Awazi Low Cost(AWLOC)

Planting our pillars on charity Awazi Low Cost (AWLOC) was born with the vision of reconstruction by integration (reconstructing conflict areas by re-integrating armed actors to entrepreneurs) and to employ at least 5000 Cameroonians by 2035 as his contribution to the Cameroon vision 2035 of becoming an emerging economy. Sustainability is at the center of our work, we want to pilot the WHO sustainable development goals in the field, encouraging and building sustainable food systems. The aim of this venture is to reach food sufficiency in conflict hit areas by the year 2030. The business is out to look for best approach to empower societies, create jobs, wipe out embezzlement and most importantly cut down consumers’ exploitation by bigger firms. AWLOC happens to be a flourished young and tentacle business running price cut policies before it was reduced to ashes by armed actors in Cameroon NW, SW ongoing armed conflict.

Food insecurity remains a growing threat in the gulf of Guinea and Central African sub region characterized by armed conflicts. The aim of this venture is to reach food sufficiency in conflict hit areas by the year 2030 and create jobs. AWLOC is providing retail for producer’s prices, for as many remote communities our strategy is to target their local market days. AWLOC is selling consumables at affordable prices either directly to the local population or subsidize supplies to retailers and create community awareness on discounted items. AWLOC runs Brands for Low cost programs which make them participate from the emerging global and IT society. AWLOC provide particular support for farmers through the donation of free seedlings and herbicides. Discounting on fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides and farm tools through our Agriculture made easy programs. We will reduce carbon emission, enhance sustainability, promote gender equality and help solve global health challenges. 

In the break of an armed conflict in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon in late 2016 that have led to millions internally displaced within East and West Cameroon. With thousands of businesses destroyed, hundreds of villages’ scotch – earth, with all active working population forced to internally or externally displace, an ever clearer picture of a no distance future food insecurity is becoming more likely as even those who braved all odds to stay with no options cannot afford their daily basic needs and an even clearer picture if an outbreaks of epidemics and while not a pandemic. With millions at the verge of dependency; the Golf of Guinea, central and part of West African states stand at the verge of a long run food insecurity problem as the rich soils of the NW and SW of Cameroon is a bread basket for the region.  If not worrying about food insecurity I worry about a migrant crises, rebels groups arise every day, I worry about violence against women, refugee crises just to name a few. AWLOC is out to reconstruct and reintegrate using our available tools we just need to be supported. 

Planting our pillars on charity AWLOC will run stores and factories across the 11 divisions of NW and SW regions in Cameroon transmitting this mission across all 10 regions of the republic of Cameroon.  Through it transformation to running small to large scale factories with raw materials from community food to cash crop produce, transforming from humanitarian to customer experiences and a well-seasoned management team, AWLOC will quickly gain market shares and a reputation. AWLOC was born with the vision of reconstruction by integration (reconstructing conflict areas by re-integrating armed actors to entrepreneurs) and to create jobs. 

Retail for producers prices, consumables at affordable and our brands for low cost will use price cut policies but how well we will cut the price will depend on how much we have in our subvention coffers. Our agriculture made easy program will almost completely run on humanitarian in the start. We hope from the sales the farmers make from the food produce of the seedlings we will donate, will assist them to buy fertilizers, pesticides and insecticides for their cash produce as we will subsidize these products through our retail for producers’ prices program.  

In the break of an armed conflict in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon that have led to millions internally and externally displaced, With thousands of businesses destroyed, hundreds of villages’ scotch – earth, children forced out of school for years and a rapid rise in violence against women and children not leaving out child trafficking on the rise.  As a victim of the armed conflict who lost all except for life before escaping to safety AWLOC initial outing of this venture was done in Momo division in the NW region. A total of over 40 villages were targeted centrally positioning our self in their main markets on their traditional market days. We carried out Retail for producers’ prices, sell Consumables at affordable prices and donated free seedlings while looking forward to discount fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides and farming tools through our Agriculture made easy programs. One parent said "with this we will celebrate Christmas like every other family in the world while waiting for March to plant our seeds; you have addressed our tomorrow needs today we hope to see you again tomorrow so that we will never go hungry again ". 

Let us imagine that walking out of Covid-19 in to another pandemic. What is the picture in your mind about the people of the NW and SW of Cameroon currently dependent on humanitarian assistant. Boarders are blocked which implies no supply chain.  Integrating this armed actors could mean an end to a chain of evolving challenges. AWLOC is like a stock market we do invest for the future. Sustainability can only be realistic if everyone is involved. Food security will only be reached if we can convert this handouts to supply chain. We can because we have experimented it. 

Awazi Low Cost (AWLOC) which happens to be a flourished young and tentacle business I run before it was reduced to ashes by armed actors and others looted in late 2016 during the break of an armed conflicts has given birth to a new call to reopen with a new vision. As a victim of the armed conflict who lost all except for life before escaping to safety, I am tirelessly seeking ways to encourage those internally displaced and those caught in the conflicts with no options to reassure them that the world stands with them today, tomorrow and in the distant future. In November  2019 my wife and my self decided to give out all our savings in humanitarian works to the people we once lived with. So I contacted some UAE based Cameroonians who supported financially the initiative. After  our first field work I spent time to drive through the entire conflict area meeting and discussing with  rebel leaders, the local communities, NGOs among others planting my missions and vision while running a survey. A lot is still being done behind closed doors. The ground work is almost finish while planting is ongoing. 

Food sufficiency and sustainability are critical issues. The business is out to look for best approach to empower societies, create jobs, wipe out embezzlement and most importantly cut down consumers’ exploitation by bigger firms. 

While I believe in a win win society, I am more concerned with solving one of Africa's greatest problem which is embezzlement (food insecurity) where billionaires arise every day without traceable sources of income within government hierarchies at the detriment of the ordinary man. 

The bigger picture is winning the different actors in armed conflict areas by empowering them. Most fighting rebels just do not love the system in place so they fight against it.  AWLOC will be empowering them to create their own systems by converting them from armed rebels to viable entrepreneurs. They are manipulated by a small minority to drive their missions and visions so we will empower them to create their own mission and vision. AWLOC cares about the environment, we love to leave the sustainable development goals and not read them on papers. AWLOC want to take another approach from the political approach to end conflicts. I am part of the people of the NW and SW regions of Cameroon.

Being born, grew up and studied in the NW and SW regions, AWLOC first management team will be  my wife and my self. We both having extensive experience in the service industry and have maintained excellent reputations in this industry. While I hold  Diploma in Agriculture/Agro Business, Associate Degree in Nursing and a Diploma in Tourism, she holds a master’s degree in Finance and investment and bachelor in Banking and Finance and a minor in management studies with  tracked management records in financial houses, group associations, community groups, civil society organizations and NGO’s. These two partners are capable of handling the field projects, community teams inspection, sales/management and finance/administrative areas respectively. AWLOC will be recruiting agro/business alongside legal business graduates and postgraduates to run its communities’ supervision activities. To grow on grounds of customers experiences we will be recruiting born business oriented graduates from the targeted communities. Knowledge is unarguably power but communicating it is most important to us. Planting our pillars on charity, AWLOC will run stores and factories across the 11 divisions of  the NW and SW regions of Cameroon transmitting his mission across all 10 regions of the republic of Cameroon. Our strategy is to completely kill the import market by cutting it tentacles of distribution from its roots by saturating the local market with locally made produce and spread our tentacles to the other eight regions of Cameroon in the next 5 -15 years from start.

Our venture is in an armed conflict area where companies have been halted. We will be meeting stake holders who have gained recognition both in the local and international market. At AWLOC where we differentiate is that we turn salary earners and displaced families to entrepreneurs, we convert raw materials of existing small to large agro producers to finished goods. They will consume their own produce, we will completely envelop all sectors converting their rubber to plastics, cocoa and coffee to chocolate and others, refine their perishables for rainy days just to name a few. AWLOC will intertwine this produce among communities. AWLOC will offer a Low cost policy, which is appealing to most consumers. Additionally we will run prices below the average of that of the large commercial firms, whole sellers and retailers most interesting is that they will be consuming their own produce refined in their own communities. We will be using the information technology at all level. We are the young people in  these communities and we are the problem so taking care of our problem implies there will be no problem left and no one left to be opportunistically exploited. 

In 2015 during a trade union strike action for the city council to reduce council taxes on small startups in the city of Molyko in Buea which led to other trade unions joining the strike expressing their own demands. As a small startup and the newly elected acting president for small startups in the area, I held close door meetings with council officials who immediately accepted to address the concerns for small startups on the grounds that I convince the other trade union leaders to suspend their strike action as their grievances could not be addressed at the time. Firstly I immediately rallied all other trade union leaders and channel optional solutions to our grievances without actually first discussing the outcome of my meeting with council officials. Arriving some positive outcome I then proposed our agreed resolutions with council officials. They immediately sent out a memorandum of understanding after meeting with all disgruntled trade union leaders stating to start with small startups followed by concerns of other trade unions. I then follow-up and other trade union concerns were addressed before proposed dateline. It was simply addressed for others or I send my people out with new grievances tomorrow.   

No word is as appealing as the word Entrepreneur in today's societies. The word CEO is most used on every social media profile. Youths and the tomorrow leaders want to be involved in these sustainable development goals they want to out-date paper readings and seeing their own cities washed by floods and their forest in flames while their leaders burns fumes adding more carbon to the atmosphere travelling to go attend theoretical conferences while savings the handouts for actualizing these goals in their Swiz bank accounts. We want to bring in every actor, reducing the quantity of Carbon war mercenaries emit by bringing an end to this conflict, Limit the increase carbon due to supply chain and raw materials by bringing factories to the sources of these raw materials and limiting migration by creating jobs. AWLOC as we intend to create a legacy, a leverage and not just a market. You can call us a disruptive innovator. AWLOC will intertwine these produce among communities. While our rivalry are targeting the top to bottom approach we will win from our bottom to top approach. AWLOC will be recruiting agro/business alongside legal business graduates and postgraduates to run it communities’ supervision activities. At AWLOC where we differentiate is that we turn salary earners and displace families to entrepreneurs, they will consume their own produce. Flights and cars stop running for just months and the atmosphere was clean if we can limit carbon emission we can save the planet.  

During the COVID-19 out breaks in December 2019, if China could build hospitals in just days then why untraceable export in donation face mask, billions and other relief materials to fight this Pandemic that might even take months, cost the climate and lives which might not reach the targeted population instead of traceable setting factories and empowering existing firms in just days to produce this relief materials. While I believe in a win-win society I am more concerned with solving one of Africa greatest problem which is embezzlement (food insecurity) where billionaires arise every day without traceable sources of income within government hierarchies at the detriment of the ordinary man. The bigger picture is winning the different actors in armed conflict areas by empowering them. Most fighting rebels just do not love the system in place so they fight against it.  AWLOC will be empowering them to create their own systems by converting them from armed rebels to viable entrepreneurs. They are manipulated by a small minority to drive their missions and visions so we will empower them to create their own mission and vision. AWLOC actually finds comfort in the phrase Africans and forgetting it partition names to describe it people. AWLOC want to take another approach from the political approach to end conflicts where rebels will use their guns to guard their estates and properties and money from their sponsors to buy fertilizers, pesticides and insecticides and rebels head be competing in the market places and not fighting in battle fields. We image to build green societies that will preserve the environment and contribute in the fight against global warming. Sustainability is at the center of our mission, we want to pilot the WHO sustainable development goals in the field, encouraging sustainable food systems. A society where youths grow up to meet factories which will employ them. The picture we have in mind is big we will cover every sector running educational systems that will create entrepreneurs and not job seekers. The people can bring change authorities will only protect their image but the planet is the victim.

AWLOC will be concentrating on two different target people segments. The first is viable people. This group is made up of 40% this covers families with family members abroad providing them with purchasing power and there are over 3 million people in these existing communities. The second groups of people are those to empower in to cash produce. This group is growing at 10% and we envisage to transform the profit from the first group and place the second group in to complete humanitarian support and there are 5000+ potential families across these communities. The left other fragment which covers those in refugee camps in neighboring countries and those displace will be integrated among this two categories. 

Our target people market for a start is the NW and SW regions then next four years from start is Douala with over 7million + still growing population and then Yaounde to the other  regions of Cameroon in the next 5 -15yeares from start. 

 AWLOC will saturate 70% of surrounding cross border markets who are oil dependents economy in the next 5-20 years from onset. Once we reach the peak in the market AWLOC will transform it name to a brand every consumer will feel comfortable outfitting in. In no distance future AWLOC will be the ideal gift visitors to Africa will carry back home as we intend to create a legacy, a leverage and not just a market. 

The mission of AWLOC will be illustrated in the four points below;

• Providing retail for producer’s prices, for as many remote towns that centrally neighbors other tribes. Our strategy is to target their local market days.
• To provide consumables at affordable prices either directly to the local population or subsidize supplies to retailers and create community awareness on discounted items. 
• Provide a fun focus society for youths through our Brands for Low cost Programs which make them participate from the emerging global and IT society. 
• Provide particular support for farmers through the donation of free seedlings and herbicides. Discounting on fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides and farm tools through our Agriculture made easy programs that will help with food security in the increasing challenging global economy.

In the long run we envisage setting up small scale industrial processes for better preservation and buying their excess perishables to areas of scarcity.  So the focus of this business is to take care of the socioeconomic day to day problems of local population as we are already empowering community health providers through support for existing NGO’s. As we need them to help us in our fight for sustainability for mother earth because we believe in a win-win society. 

In establishing this business venture, there are many factors or forces  influencing the business negatively 

Supplier power: We intend to collect the goods directly from companies at best prices to be able to sell at Low Cost.  but we are worried if these suppliers will agree to trust us in the start.  

Buyer Power:  We beg from donors so our greatest worry is what is these donor breach their agreements along the line what happen to our goals what happen to our mission and what happen to the reputation we intend to build. 

Industry Rivalry: There exist lots of rivalry Our biggest rivalry is the Cameroon Development Cooperation (CDC) the second largest employer in the country after the government among others.  These companies have existed before us, they have gained both the national and international market they have build external trust competing with them we know will be a huge challenge. 

• We intend to use our license, deposit money and collect the goods directly from companies at best prices to be able to sell at Low Cost. We will be signing deals directly with companies for direct shipments as we grow. Finally we intend to supply to our collection of stores from our factories and franchise factories when we start producing and also supplying to other suppliers.
•  AWLOC is simply investing for the future. We are like a stock market running a win-win market place. We beg from donors, empower our buyers, buy their produce, employ them to work in our factories, they still are buyer of their refined produce. We make our donors shareholders and they benefit from every profit we make. 
•  There exist lots of rivalry but our approach will make us win. Solely situated in the NW and SW regions where the arm conflicts has halted over 85% of its produce of rivalry and as the war ravage on AWLOC is in to steal the show. AWLOC will convert their workers to entrepreneurs answerable to themselves, buy their produce, create life employment to their children in our factories and shops, and they remain life time buyers of their produce and our brand. This is the policy we intend to use to compete and out market rivalry. The fear of new competitors is not a threat to AWLOC, because there are no new competitors trading in this exact line of business.

We currently depends of support from good will citizens across the world to support our initiatives which was 80% successful during our initial outing. Currently we are only partnering with community base groups alongside assisting organisations currently on the ground either financially or as volunteers. We have extend extend volunteering activities to the Aya Foundation, UNICEF, Médecins Sans Frontières among others.    

AWLOC will operate  community base stores and factories creating jobs, building and implementing sustainable food systems and providing technological education.  our Retail for producers’ prices, Consumables at affordable, Brands for low cost and our Agriculture made easy programs are affordable for all. The actual target customers  for this venture is as large as the market we will be able to cover over time. But the NW and SW regions of Cameroon are best suiting grounds to initiate our venture.  This business targets everyone and it is lucrative because the product that are produced are consumed by the same producers and will remain life time consumers of our brand. Humans by nature hate to be govern so everyone will love to become an entrepreneur the one reason why they will buy our philosophy. Every entrepreneur has the spending and buying power reason we are confident our produce will sell locally and with the customer experience which is always migrated by buyers, our market place will grow very fast. We are confident our donors and shareholders will want to be buyers and sellers of our (their) brand expanding our consumer profile. The minority people of Anglophone Cameroon will be dignify, jobs will be created, reintegration of families will flourish, consumers exploitation will be limited above all they will be proud to drive the WHO sustainable development goals. 

Planting our pillars on charity AWLOC will run stores and factories across the 11 divisions of NW and SW regions of Cameroon transmitting his mission across all 10 regions of the republic of Cameroon. AWLOC will reach sustainable profitability over the next five years, with about 25,000,000 FRS in profit by the third year. Through it transformation to running small to large scale factories with raw materials from community food to cash crop produce, transforming from humanitarian to customer experiences and a well-seasoned management team, AWLOC will quickly gain market shares and a reputation. 

Once AWLOC must have crafted the business image to visibility which is estimating that to be in the next 24 - 30 months. Doors will be opened for shareholders. The income from shares will be used for secondary and tertiary production. Once we reach the peak in the market AWLOC will transform it name to a brand every consumer will feel comfortable outfitting in AWLOC as we intend to create a legacy, a leverage and not just a market. 

Charity being one of the shareholders of AWLOC, his profit will be use to drive the WHO sustainable development goals with food security and a sustainable climate for all the front wheels. 

Our funding so far has been from goodwill citizens from Cameroon base in the United Arab Emirates and few others globally and a total of  $3240 was donated between June - November 2019, personal savings from the project founder and a total of $7000 was invested  and finally trust from companies who gave us goods to sell before paying and a total of $8450 in profit was raised during our experimental phase between November 15 2019- January 28th 2020. 

Basic Business Budget Worksheet 2020/2021

CATEGORY

BUDGET AMOUNT

ACTUAL AMOUNT

DIFFERENCE

Sales Revenue

 $40000

 $8450

$31550

Investment Income

 $20000

 $7000

$13000 

Other Income

 $500000

 $3240

$46760 

TOTAL INCOME

 $110000

 $ 18690

$91310 

with  $110000 the project will be comfortably establish. We have raise $8450 in sales revenue the expected balance of 31550 will be raised from our subsequent outings.  We intend to raise the $13000  investment income from bank loans. We are looking forward to raise $46760 or more from grants. 

The table below illustrate estimated expense for 2020/2021

EXPENSES

 budgeted Amount 

 Actual Amount 

 Difference 

Accounting Services

 $2000

 $500

 $1500

Advertising

 $1000

 $500

 $500

Delivery Charges

 $1000

 $200

 $700

Deposits for Utilities

 $2000

 $1000

 $1000

Estimated Taxes and Insurance

 $ 5000

 $2000

 $3000

Hiring Costs

 $3000

 $1000

 $2000

Installation/Repair of Equipment

 $5000

 $1000

 $4000

Interest on Debt

 $1000

 $500

 $500

Inventory Purchases

 $1000

 $100

 $900

Legal Expenses

 $2000

 $1000

 $1000

Licenses/Permits

 $4000

 $1500

 $2500

Loan Payments

 $10000

 $2000

 $8000

Office Supplies

 $3000

 $500

 $2500

Payroll

 $10000

 $1500

 $8500

Printing

 $1000

 $500

 $500

Professional Fees

 $6000

 $2500

 $3500

Rent/Lease Payments

 $5000

 $ 2000

 $3000

Retirement Contributions

 $ 1000

 $100               

 $900

Subscriptions and Dues

 $1000

 $ 300

 $700

Utilities and Telephone

 $1000

 $ 500

 $500

Vehicle Expenses

 $5000

 $ 1000

 $4000

Others 

 $40000

     -

 $40000

TOTAL EXPENSES

 $110000

 $20200

 $89800

To overcome the barriers that stands before us, finance which remains a very important indicator to establish this venture must be made readily available. Addressing the below challenges can only be realistic through sponsorship.

Supplier power: We intend to use our license, deposit money and collect the goods directly from suppliers. Again we intend to run community base factories and stores. Key indicator money. 

Buyer Power: We beg from donors, empower our buyers, buy their produce, employ them to work in our factories. Key indicator money 

Industry Rivalry: There exist lots of rivalry but the fear of new competitors is not a threat to AWLOC, because there are no new competitors trading in this exact line of business. Key indicator money 

The donation from the Elevation Price will help us walk these venture and with ease. 

AWLOC aim to enhance North-West and South-West Cameroonian base businesses and private farms by supporting plans to achieve all their targets. Promoting national and community trade, and helping NW, SW Cameroon conflict hit increase their Income, community based and equitable trading system that is fair and open, and benefits all. 

Stronger partnerships will contribute to environmental protection and sustainable development by mobilizing resources, sharing knowledge, promoting the creation and transfer of environmentally sound technologies, and building capacity.

Growing cooperation, donors and private sector is needed to provide developing countries and beneficiaries with technologies that increase efficiency the use of natural resources, generate low waste, treat the generated pollution and mitigate climate change. We partner to safe the climate  and we partner to sustain humanity. 

We will partner with the International center for environmental education and community development (INCENECDEV), the Aya Foundation, FAQ, UNFCCC, UNCCD, SFS, MIVA. On the international scene we will partner with SOLVE, UN,UNTO, UNICEF,WHO  among others. ALWLOC will partner with organisation on two grounds firstly on humanitarian and then for profit as we intend to keep good record of our donors and make them shareholders as we grow. We will partner with organisations that can help us shape and guide our vision and mission. 

They can help us through funding, strategic planning, implementation, coaching among other ways that can keep us moving.