Over 50 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are undergoing training on book keeping and accounting in a three day workshop organised by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) in conjunction with City of London Corporation (CLC).

Tony Nsanganira, Director of Export Marketing at RDB said these enterprises were selected to benefit from the programme based on their potential and current stage of development.

Nsanganira said the programme aims at improving the accounting, customer service, language and companies’ quality standards to facilitate their access to relevant trade certifications.

The initiative to conduct the training was mooted in a recent Cabinet meeting which decided that 100 selected companies from different sectors, be offered an intensive programme focusing on business development services.

"After President Paul Kagame attended a symposium that was held in the UK with the theme  "Challenges of improving investment climate in Africa” which was organised by CLC last year, it was decided that 100 SMEs be chosen to start with in this eight-month programme,” Nsanganira said.

The UK symposium which had the President as the keynote speaker was organised to examine the business climate in Rwanda and Tanzania, which were termed as East Africa’s most progressive and business friendly countries.

In an interview with The New Times, Hordance Tumwine one of the beneficiaries said that the training had benefited her a great deal and would have a positive impact on her business.

"We have been working in a disorganised way. But with this training I believe my business is going to improve in all aspects because we have learnt how to keep our books of account and got a hands-on training in accountancy,” she said.

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