The International Finance Corporation (IFC) through the Rwanda Entrepreneurship Development Programme (REDP) last week certified 24 trainers who will train business owners on management skills.

The five-day business edge training was aimed at sharpening the management skills of Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) in Rwanda.

According to REDP, the 24 newly accredited trainers will be certified to conduct business edge management training for businessmen and women in Rwanda.

Two local firms, Center for business Solutions and Optimum Consulting Limited, were licensed to provide business edge training in Rwanda.

"IFC is in partnership with PSF to support the growth of as many businesses in the country as possible and will continue to create partnership with other key stake holders for better impact,” Ignace Bacyaha, IFC’s REDP Manager said while addressing guests at Hotel laico during the closing ceremony.

In an interview with The Business Times, Bacyaha said that over 56 percent of Small and Medium Enterprises in Rwanda don’t know the ways of how to have access to finance and how to acquire loans from the bank and added that business edge training helps business to have access to finance in an easy way.

"One does not need to have security to acquire a loan from the bank, what is needed is well designed project that impresses the stake holders,” said Bacyaha.

The training mainly centers on customer care services, setting up project plans, accounting, finance and management. 

According to REDP officials, IFC’s business edge training has benefited more than 800 small and medium enterprises in Rwanda since May 2009.

REDP plans to expand in Rwanda by offering training to businesses in different value chains including telecommunications, energy, agribusinesses and mining.

IFC’s REDP is supported by Japan, Netherlands, and Wallonia (Belgium), offers training to develop entrepreneurship skills, while seeking to expand the training services market.

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