BUILD & GROW, Malawi

Project name: BUILD & GROW

Project location:  Malawi

Website: http://www.bchidzumeni.com

Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/BrightChidzumeni/

Project description:

I have seen people buying a car to run a taxi business but that becomes the only car they ever own in the business for years until the car writes off and are left with nothing. Such is the reality of many businesses especially in Malawi; businesses die when the owner dies and they do not grow any bigger in terms of revenue and assets, as such they can’t supply employment to many. It's usually one person starting and running a business, operating in the same little shop, same location, same community, generating same amount of money every year for years. This is because most business owners lack an understanding on how to build and grow a business.

But we believe that every little shop can become a mall and eventually a chain store. BUILD AND GROW offers customized business lessons to small business owners on how to Build and grow a business that can last longer than the founder's life. These lessons are offered through physical and online trainings. With high unemployment rate, many youths are interested to launch their own enterprises but they usually don’t have the knowledge on how to do so, even those who start, they are void of information on how to grow a business thus eventually the venture dies. We have managed to offer these lessons through partnership with other local organizations such as Maestros Leadership Team, Global Entrepreneurs Organization, Center for Free Market Exchange and Mbuna Inc. As such we’ve already reached many SME’s in the country.

Goal and purpose of the project:

We intend to raise a minimum of 1,000 small enterprises per year from self-employment stagnation to recruiting at least 5 people, thus in total, providing employment to 5,000 youths per year so that by 2027 we would have raised 10, 000 big businesses with the capacity to provide employment to 50, 000 youths per year. The purpose of such a goal is so we can create more job opportunities and promote economic development and thereby decrease higher levels of poverty in Malawi.

Motivation of the applicant / applicant team:

I graduated from College in 2015 but more than half of my classmates are unemployed until now; they can’t even get a job of a lower qualification. Most graduates stay up to 5 years after graduation without employment. And even when they launch a business, many businesses become stagnant at start-up stage for a very long time, as such it takes a long time for them to reach a stage where they can offer employment opportunities to many. These two reasons are my motivation for this initiative.

Use of prize money:

The money will be used for content development such as Audios and videos to upload on the platform; establishment of a training hall to be fitted with learning gadgets and tools such as smart boards and internet connections so that SME can access virtual content. The hall shall be rented out to corporates to earn income for sustainability of the project. The money shall also be used for translating the platform into Malawi’s popular vernacular to carter for those who don’t understand English.