BPN Rwanda, Mastercard Foundation set to create 19,000 jobs in five years

Business Professionals Network (BPN) Rwanda, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, is supporting businesses to scale through the Grow 2 Scale programme by providing coaching, mentorship, access to finance, and market linkages. The programme highlights the growing contribution of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to inclusive economic growth. On Wednesday, June 17, BPN Rwanda marked an important milestone with the celebration of the first cohort of the Topify and Impala programmes under the Grow 2 Scale partnership. Held in Kigali, the event brought together entrepreneurs and partners to celebrate 16 businesses supported through the Topify scaling programme and 9 women-led small and medium enterprises supported through the Impala programme. Both initiatives are part of Grow 2 Scale, a programme designed to help entrepreneurs expand, strengthen, and sustainably grow their businesses. While the Impala programme provides one year of intensive coaching, training, networking, and financing support, the Topify programme offers a more comprehensive two-year journey that includes coaching, business advisory, masterclasses, networking opportunities, and access to finance to help well established entrepreneurs successfully scale their ventures. The programme supports small and growing businesses in tourism, hospitality, and agriculture, while promoting the inclusion of youth in work, particularly women, refugees, and persons with disabilities. BPN’s contribution aims to generate 19,000 jobs over its lifecycle. Focus on mindset and business leadership BPN Rwanda says the programme goes beyond technical training, focusing instead on leadership development and entrepreneurial mindset as key drivers of business growth. Alice Nkulikiyinka, Country Director of BPN Rwanda, said the organisation’s model is built on shaping how entrepreneurs think and manage growth. “Our key aspect of work is not to focus on basic business skills but rather on mindset and attitude, supporting entrepreneurs to become responsible leaders and to grow businesses that create jobs,” she said. She indicated that more than 80 per cent of supported businesses remain sustainable and grow steadily, while about 30 per cent grow into market leaders in their sectors. Nkulikiyinka added that the model proved resilient during the Covid-19 period pandemic, when none of the supported businesses closed. Many, she said, survived prolonged disruption due to improved financial discipline and planning. Inclusion as a core pillar of growth Inclusion is a core pillar of Grow 2 Scale, with about 80 per cent of jobs created targeting young women under 35, while seven per cent each are reserved for refugees and persons with disabilities. To support this approach, BPN works with organisations such as the National Union of Disability Organisations of Rwanda (NUDOR) and Maison Shalom, among other partners to strengthen the participation of persons with disabilities in entrepreneurship and expand access to business opportunities. Jean Baptiste Murema, Senior Disability Inclusion Advisor at NUDOR, said the programme is helping shift perceptions around disability and business. “It is still a journey, but coaching is helping them organise their businesses and build capacity to grow,” he said. He added that NUDOR’s role is to link entrepreneurs with disabilities to implementing partners across districts, enabling access to training and mentorship. “Our role is to connect BPN with entrepreneurs with disabilities so they can receive guidance and support to develop their ideas,” he said. He said entrepreneurship is still new for many persons with disabilities, but exposure to success stories is changing mindsets. “When they see others succeeding, they begin to believe they can also do it,” he said. From daily operations to strategic growth Among the graduates was Nadia Keza, CEO of International Travel Agency, who said the programme changed how she manages her business. She said she moved from day-to-day operational management to strategic leadership focused on structured growth. “It is not an option. It is a responsibility every entrepreneur should have to stay alive in business,” she said. She added that the programme helped strengthen systems, delegation and efficiency, allowing the business to operate without her constant involvement. “Now everything flows correctly, and I do not need to be there for the work to be done,” she said. Scaling impact through partnership Country Program Partner at the Mastercard Foundation, Emery Musonerwa, commended BPN Rwanda for its growing impact in supporting entrepreneurs and job creation. He said the organisation has expanded its reach significantly, moving from supporting about 90 entrepreneurs annually to thousands under the Grow 2 Scale model. “You are helping young people to get work opportunities as you grow your businesses,” he said. He said entrepreneurship is central to Rwanda’s NST2 job creation targets of more than 1 million jobs by 2029. “ The country cannot achieve these jobs without entrepreneurs,” he said. Call for stronger business champions Diane Karusisi, CEO of Bank of Kigali, guest speaker at this milestone celebration called for a shift in ambition among entrepreneurs and financiers, saying Rwanda needs stronger “national champions” capable of scaling regionally and globally. “We are good at getting people to start a business, but I have not seen national champions emerging,” she said. She urged banks to assess entrepreneurs beyond financial statements, focusing on discipline, consistency and execution capacity. “We want to see people who do what they say they will do,” she said. She also called for earlier engagement between banks and businesses to support better structuring and long-term growth.

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BPN Rwanda, Mastercard Foundation set to create 19,000 jobs in five years