Establishing long lasting relationships in …

I believe businesses are the key to the economic growth of Malawi. However, SMEs are faced with unique challenges which threaten their contribution to their country’s economy – for example, inadequate technical and managerial skills, low standards for local products, lack of information for business start-ups and lack of vision and experience.

I have had the opportunity to have 2 mentors – the first is Sonia Hummer who is the Product Manager for DEDON (www.dedon.de) – for someone who works in the weaving furniture industry this was a very big deal for me as DEDON is HUGE! She was my mentor for a year and was always open to answering any questions I might have and giving insights to the European Market.

My second mentor John Hagie (www.red-wave-marketdev.com) I found via LinkedIn.  A non profit called Grow Consult Africa were looking to link professionals with entrepreneurs and they matched me with John. And together we strategised on how i can get my products into a Fairtrade store in the US – and we were successful.

I really do not think my business would have not make the strides it has made up to this point if it wasnt for the guidance these 2 people contributed.

I therefore decided as a follow on project after my fellowship in the US, I will also run a mentoring program to help women & youth operated enterprises.

Working together collaboratively I want to link consultants and business owners to find ways to combat some of these challenges. In combining the broader experience of the consultants with the local understanding of the business contacts, logical, pragmatic solutions can be reached.

The community issue: women and youth that run businesses are not taking advantage of or do not know of new services and markets, thereby limiting their business growth and opportunities for economic empowerment.

The solution: 10 youth and women operated businesses in Lilongwe and linked with marketing and business planning professionals. These professionals will assist in strengthening and improving the businesses bottom line through social media, market retention, market growth, value added products and services and help those businesses to develop business plans

How: Leveraging mobile and internet allows us to speed up this process – to establish the opportunity for business professionals across the globe to collaborate and learn from each other, without the burden of heavy time commitments or cost. Just 1 hour weekly Skype or phone calls or an email to each other once a week.

Another mentor I had was Ron Berning, who is the Program Director at META (www.metaidaho.org) and was my supervisor during my Community Solutions fellowship at META.  We worked together on my follow on project and when a grant became available for hosts to visit their mentees Ron and I applied and we were successful.

Ron & his wife Dianne are therefore coming to Malawi in May to have a look at how my mentorship project is goung but also to see JARDS and its beneficiaries.  I am so excited to show them what my business, community and country is all about.

Its great how I still have strong relationships with the organisations and people I have had the privilage and honor to work with and I believe they will help me in growing my business, my family, my community and my country…

Role Model Entrepreneur of the Year!!!

It’s close to 2 months now since I left the US and arrived back home in Malawi . I have not had a second to sit down and actually put my thoughts in writing.  I have been reflecting how the year 2012 went for JARDS.

2012 was a very tough year economically for Malawians.  Forex shortages, fuel shortages, rise in prices of food, materials and I can go on and on.  I think it is safe to say every business felt the ‘pinch’, people were (and still are) buying what they need no longer just want they want….

Ive been thanking my lucky stars for the Community Solutions Fellowship and for my time in Boise, Idaho.  My products are in a Fairtrade Store! How cool is that???  I need this market – because I can definitely see if I do not broaden my market and enter international markets, there might not be a JARDS Products next year.

I was also chosen as the Role Model Entrepreneur of the Year for the 2012 Month of the Women Entrepreneur here in Malawi – great welcome home present .  On top of that at the event JARDS Products won the Best Exhibitor.

Ive established contacts and networks this year that I could only dream about, but what 2012 has emphasized to me is never quit, always work hard.  You have only one life to live – whether you choose to make that life miserable or great is up to you – it takes the same effort.

2013 already seems promising – cant wait to see what the year beholds for me personally, professionally and for my business too!!!

A mention in “NOT FOR SALE” – autobiography of Bobby Dekeyser

From April – October 2010, I was a Dekeyser & Friends Fellow on the Cebu Rehousing Project in the Phillipines.

To learn about development and help laying the foundation stone for a new village’ was the Challenge given to us Fellows by Father Heinz, the project Friend. Back then about 250 families lived in shanties and makeshift houses made of garbage on the dump, and the new village has the capacity for 50 of the families to resettle. The income derived from scavenging on the dump is insufficient to meet even the most basic daily needs, so the resettling includes a livelihood scheme to allow the villagers to improve their income away from the dump side.

We spent the first three months visiting existing projects run by a local Philippine NGO, JPIC-IDC, which  has promoted various successful rehousing projects and has worked with the local community for years to build up mutual trust and to empower the people to organize themselves. In the last three months of our time in Cebu we were involved in building the new village from scratch. We prepared the site development and helped construct a community center. Together with experts on skill development we trained the families to start micro-finance cooperatives in sustainable ecological farming, livestock breeding and handicrafts, so that the families could make a living and sustain themselves in a healthy way.

During the duration of this Fellowship, the Dekeyser and Friends Foundation encouraged us to dream and I can 100% say JARDS Products would not be what it currently is without the help of Dekeyser & Friends Foundation.

The Founder & Chairman of the D & F Board, Bobby Dekeyser recently released his autobiography.  I was mentioned in the book and even though it is only one paragraph I still can not put into one word how I felt when I saw my name there - the feeling is just so amazing.  Just follow your dreams is the D & F slogan, and with the D & F help I am.

The book is in German and can be found on Amazon, but I got the paragraph translated. Happy reading !

An Extract:

“NOT FOR SALE” – Bobby Dekeyser

Early school leaver, Football professional, world businessman –

The totally crazy story of Bobby Dekeyser

The conditions of life are miserable, there is a lack of sanitary facilities as well as of food and water and the dispossessed have no chance to get education or work. Especially socially disadvantaged like widows or AIDS sufferer live a depressingly life. After his own experiences and talks with Friend Pater Heinz Kulüke George founded an organization, which exactly helps this marginal group. They support them with building houses and sanitary facilities and help them by getting access to water.  The recipients are paying the costs of their new homes back over several years and this is the way how the NGO finances itself for a long-term period.  “Dekeyser & Friends” made the foundation of the NGO possible from the financial part and paid the first 15 houses. With the help of a mentor George planned a trip through America in order to collect donates for the construction of several fountains as well as to build up a network of aid organizations to realize his ideas.

Shubhangi is a young woman from Mumbai has founded an initiative for street children already before the dance project in Istanbul started. With the help of “Dekeyser & Friends” she further developed her little initiative to a NGO called “Hamara Footpath”. More than 30 children can play in the rooms of “Hamara Footpath” and get medical aid and education because of the collaboration with other Organizations. Shubhangi wants to show them a way back to education and the possibility to start an apprenticeship.

In Malawi, one of the poorest countries in Africa, scholarship student Rosebill opened a factory for bamboo furniture with our help. These furniture’s are made out of such high quality that they are also suitable for export. She teaches young women in weaving and wants to offer scholarships to young people of Malawi out of the profits of the business.

These are just three examples for initiatives which our fellows started. Maybe one day there is somebody among them who changes life of thousands of people. We have the wish that the foundation becomes a platform on the one hand for experienced personalities to share their knowledge and on the other for young people to receive inspiration. I for myself see my life’s work in reassuring others.

JARDS Products in the Treasure Magazine!!!

Exciting!!!

Becky, from Dunia texted me saying the Idaho Statesman’s Treasure Magazine is putting together lots of fun gift ideas on their online gallery – which includes many more than they could include in their magazine. The products are of different styles and price points, but one thing in common: the products are all available from local shops.

And guess who’s products are featured??? Yes Items # 84 and #85 are JARDS Products.  Follow link below to see:

http://www.idahostatesman.com/2012/11/17/2343049/2012-holiday-gift-ideas-from-treasure.html#wgt=rcntgal

JARDS Products on the road with Dunia Marketplace!

JARDS Products on the road with Dunia Marketplace!.

JARDS Products on the road with Dunia Marketplace!

Dunia Marketplace are on the road and have been bringing fair trade holiday market allover Boise.  This past week on November 2 & 3 they were at Idaho Falls  and they set up at the First Evangelical Lutheran Church which is on 455 W. Sunnyside Road, Idaho Falls.  Today & Tomorrow (10 & 11 November) they are at St Stephen’s Episcopal Church which is on 2206 N Cole Rd.

JARDS Products can be found there at it gives me such pride and encouragement when I see people looking at our products exclaiming how beautiful they are.  And of course Becky (Dunia’s Manager) has my story that came out of the Idaho Statesman right next to my products.

For all those reading in Boise, please visit St Stephen’s Episcopal Church and see how Dunia create a Fair Trade store… on the road!

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JARDS Products on Dunia Shelves!!!

If 7 years ago, anyone had told me that my ‘hobby’ would end up being displayed in a former Ten Thousand Villages shop in the US, I do not think I would have believed them.

But this is exactly what has happened.  Dunia Marketplace have given me a section in their shop for my earrings and necklaces and have my other products in the other corners of the shop.  A copy of my recent newspaper interview with the Idaho Statesman Newspaper is pinned on the wall next to my products.

I recently heard someone say the biggest disadvantage to youth is impatience and i think he was correct.  Its taken me 7 years to bring JARDS to where it is and it will probably take me 7 more years to make it reach the heights I know and wish it to become.  But I will continue living in hope.  And I hope you will all be with me in this journey.  Boise residents, please pop into Dunia Marketplace and get your Christmas Shopping on

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