Success Stories - D.R. Congo
These Congolese women who stand out in Entrepreneurship
Betty Mulanga Kadima Nkashama: Woman with multiple hats (Kinshasa)
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A graduate in marketing management and then in business law, Betty Mulanga Kadima Nkashama is at the head of two companies: Paumubert Business focused on catering and then pastry and Axia Corporation, an agrifood and cosmetics processing company.
Axia Corporation produces fruit juice, herbal medicine and wine, tooth powder and wood ash scrub, skin and hair oils, spices, corn soaps, cassava, moringa, turmeric, ginger, carrots and other plants.
Betty Mulanga Kadima Nkashama is also the initiator and coordinator of the Kitunga Fair, National President of the Association of Women Entrepreneurs of Congo AFEECO”, President of the Collective of Transforming Entrepreneurs of Congo “COLETCO”, Secretary General of the Platform of Women's Entrepreneurship in the DRC quotPEF/RDCquot, Director and Principal Trainer at the Paumubert Training Center, Founder of the Youth Collective for Results quotCOJERESquot, Director of the quotBlack Mambaquot agency, National Expert at the CNIRA, at the CNFE/AEFE, African Union, and Expert with various ministries and organizations.
She shared her experience with 50MAWSP
50MAWSP: Ms. Betty, why did you choose entrepreneurship?
Betty Mulanga: I started very young in entrepreneurship following my taste for independence, because I am someone very independent and free in my mind. And compared to my future ambitions, I must be very rich to make my voice heard! Because as they say, we only lend to the rich!
50MAWSP : What were the challenges of your journey to success?
The most complicated ordeal that I have encountered in my business is the fact of having lost part of my building following my Lebanese tenants, envious of the place, who offered to sell the part to them, having refused their proposal, they will ally themselves with the mafia curator of real estate titles, who after having been corrupted by them, will make them false titles then they will stick a lawsuit on me for five years, a lawsuit which will lead to the loss of my part of the building, part housing all my commercial activities (hotel, restaurant, nightclub and tenants), leaving me an empty space without construction; While I had borrowed from the banks to build my empire, I went through non-payments, to the point of being indexed by my banks, I lost my credibility, with certain suppliers... At the end of five years of interminable trial, I took courage again, I got up again thanks to the faith in God, the support of my husband as well as my children who supported me during this hard test.
50MAWSP : How did you overcome that?
Betty Mulanga: I started from scratch, thank God, I diversified my activities by adding the aspect of processing local products, I built the empty space, then I trained in business, to become a judge in the commercial court, to bring justice to women who suffer injustice in the right to property and others.
50MAWSP : Are you still encountering obstacles in your business?
Betty Mulanga: The obstacles I encounter in business are numerous, among others: the inflation of dollars which prevent us from evolving, access to financing which remains difficult to help companies in difficulty, the multiple taxes that we continues to create, because it is difficult to make a firm budget over several months because of soaring prices at all levels.
50MAWSP : What does it take to be an entrepreneur in the DRC
Betty Mulanga: To be an entrepreneur in the DRC, you have to have strong nerves, because every day, you are exposed to Stroke..., to succeed, you need a lot of tact
50MAWSP : What do you think is the secret to your success?
Betty Mulanga: The secret of my success is due to the faith in my God which never ceases to inspire me, because they call me the woman with a thousand arms; because of all my hats.
I am not afraid of the weak beginning, and I have a taste for risk! I am determined and I don't give up, I believe in what I do, I go for it even when I know the path is strewn with pitfalls.
50MAWSP : What is your opinion on entrepreneurship in the DRC?
Betty Mulanga: I think that the Congolese entrepreneur has forged his own path which has allowed him to emerge, however he still lacks support from the government and state subsidies. The government will really have to work with us to allow us also to export by ratifying the agreements made with various countries, in order to enable us to benefit from all the advantages provided for in the various agreements signed, but not yet ratified until this day.
50MAWSP : A little advice to women entrepreneurs who read you?
Betty Mulanga: To all entrepreneurs and particularly to women entrepreneurs, I advise determination, not to give up, to continue working, to invest their time in their business, knowing that there are people who appreciate what you do and they will surprise you.
To believe in God, to prepare the next generation by encouraging and involving your family (the children) as the first reliable partner in the business!
Long live female entrepreneurship!
Congo Call Center, the result of teamwork (Kinshasa)
Congo Call Center is the first independent call center in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Its 300 employees run hotlines for corporate clients in Lingala, Swahili, French and English.
The call center is part of the First & Future Enterprises group, led by two ambitious women, Annie Kwangu and Huguette Bakekolo. These two fighters have proven that working as a team is more advantageous, they share their experiences
50MAWSP: Tell us about your background?
Annie Kwangu: I am Sales Director and founder of Congo Call Center, a company specializing in customer relationship management.
I started my career in telecommunications companies in 1990 in the commercial sector where I climbed different levels (in charge of collection - sales representative - head of sales department to finish as Sales Director) before setting up our structure where I have been evolving since 2010.
At Congo call center, we manage a call center of more or less 300 positions with a portfolio of 30 clients in different areas: Telecom – banking – aviation – car dealerships – NGOs….
I am in charge of the customer portfolio, my role is to ensure that all the customers won are satisfied and that the assigned objectives are achieved. I am also responsible for ensuring the quality of our collaboration with our partners.
My passion I draw it in:
- customer satisfaction
- the achievement of the assigned objectives
- The passion to be at the service of others.
Huguette SAMU : We assist our various partners by providing them with support enabling them to stay in constant contact with their customers. On the other hand, we carry out market studies, customer satisfaction studies as well as barometric surveys to allow our partners to gauge the quality of their service as well as the satisfaction of their customers and to determine the levers to be pushed to achieve satisfy their customers.
I occupy the position of Director of Operations in the box and as such, I organize the work in the field, by developing the questionnaires, by organizing the teams, and by supervising the production of the various analysis reports of the call campaigns incoming and outgoing that we carry out.
Although initially trained as an interior designer, I discovered a passion for managing customer relations.
50MAWSP: What has been the most complicated ordeal to overcome since you have been running your business? nbsp
Annie and Huguette: The most complicated ordeal was the search for financial partners and finding the right collaborators.
50MAWSP: Why did you get into entrepreneurship?
Annie Kwangu : After working for 20 years in multinational companies and having acquired the necessary skills, I felt the need to create my own structure first to be my own boss and direct things according to my vision, then to give young people the chance to have the little experience required before being hired.
Huguette Samu: To allow me to be more free to manage my time. But it is true that with the evolution of the company, I am no longer totally in control of my time.
50MAWSP: What have you achieved so far as a team of Women Entrepreneurs?
Annie Kwangu: We have set up the first independent call center in the DRC where we have trained more than 1,000 young people, some of whom are now placed in several local companies and others are business executives.
50MAWSP: What were the obstacles you encountered as a woman during your journey?
Annie Kwangu: As a woman, the major obstacle at the start of my career was the recognition of my work by male colleagues.
Huguette Samu: Not being taken seriously because you are a woman and an African, in an innovative field.
50MAWSP: How did you manage to overcome these obstacles?
Annie Kwangu: By the rigor and the quality of the work.
Huguette Samu: By persevering and striving to provide quality work. This requires training, self-training, discipline and rigour.
50MAWSP: What is your secret to success?
Annie Kwangu and Huguette Samu: Rigor, respect for commitments, quality of work, perseverance, training and always listening.
50MAWSP: What is your vision for women's entrepreneurship in the DRC ?
Annie Kwangu: To see women become more involved in all areas of activity (Service – Finance - High technologies) … if we want to count and be part of the decision-makers.
Huguette Samu: I think that women, in general, have a natural gift for management and organization. In the DRC, many women begin very young to “get by”. They are in informal businesses. It is therefore possible with a little guidance to go from small resources to solid companies.
50MAWSP : What advice would you give to women entrepreneurs and those who aspire to entrepreneurship in the DRC?
Annie Kwangu: They must first know their strengths and weaknesses, identify what motivates them. Then train on the basic knowledge of the sector in which they want to start and finally make a business plan that takes into account all the parameters before starting.
Huguette Samu: To be rigorous and to have faith in what they do.
50MAWSP: Three words of encouragement?
Annie Kwangu:
Trust yourself
Be persistent
Be demanding and rigorous
Huguette Samu: Go for it!
Jeannette LONGA MUSUAMBA, 31 years of experience in entrepreneurship, a fighter who has made her way despite the obstacles (Kasai Oriental)
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In a field largely dominated by men, Jeanne Longa Musuamba has been able to break through and find a place for herself. Founder of NKALO establishments whose main activities are the sale of petroleum and agricultural products in the province of Kasai Oriental. With 31 years of experience in entrepreneurship, Jeanne Longa Musuamba owns a service station for the sale of petroleum products (diesel and gasoline).
50MAWSP: Tell us about yourself in detail?
Jeannette LONGA MUSUAMBA: My name is Jeannette LONGA MUSUAMBA, founder of the NKALO establishments whose main activities are the sale of petroleum and agricultural products. I own a service station for the sale of petroleum products (diesel and gasoline).
I also have 250 hectares of which 40 hectares are cultivated today, including 5 hectares of palm trees. The main crops are: palm trees, maize, cassava, soy and cowpea. All these products are sold as processed products. Corn and cassava in flour, soy in milk and palm nuts in palm oil and palm kernel oil.
My role is to support the poorest women to become women entrepreneurs without complex vis-à-vis men.
After having trained as a beautician at the EBS in 1985 and obtained a certificate in business management in 1987 at the National Institute of Business Management Computing (INIGE), I created in 1989 my company Establishments NKALO. This began with a beverage sales depot (beers and soft drinks) and food.
Then, the activities evolved towards the distribution of petroleum products from SEP CONGO on the one hand with my own tank truck, and in the transport of agricultural products from the interior of the country to the capital Kinshasa.
I am a member of the Fédération des Entreprises du Congo (FEC), I was president of the committee of women entrepreneurs in my province of Kasai Oriental and I was elected as 2nd vice-president of the Fédération des Entreprises du Congo in Mbujimayi (still in the province of Kasai Oriental).
I obtained a certificate of training in agriculture independent of Development (AID). I have taken several training courses, including training on women's leadership with NDI and USAID, training on women facing a sense of duty in the management of public affairs, once elected, training with ACCES in business (Trainer), several training with CTB within the framework of the supervision of peasant women in Kasaï-Oriental. I participated in several forums in Africa and Europe in the field of business, several training sessions with the FEC, with the Belgian Technical Cooperation (BTC) which is now ENABEL, with USAID and with UN Women.
The trainings with USAID and UN Women on the electoral process allowed me to acquire the knowledge necessary to lead my own electoral campaign in 2018 with my own funds in my constituency of Katanda. And all this, without complex in front of the eyes of men. The result is that today 4th woman elected Vice-Governor of the province of Kasai Oriental.
I was also, from 2013 to 2018: Consular Judge at the Commercial Court of Mbuji-Mayi.
50MAWSP: What has been the most complicated ordeal to overcome since you have been running your business?
Jeannette LONGA MUSUAMBA: The most complicated ordeal was my husband. He was a civil mining engineer by training. When he resigned from his duties at MIBA, I handed over the General Management of the company to him as my husband. This is where the complications started because he was not a trader therefore we did not share the same vision on the management of the company. As a result, I had to persevere in my vision to become the business owner that I am today.
50MAWSP: Why did you get into entrepreneurship?
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Jeannette LONGA MUSUAMBA: From a young age, I have always aspired to become a female business owner. And I was inspired by the “ NANA BENZ ” from Benin.
With agriculture, it was through my travels with my husband in the USA that I had the opportunity to visit the fields of former President Jimmy Carter and this prompted me to invest myself in agriculture.
50MAWSP: What have you accomplished so far as Entrepreneurs?
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Jeannette LONGA MUSUAMBA: After 31 years of entrepreneurship, I am the boss of a company (NKALO) whose turnover and income are constantly growing, employees are paid regularly (which is not easy in Congo) , pays taxes before the deadlines and actively participates in the economic growth of the Province and the well-being of the local population through donations in order to help the most disadvantaged.
50MAWSP: What were the obstacles you encountered as a woman during your journey?
Jeannette LONGA MUSUAMBA: Men are a big obstacle because in our habits and customs, the woman who undertakes like a man and who succeeds is not looked upon favorably. And so I had to do and I continue to face opposition from men.
The country's monetary instability is a major obstacle because readjusting very volatile prices is always unpleasant when managing a company whose only aim is to maximize profit.
Political instability is another major obstacle because the Congo has experienced strong political disturbances which have led to economic crises which are very difficult situations to maintain a profitable business.
50MAWSP: How did you manage to overcome these obstacles?
Jeannette LONGA MUSUAMBA: I overcame these obstacles by remaining faithful to my convictions and through perseverance.
50MAWSP: What is your secret to success?
Jeannette LONGA MUSUAMBA: My secret to success is to persevere in achieving my vision, regardless of the circumstances.
50MAWSP: What is your vision of female entrepreneurship in the DRC?
Jeannette LONGA MUSUAMBA: My vision is to see more and more women entrepreneurs in the DRC and to see them succeed as much as men. Our habits and customs must no longer be an obstacle for women in my country and men must be able to support the emergence of women in the world of entrepreneurship.
50MAWSP: What advice would you give to women entrepreneurs and those who aspire to entrepreneurship in the DRC?
Jeannette LONGA MUSUAMBA: The advice I would give to women in the DRC is to dream big, train and realize this dream by working tirelessly.
50MAWSP: Three words of encouragement?
Jeannette LONGA MUSUAMBA: Dream, Work, Persevere
Female entrepreneurship: Eudoxie Nziavake Saanane is revolutionizing sewing in North Kivu
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Seamstress by profession, Eudoxie NZIAVAKE SAANANE, is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Emido Confection in Goma in the North Kivu Province, a firm that she was able to build with her own efforts. She stood out for her passion for cutting and sewing but also and above all for her perseverance in an area that has experienced repeated armed conflicts. She inherited her father's entrepreneurial taste.
50MAWSP went to meet him for an interview
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50MAWSP: Let's talk about EMIDO confection and its beginnings.
Eudoxie Nziavake Saanane : I finished my studies in 1987 at the Higher Institute of Arts and Crafts in Kinshasa and at the same time set up an EMIDO CONFECTION workshop in the commune of Bandalungwa, Quartier Makelele on avenue Kansavu no 29.
Two years later, I therefore decided to return to Goma in order to realize my dream of opening the clothing workshop, which opening was already preceded by market research. The bottleneck at the time was the supply of sewing materials, in particular the lining used, mainly from thrift store skirts purchased at the market.
I had been forced to order sewing materials in Kinshasa. But, it must be recognized that the trigger is the theoretical part of my end-of-studies work which consisted in carrying out research on sewing materials and this encouraged me to open a haberdashery to sell sewing materials. .
It was not easy ! In the practical part I sewed a dress in loincloth fabric trimmed with raffia for the ceremony of the Queen in customary power. Thanks to this feat, a few years later, it earned me the trip to Kampala in Uganda and even see to import from Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda and later Dubai.
50MAWSP: Why did you get into entrepreneurship?
- NS: It's from an early age that I've always been interested in my parents' work or better in what they did. My father was a merchant and owned a shop and my mother was also a merchant.
They introduced us to business, especially to management.
And During the holidays, mom gave me peanuts to sell, and after the holidays she calculated the profits received. In high school and at university, I always had something to sell and this allowed me to develop the spirit of autonomy because I always dreamed of becoming an autonomous woman.
50MAWSP: Why did you choose cut and sew?
ENS: My choice to sew comes from the questions I asked myself and which could not find an answer. I was always trying to understand how a cut fabric could produce a garment; “Was it a miracle”? This questioning, which was quite specific and very significant for me, led me to cut and sew, unlike others who do it out of constraint. Even more, knowing that sewing being liberal, I walked towards my dream, that of having a personal activity.
50MAWSP: What have you accomplished so far as an entrepreneur?
ENS: In my field; I set up a modern sewing workshop where I make creations from fabric patterns.
Often, drawing inspiration from certain websites, I have always tried to innovate in my sector of activity. In addition, I also trained abandoned young people who did not have the chance to continue their studies.
- I opened a house selling sewing materials. EMIDO is a legal company under Congolese law. Today, I am very active in social networks to promote EMIDO. I am trained in the ACCES program of the FEC.
As a certified trainer, I train in entrepreneurship and support women in savings and credit quotVSLAquot for their empowerment.
50MAWSP: What were the obstacles you encountered as a woman during your journey?
ENS: The workers were a headache; it was not easy to find a stable designer who could help the workshop prosper. There is a multiplicity of taxes such as taxes, the town hall tax, the environment, town planning and so on; one or two hours had to be lost talking to the tax collectors, and finally the customers; it was not easy to impose the true price following the quality of material to be used.
In the DRC, women do not have access to credit in financial structures, for lack of guarantees and mortgages to present. The middle class woman is more than half of the population, she dominates the economy and works in the informal sector. In this context, it is not competitive on the world market. The woman who has access to information constitutes a minority. There is also the repetition of wars and insecurity which block laudable initiatives, production is limited and this reduces the possibility of progress. We are still lucky to have organic products in DR Congo
50MAWSP: How did you manage to overcome these obstacles?
ENS: I trained a few young people and they worked in the workshop as dressmakers. I learned about the texts and laws to deal with these taxes. I joined the FEC to get the information and to overcome this hassle which was becoming an obstacle for my work.
It must be said that I combined a lot of effort to organize my workshop with firm appointments in relation to delivery. This earned me the trust I gained from customers unlike what they saw in other sewing workshops. And, I also presented my collection during a fashion show.
50MAWSP: What is your secret to success?
ENS: To succeed in entrepreneurship, you need courage, determination and willpower; a maxim says: quotto want is to be ablequot
In the field of confection my secret remains my specialty that I have because, I am also a seamstress by training and supplier of sewing materials
50MAWSP: What advice do you give to women entrepreneurs and those who aspire to entrepreneurship in the DRC?
ENS: I encourage women entrepreneurs in the DR Congo. They must persevere and above all, specialize in the specific field is very important
50MAWSP: Three words of encouragement?
ENS : The Vision
Work
The determination.