Short term study away – Page 8 – Global & Experiential Education

Rwanda STAP: Rwanda’s Umuganda

marielbaloMarch 15, 2019March 4, 2020

Blog post written by Drew Otto, GMBA '20

The U.S. could use some umuganda these days. Known as ‘community work day’, the last Saturday of every month is dedicated time for all Rwandans to come together and improve the environment. The tasks may vary but public transportation halts and everyone, even President Kagame, is expected to trim the bushes or clean the streets. It has paid off. I was shocked by the cleanliness when we arrived at the Kigali airport.

Young palm trees lined the median of the smooth streets as I taxied to our hotel. The green fronds reminded me of my years living in Los Angeles except that the pristine sidewalks were litter-free. The more we travel across Kigali’s lush hills, visiting the Ministry of Agriculture, Rwanda Development Board, and a world-class processing plant, the more I realize the power of community involvement. It’s not only the streets that have been cleaned up, but the economy as well.

Image 1: Palm Trees above clean walkways in Kigali.

Rwanda’s GDP grew an impressive 7.5% last year and our work with local cooperatives should contribute to that rate. The country may lack natural resources, but with a population of 12 million, its small size is conducive for aligning initiatives. Ninety-five percent of Rwandans have 4G coverage, roughly ten percent more than most U.S. carriers, and the country is positioning itself to be one of Africa’s business and tech hubs, modeling its plans on countries like Singapore and Hong Kong. Halfway through the trip however, we rode several hours over paved and bumpy, dirt roads to the rural hillsides of Kibungo. We visited our cooperative and saw just how much catching up the villages need to do to match the development of its capital city.

Image 2: Drew's GW team, along with Professor Click, visiting the Koremu cooperative outside Kibungo.

The wet season brought short but heavy rains as we arrived at our cooperative for a day of research and financial analysis. Our translator fielded questions as we learned the challenges of growing maize and beans. Climate change, rodent-borne disease and a lack of resources are several of the many challenges faced by the farmers and executive board. Our work, to improve and recommend our coops for investment, is at the mercy of many external factors and the complexities of agribusiness are exacerbated in a country still developing its infrastructure and building capacity. Defining ‘investment ready’ is difficult when financial statements are in kinyarwanda and our translator has constantly been critical in helping us prepare our memorandum.

Yet, even at our small cooperative tucked away in the hills, there was no litter to be found. Children wave as we drive by and the feeling of pride and community remains strong everywhere we go. The spirit of umuganda is both inspiring and effective and I continue to doubt if we have anything comparable back home in the states.

Rwanda STAP: Impact that Matters

marielbaloFebruary 27, 2019March 4, 2020

Blog post written by Drew Otto, GMBA '20

After studying abroad in Berlin, Germany as an undergraduate student, I experienced life in a culture with a dark past. Yet, there was always comfort in knowing that most people with whom I interacted learned about the Holocaust like me - separated by time and the distance created by pages in a history book. But in the case of Rwanda, the 1994 genocide is much more recent. As my group researches and prepares for our work with impact investors and Rwandan agribusiness coops, I grow increasingly interested in Rwanda’s economy and history.

I instantly thought of the 2005 film Hotel Rwanda when I saw the African country listed on the GE&E’s Short-term Abroad Program (STAP) flyer. The horrific beginnings of the Rwandan genocide are portrayed from the perspective of a Hutu manager of the Hôtel des Milles Collines married to a Tutsi woman. I was touched by the film and wrenched that as a young boy in the U.S., I knew very little about such a global and unjust tragedy. I was drawn to the program in Rwanda to learn more about its past and to play a small role in developing the Rwandan economy.

Image 1: Drew in front of Berlin's iconic "TV Tower"

Professor Reid has led many student cohorts to Rwanda and has assuredly contributed to Rwanda’s sustainable development through his work with impact investors. I am fascinated to learn about this process of “patient capital”, in which investors connect with local Rwandan businesses to invest money that prioritizes positive social and environmental impact alongside profitable returns. I want to know what makes these investors tick and how I can best persuade and make a case for foreign investment that promotes societal improvement.

Image 2: Hotel Rwanda, Lionsgate Films, 2005.

Our classroom is filled with an excited curiosity as we learn about the Rwandan economy and people. I am eager to visit Rwandan coops that have collaborated to form international connections and attract foreign investment. Despite its size and poverty levels, Rwanda consistently ranks as one of the top African countries most suited for international business. Our instructors have prepared us for travel around Kigali and the eastern province and we are eagerly awaiting our departure. I look forward to exploring Africa for the first time and experiencing impact investment in a truly hands-on way. My graduation is one year away and this trip will surely influence my career goals and provide valuable business experience.

In order to learn more about the country’s history, a group of us were fortunate enough to book a room in the Hôtel des Milles Collines featured in the film. I wonder how much I will sleep that night, immersed in recent history while filled with excitement. I look forward to knowing that our work with impact investors and local Rwandan businessmen will, in some way or another, impact Rwanda in a way that truly matters.

Chile STAP: Unexpected Discoveries

marielbaloJanuary 23, 2019March 4, 2020

Post by Jennifer Swartz, GMBA ’19

On October 20, 2018, our Chilean journey officially began. I remember excitedly walking into class, where we discussed Chile, the projects, and how the program would be organized. I could not wait to go to such a scenic location, work on a project for an emerging winery, and expand my marketing proficiency. Now as I sit here in January 2019 reflecting on the trip, I realize that it left me with much more – unexpected new skills and knowledge about myself that I will undoubtedly carry long after the program.

As we began the project, my team and I dove headfirst into research. Having previously worked in and heavily researched the wine industry, I stuck to my usual routine of books, reports, and journals. However, my teammates really expanded my approach to researching. They introduced me to new platforms, research techniques, and ways in which to conduct analysis. I am beyond grateful for this and am eager to apply these practices in my future work.

By way of utilizing different researching methods, I ended up learning a great deal more than I thought I would about the wine industry. For example, we conducted a comprehensive survey where we were able to identity types of labels that best resonate with Millennials, an area of growing importance. Moreover, I realized how much I actually retained from my winery internship. When I left my summer internship, I was overwhelmed by the industry as a whole and unsure about how much I was really taking away, given its many intricate dimensions. However, I was able to tap into my experience to help my team construct a more fleshed out marketing strategy that adequately addressed our client’s concerns, particularly for pricing and placement. I no longer felt overwhelmed, and instead became increasingly intrigued by the wine industry, which has since compelled me to reconsider the wine industry as a potential area to work in post-graduation.

Additionally, my experience has caused me to embrace presenting (insert shocked faced emoji here). For as long as I can remember, presenting has been an activity that fails to thrill me. In fact, it is one that I have avoided at all costs. Yet, that feeling subsided for this project. I loved working with my team as we rolled up our sleeves and got to know all we could about the wine industry. Our efforts made me feel both confident and fond of our findings, and I often could not resist piping up when answering questions, whether to our professor or our client. When it came time to present, I was not fearful, but in fact… exuberant. I was animated as I painted a picture of how our client should showcase their brand and left our presentation feeling fulfilled that I adequately conveyed our points.

It made me realize that by putting in the work in the researching phase and exploring an industry of interest, I actually want to share my findings and tell a story that will make a (hopefully) lasting impact… a self-discovery that I NEVER thought I would make.

Chile STAP: The Joys of Traveling

marielbaloJanuary 23, 2019March 4, 2020

Post by Jennifer Swartz, GMBA ’19

“God loves us.” I am not a religious person, but over the past year of traveling through the Global & Experiential Education Department at GW, my classmates and I have come use to use this phrase. Why, you ask, while undoubtedly scratching your head at its nonsensicalness? Well, we coined “God loves us” to celebrate our travels. Moreover, we began reciting it to signify how truly fortunate we were to be able to take the time to be in school and venture on such profound, interactive, and worldly experiences. Our positive attitudes cascaded into waves of good fortune and the ultimate joys of traveling – meeting new people, discovering hidden gems, and being exposed to cultures in ways we never envisioned possible.

However, upon arriving to Santiago, my good fortune seemed to come to screeching halt. Chile, while known for many wonderful things, is also notorious for petty crime. I had a pretty rude awakening and learned rather quickly that petty crime is no joke, as my backpack, complete with my passport, wallet, laptop, and various other belongings got stolen. Enter shock, anger, helplessness. All the things you hope to never encounter while traveling.

This unfortunate experience happened on day 1. Yet, here we are, day 5 of the trip, and all of those feelings have long evaporated. What’s more, I have nothing but positive things to say about Chile. The wines are fantastic, and every winery I went to rolled out the red carpet… especially our client who allowed us to taste a vintage 1994 Cabernet Sauvignon – muy delicioso! The landscapes are both diverse and stunning, complete with everything from endless sandy beaches to snowcapped mountains to intricate skyscrapers. And finally, the people made it a place to highly revere. As someone who surely has annoyingly slow and broken Spanish, the Chileans I encountered always took their time to help me understand their language, whether I was at the embassy getting my temporary passport or ordering a delectable pisco sour. Their incredibly warm and welcoming nature allowed me to discover amazing restaurants, stumble upon more scenic hikes, and ultimately experience Chile on another level. The Chileans’ unflagging hospitality transformed what could have been an irreparably horrible situation to a trip that I will forever fondly remember.

So, while I am not thrilled about the fact that I need to get a new passport, credit cards, and laptop, amongst other items, I still believe that God does in fact loves us.