Foundations of Business
Guiding each other, we can choose productive pathways.
Growing up years ago before we dreamed of creating Rungano-Ndota, we worked hard to make money. As youth from poor families, we had to find ways to earn cash for surviving! But we did not know how to build a business, and we did not have a team to guide us. So we help RNI youth
build teams and business plans so their businesses will last!
RNI youth enjoying a teambuilding activity at a Rungano Day.
Teambuilding and business coaching are the foundations
of business development.
Business starts with an idea. RNI share their ideas for business on a Business Ideas Generation Day ‘’BIG Day.”
That’s when we combine youth’s dreams with the community’s needs, to see what can work!
To start a business that will last, youth need a business plan. At our Business Bootcamp, RNI trains youth
in business planning so they can initiate or grow their businesses. They also develop more business skills
throughout the year in Rungano Days.
To sustain a business requires teamwork and many skills. To improve youth livelihoods, RNI constantly coaches
individual youth to improve their personal businesses and also guides the teams who have cooperatives.
The Overall Livelihood Journey
at Rungano-Ndota
RUNGANO LIVELIHOOD ACTIVITIES + STAGES
1
2
3
4
5
BUSINESS IDEA
DEVELOPMENT
BUSINESS
COMMITMENT
BUSINESS
PLANNING
STARTUP
BUSINESS LOAN
​
BUSINESS OPERATION
AND GROWTH
TEAMWORK DEVELOPMENT + COACHING
Herve Mugabire, RNI Youth and
President of Tofu Fresh Cooperative
"I have been lucky to be part of Rungano-Ndota. Along with
14 RNI youth from Bweramana Sector, I attended the Business Idea Generation Day, known as BIG Day. That day opened up our minds to spot opportunities for resolving the business gaps that are in our community. By exploring different ideas among us, we saw that in our community, precisely in Gitwe Center, there is a big market for tofu. But there’s no tofu producer at the place. People travel a lot to buy tofu in Muhanga, 55 kilometers away. Today because of the idea born in BIG Day we are serving our community with tofu.
Our shop is called Tofu Fresh!
We are also improving our livelihood.
As President of the cooperative,
I am proud of how we are working as a team to run this
business for us and our community’s benefit."
Josiane Mukamasabo,
RNI Youth
"I am aged 24, the first born of six in my family. Our father left us when we were very young, and my mother is poor and was sick. I felt bad about our situation. After joining Rungano-Ndota, I discovered my leadership skills and started being responsible for myself, my siblings, and also my mom. Adam mentored me and I met many other youths, so I felt comfortable with people! At the Business Bootcamp I saw I could do small jobs and save wages to start my own business. I did it! I started selling beans and cassava flour and realized I could do many things. So I joined a savings group in my neighborhood, which helped me get 4 goats and a pig to raise.
But the Covid-19 lockdown hurt my business. After lockdown I met Camarade for coaching and applied for a Rungano-Ndota loan.
Now my business is back and I have energy.
Maybe I can have a shop some day!
With Rungano-Ndota my dreams become real."
If you wish to help advise or support sustainable livelihood development
in the RNI Community, we would love to hear from you!