Workshop #3

While we are here in Ghana we will be teaching a total of 6 workshops. During the workshop each student learns basic principles that enable them to write a business plan.  We are here 12 weeks so on our off weeks we spend time working with individual students.  This past week was one of those weeks.  Kirsten decides which students each of us will meet with.  I got to meet with two of my very favorite students. 

The first one I met with is Collins. In the picture he is the one standing next to me with his arm around me.  Last October Collins started a construction equipment rental business. He started off by using every pesewa he had to buy two wheelbarrows. He's a very charismatic fellow so he just goes out and talks to construction foreman and finds those that are in need of the tools. Since starting his business he has been living off of the equivalent of $50/month in order to grow his business.  He now has six wheelbarrows, eight shovels, and GH500 (about $350) in his savings account.  He has also improved his business by welding some metal around the sides of the wheelbarrows to make them stronger and by purchasing auto grade tires for the wheelbarrows so the wheels last months instead of days.  He is quite pleased with the little business that he has but he wants to make it even bigger.  His dream is to purchase a cement mixer that he can rent out for GH70/day.  Purchasing one would cost about GH1400.  While working with him one on one we did some analysis and found that if he could get a loan for the mixer, purchase it, and rent it out 5 days a week then he could have it paid off within one month.  Even if it took two months then his business will benefit greatly.

The next person I met with is Florian.  He is next to Kirsten in the picture.  From the time I met Florian I could tell that he was one smart cookie!  Since then I've found out that he is also really cool.  Florian joined the Church three years ago and just got back from a mission to Nigeria two months ago.  Before his mission he and his sister ran a business doing computer repairs; his sister ran it on her own while he was gone.  Now that Florian is back from his mission they have dreams of taking their business to the next level by opening an internet cafe alongside a technical support center.  When he came to meet with me he had calculated the costs of opening an internet cafe and was discouraged by seeing such a big number.  I helped him to see that by starting small and just focusing on doing on-sight computers repairs he will have enough money to open his internet cafe without getting a loan in 10-12 months. I wish that I had captured the look of hope in his eyes when we came to this realization. I must admit that I was even surprised at how quickly he could raise the money if he focused on starting small and working hard. The picture above does not capture him well at all so I'll try to get a better one next time I see him.

I am so proud of my students and how hard they are working. There are frustrations but there are many more tender mercies that outweigh them.