difference between a product and a brand. I demonstrated the concept of the difference between emotional and functional brand benefits. This was sinking in and I could see the lights going on. We then talked about the different kinds or “segments” of women there are in Kigali. The idea of consumer segmentation seemed very new to them. So I provided the group with some unlabeled bottles of lotion and soap, let them choose stickers, markers and typography, and had them create brands that were targeted against one of the segments they had described. There was a lot of laughter in the room as they created their brands presented the functional and emotional benefits each offered their target consumer.

Love your business!
“Looking back on the work session while there is much work ahead, I feel really good that the concepts registered with the Associates. The Associates clearly love being in business. As the competitive marketplace becomes more sophisticated their passion and better branding practices will be key. This workshop was a first step in that direction.”

Pop-up marketing

Rwanda’s middle class economy is growing, both in absolute growth and in sophistication. Good news for our associates? Yes, but only if they can compete.

GREAT marketing can give them the edge.

Building a brand requires a logo, clear messages and a marketing strategy all built on understanding your target consumers. Yet, as competition is heating up from neighboring African countries, these marketing basics are rare in Rwanda. Enter BAM (Bpeace Action Marketing) a pop-up team of skilled marketers (many of whom are alumni of multinational ad agency McCann-Erickson) who over the next two weeks will create brand identities, marketing plans, brochures and signage . . .

GREAT logos can break through the clutter.

One of the first items of business for Athena Katsaros, Marie Greener and Toni Maloney will be presenting 7 Bpeace Associates with new logos. They are landing with a portfolio of 51 customized options created by 8 graphic designers including: Bpeacers Sandra DiPasqua and Christina Rodriguez; another McCann alumni Burr Purnell; Michael Zipkin; Lunar Media's Gina Hutchings; and two Parsons School of Design students recruited by Morry Galonoy—Candice Ralph and Katie-Marie Rutherford. From Mum’s Restaurant to Bambino Fun Park, the logos will create a competitive advantage.

GREAT US businesses can be an inspiration.

Even the most skilled marketer needs a spark. Eight Bpeacers created MIKs (Marketing Inspiration Kits) to travel to Rwanda with the Bpeacers. They interviewed and photographed nearly 20 US businesses willing to share their marketing tricks. Alix Samuleson surfaced beauty salon marketing ideas; Robyn Cushing visited Ronnybrook Dairy Farm; Peter Lien, a professional photographer, sent 2 pounds of catalogs for Ange; Lisa Augustyn focused on wedding planners to help Speciose expand her floral and party business. Emily Yang squeezed marketing treasures from Houston African craft importers; Selma Jackson uncovered the marketing secrets of a well-known Brooklyn funeral parlor; Monica Sanz found a willing partner in Janam Tea which uses word of mouth for it’s specialty tea business in downtown Jersey City. Maggie O’Brien (yet another McCann alumni), created a stunning signage inspiration kit, photographing the interiors of New York City retailers. Rayma Baran brewed up info about Internet Cafes for Nadia. Sabra Richardson tackled trucking for our Associates engaged in freight forwarding and beer distributing.

GREAT people can work across the oceans to make this happen.

In the US: Laurie Chock prepared the team with two proprietary presentations she usually uses to train Fortune 100 execs: Key Messages and Great Sales Pitches. Eight graphic designers will be on stand-by, waiting for emails on which logos the Associates have selected, so they can make adjustments and turnaround final logos within 48 hours. Selma and Maggie will also be on stand-by in the US, waiting to edit and jazz up marketing copy from the field.

In Rwanda: Kate Buggeln will be leading this, her 4th mission to Rwanda (and some believe she knows something about marketing). And while Athena, Marie and Toni will be the client relationship leads, they are not alone. Sabra will bring depth and value from her knowledge of the Associates and her business consulting background. Cass Greener will be taking photos essential to the marketing materials we will be creating. Susan Ilyin has marketing research experience and lived in Rwanda for several months last year. Our Rwanda Program Manager Richard Niwenshuti will be trying out his new marketing sea legs after a couple of marketing intensives with NYU Professor Sunder Narayanan during Richard’s December visit to New York. Richard also had New York intensive with Star Kalatzan, a senior VP at Universal McCann.

Sounds like McCann should think about planting their flag in their 131st country—Rwanda.

In the meantime, stay tuned right here for your daily fix of Bpeace in action.