Entrepreneurs undergo training ahead of SME trade fair

In a move aimed at empowering Small and Medium Entrepreneurs (SMEs) with business management skills, Bidnetwork—an international organisation that links entrepreneurs with potential financiers—has embarked on training of entrepreneurs, as part of preparations for an SME exhibition due this Friday. The event is expected to attract investors and experts in the areas of developing, growing and financing.“…we need to know the best way to utilise the little time we shall spend with them (investors),” noted Chantal Ntima, the Manager of NIYON AGRO, a mushroom production and processing company in Burundi.She is one of the entrepreneurs undertaking the training.She pointed out that during the exhibition, entrepreneurs are given two minutes to interact with investors and another five to ask questions, adding that the training is important for young entrepreneurs as it creates room for linkages.The investors are in the country to participate in the SME conference organised by Bidnewtwork in collaboration with Junior Chamber International (JCI)-Rwanda.Entrepreneurs are drawn from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Liberia, Kosovo and Palestine.The exhibition will be held after the conference and entrepreneurs are expected to use it to convince potential investors to finance their projects or businesses.“We train them (young entrepreneurs) to make them ready to join the business world before linking them to investors,” JCI-Rwanda project coordinator, Prosper Ishimwe, explained.Access to finance among SME`s has remained a challenge as financial institutions believe they are too risky.This has seen government intervene through the Business Development Fund that also provides guarantees to financial institutions that extend loans to SMEs.Bidnetwork`s Senior Advisor for Africa and Eastern Regional Coordinator, Anneke Evers expects local entrepreneurs to use the conference and the marketplace profitably.“Participants or entrepreneurs have had enough training in different aspects including business planning, financial statement and pitching among.”

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Entrepreneurs undergo training ahead of SME trade fair