Summary of the company visits during week 33/2015 and Matadi Support Group, MSG:s training in the Congo states

Present

Yngve Håkanson, Lars-Ola Rydberg, Bengt Håkanson,
Emy Miantezila, Yapeco Bakala Massengo, Joseph Mandzoungou, Judith Loukanou, Bertil Åhman, Anders Hellgren, Astrid Ståhlberg

Where and when Equmenia Church, Döbelnsgatan 12, Stockholm

Saturday 15 August, 10 a.m. – 12.30 p.m.

Lars-Ola Rydberg leads the meeting, Bertil Åhman interprets and Astrid takes notes.

Lars-Ola opens the meeting with prayer

1. Yngve presents the week’s visit program with a Power Point.
2. Feedback from the guests
3. How do we proceed?

1. The companies we have visited

Kihléns Konfektion- Liturgical clothing and workwear
Ulricehamns Betong Concrete elements
Fristad Plast Plastic parts and lifebuoys
Hammar Maskin Cranes for trailers
Hökerum Bygg House-building across Sweden
Enitor Plast Plastic parts, started as a supplier to IKEA
DMJ Bygg House-building, spin-off of Hökerum Bygg
Tångabo Gård Agriculture etc.
Träullit Building material/building elements of wood wool, water and cement

2. Feedback from the guests

Joseph Mandzoungou

The Organization of the week has been excellent. Many thanks to the hosts. It has been a week of hard work, to which we are accustomed. We have learned a lot about how Swedish companies are started, how they develop and how they overcome difficulties and develop further. Downside was that no company we’ve met, have conditions that can be easily compared to those of the Congo, but the basic principles of entrepreneurship are the same.

Yapeco Bakala Massengo

Thank you for your invitation. The journey has been amazing! I agree with Joseph. The entrepreneur who impressed me the most was the farmer, he himself performed all the tasks of the farm and he is the one who made the strongest impression on me. I am struck by the unpretentiousness of the entrepreneurs we have met. Swedes are not arrogant and grandiose like the French and the Belgians. You are blessed. We can take you as role models.

Emy Miantezila

I would like to provide the Congolese with fresh ideas on what we have experienced and seen here; small and large activities, well organized family business, etc.

During the week, I have noticed that there is a special talent to make a business grow. I met a 20-year-old who invented a machine that still works. I have seen training and development that characterizes an enterprise as a whole. In the Congo we get stuck and everything goes in the same track. I have learned about continuous improvement. Having multiple activities are fine. There can be a favorable development when the enterprise spans several fields and industries. Here, we have seen humility and dignity. Maybe we can bring these qualities to our community and to ourselves as individuals.

MSG: We have managed to show what we had planned. Sometimes we were worried about that our cultures are too different.

3. How do we proceed? In Matadi, Kimpese and Brazzaville?

Joseph.

Niosi has formed a team of three people with Joseph as chairman. This training obviously lies within the context of Niosi’s work. We will undertake the implementation and start as soon as possible.

Reflections has concluded that anyone would have great benefit of this training. Mansimou and the agronomy program should be interested, as well as vendors in the markets. This could improve and allow for follow-up and training on many levels.

We would like to see training programs, designed for different levels, with the same content. That’s how far we have come now in our reflexions for now. We are also discussing translating the material into Kikongo at a later stage.

Niosi Group has asked me to gather experiences and views from Matadi Support Group.

MSG: It is a good idea to develop the training material for different groups and levels.

Emy.

We have other experiences. We went quickly into the program, which has not started so well. We’ll start again. Theories are fine but not so easy to implement. I think we should start with a brief theoretical passage that is directly implemented in reality.

Our earlier President Moubouto had a section in the constitution which said: Débruyez-vous !, ie approximately: Ready yourselves!

Successor Kabila said: Take responsibility – work!

These are good reminders for us.

We need to start over, encourage and lead well in order for something to happen. We thought that money is the beginning but we now understand that it is just the opposite!
Yapeco.

The beginning is always difficult. MSG began its operations in the Congo and the people did not understand what a credit meant. Many regret today that they had not understood. Several have understood now. Banks and the community helps with money for those who want to start.

Judith.

In Pointe Noire, I received a loan for my business through a UN agency who lent small sums. I borrowed 100,000 cefa and repaid 110,000. The interest rate was very low. My daughter has also received such a loan. It is possible to get loans. If we plan properly and manage the funds well, we will understand that we can borrow at interest.

MSG: What can you say about your acitivities this fall?

Yapeco.

We have got the training material.

When we have a group that is interested, we will try to support them to get going. We have staff in both Matadi and Kimpese, and will plan ahead together with Emy.

The power failures are a big obstacle in our country.

Emy.

At first we must prepare a group. We will market – educate – implement.

Let each of us find the way.

MSG: Are you willing to work for a continuation?

Yngve: Can you send us a schedule before 15 October?

Joseph.

We have a head start in our vision: Training in ongoing stages.

My assignment from the Niosi Group is to find out how the training has been carried out in Matadi. We thought that there would be an Entrepreneurial School.

We have planned to advertise to investigate the interest, need and levels. We want a maximum of 30 people, and we will have two educators in charge of each level/group. The duration per chapter is ready and the budget is done. We have a room, material, remuneration for the teachers, including cost for miscellaneous, such as coffee. We have not decided the enrollment fee, and we need more sponsors, but Niosi is already a sponsor and MSG signs up as sponsor now, on the spot.

Mansimou is the only university that will adopt the training for now.

MSG: Send us the budget, and we’ll see what we can do.

Judith finishes with a prayer.

The participants leave the meeting.

August 2015/ast

Yngve has corrected a few details.