Mi-Solutions-Electronic commerce project

The main problem is underdeveloped e-commerce sector where small and medium enterprises (SME’s) in Rwanda are at a particular disadvantage to use e-commerce due to poor information and communications technology infrastructure, have inadequate technical and business skills, and lack access to information, international payment solutions and competitive logistics.

This project is intended to provide a solution by devising innovative methods and tools in e-commerce to improve productivity of small and medium enterprises (SME’s) in Rwanda. The specific objectives include: To find out latest innovative methods and tools in e-commerce; to train and coach small and medium enterprises (SME’s) on innovative methods and tools in e-commerce; to  monitor and evaluate project implementation and to set up e-commerce platform for SME’s in Rwanda.

What is the problem

The main problem is underdeveloped e-commerce sector where small and medium enterprises (SME’s) in Rwanda are at a particular disadvantage to use e-commerce due to poor information and communications technology infrastructure, have inadequate technical and business skills, and lack access to information, international payment solutions and competitive logistics. Rwandan SMEs make up 98 per cent of the total businesses and account for 41 per cent of all private sector employment.

Although the government of Rwanda and other development partners have rolled out a number of initiatives as far as e-commerce is concerned, there seems to be a huge gap in awareness among SME’s about the changes that are inevitably brought about by e-commerce in terms of business growth and how they should adapt to this shift. In addition, ensuring that e-commerce is used to enable and to advance effective business practices is also a big challenge. 

Who are you serving

 The project will serve 72,000  registered SMEs in a population of 12.5 million in Rwanda. SMEs make up 98 per cent of the total businesses and account for 41 per cent of all private sector employment.  The Government of Rwanda has evolved an empowering environment to support SMEs and has attracted players with good local, regional and international experience in using e-commerce to expand business activities and increase economic growth. However, a majority of the SMEs are struggling to increase productivity, organizational effectiveness, sustained competitive advantages and satisfactory rates of return on investments. The broad objective of this project is devise innovative methods and tools in e-commerce to improve productivity of small and medium enterprises (SME’s). The  project is intended to find out latest innovative methods and tools in e-commerce; to train and coach small and medium enterprises (SME’s) on innovative methods and tools in e-commerce; to  monitor and evaluate project implementation and to set up e-commerce platform for SME’s in Rwanda.

This project is intended to provide a solution by devising innovative methods and tools in e-commerce to improve productivity of small and medium enterprises (SME’s) in Rwanda. The specific objectives include: To find out latest innovative methods and tools in e-commerce; to train and coach small and medium enterprises (SME’s) on innovative methods and tools in e-commerce; to  monitor and evaluate project implementation and to set up e-commerce platform for SME’s in Rwanda.

The solution is innovative as it intends to:

Find out latest innovative methods and tools in e-commerce; to train and coach small and medium enterprises (SME’s) on innovative methods and tools in e-commerce; to monitor and evaluate project implementation and to set up e-commerce platform for SME’s in Rwanda.

After the project implementation

. Training and coaching SME’s to use e-commerce so as increase scalability, accuracy, efficient staffing, and lower costs. This will enable enterprises to have better management of resources and higher productivity. The broad objective of this project is devise innovative methods and tools in e-commerce to improve productivity of small and medium enterprises (SME’s).

The project aims to open e-commerce opportunities to SME’s in Rwanda, through building capacities in understanding and preparedness to market goods and services online toward consumers and professional buyers. The project aim is to boost understanding among SME’s and service partners in Rwanda of what it takes to succeed in e- commerce, enabling access to markets and providing them the innovative methods and tools and support to do so. 

The project is a business model that will use existing technology to open e-commerce opportunities to SME’s in Rwanda, through building capacities in understanding and preparedness to market goods and services online toward consumers and professional buyers. The project aim is to boost understanding among SME’s and service partners in Rwanda of what it takes to succeed in e- commerce, enabling access to markets and providing them the innovative methods and tools and support to do so.

The solution is innovative as it intends to:

Find out latest innovative methods and tools in e-commerce; to train and coach small and medium enterprises (SME’s) on innovative methods and tools in e-commerce; to monitor and evaluate project implementation and to set up e-commerce platform for SME’s in Rwanda.

After the project implementation

. Training and coaching SME’s to use e-commerce so as increase scalability, accuracy, efficient staffing, and lower costs. This will enable enterprises to have better management of resources and higher productivity. The broad objective of this project is devise innovative methods and tools in e-commerce to improve productivity of small and medium enterprises (SME’s).

The solution will address the the problem as it will be able to achieve the following deliverables: 

1. Deliver an e-commerce strategic orientation to small and medium enterprises

2. Produce a market research. Transmit knowledge and skills to enterprises on how to carry out basic market research and using key tools.

3. Carry out a user audit. Design a specification document including user mock ups and recommendations.

4. Design a specification document including user mock ups and recommendations. 

5. Product detail pages. 

6. Brand identity. 

7. VMP registration; registering the company onto these VMPs and assisting the companies on how to manage these VMPs.

8. Issue recommendations on e-Commerce, electronic payment, logistics, inventory management, customer service, SEO and other elements throughout the entire programme. 

We are currently serving 10 small and medium enterprises expected to increase to 150 in one year and to 1000 in five years ,these SME's will be serving a population of 20 million as clients in Rwanda(12.5 million) and in other countries(8 million). This is because these SME's will extend e-commerce services to both domestic and international markets.

The broad objective of this project is devise innovative methods and tools in e-commerce to improve productivity of small and medium enterprises (SME’s).

. Specific Objectives

i) To find out latest innovative methods and tools in e-commerce

ii) To train and coach small and medium enterprises (SME’s) on innovative methods and tools in e-commerce.

iii) To monitor and evaluate project implementation

iv) To set up e-commerce platform for SME’s.

Activity Plan

Module1: Business management and strategy

Module 2: Introduction to e-commerce

Module 3: E-commerce website usability

Module 4: Market research for e-commerce

Module 5: Product listing

Module 6: E-commerce engineering and technologies

Module 7: Integrating virtual marketplaces

Module 8: Social media and online promotion

Module 9: Customer service

Module 10: Managing inventories, returns and transport logistics

Activity 11: Monitoring and evaluation

Activity 12: Set up e-commerce platform for small and medium enterprises

The barriers existing to accomplish our goals are mainly financial constraints required for project implementation.This because the project funding to foster awareness among SME's on the benefits of e-commerce because most of them lack the financial capacity to pay for our services.

Detailed Budget

An itemized budget for the project is shown below;

The  budget for 18 months is 50,000$ which is projected in five years to be equal to 250,000$ US

The organisation has five full time staff 

Dr. Jacob N. Mahina

Dr. Kamanzi John

Mr.Kasajja Emmanuel ( MBA HR.Mgt)

Mr.Nshimiyimana Eric (MBA BUS.Mgt)

Mrs. NGARAMBE Theopiste (BBM.Finance)

Because the team members have the desired qualification and work experience as shown below:

1. JACOB NIYOYITA MAHINA, PHD.
Dr. Jacob Niyoyita Mahina is a Rwandan national residing in Kigali, with a PhD in Finance, Dr Mahina’s primary expertise and publications are in area of behavioral finance and banking, coupled with entrepreneurship, economic and SME business development. Dr. Mahina is Dean of Faculty of Business Studies at University of Tourism, Technology and Business Studies (UTB), and he teaches in other sister universities in Rwanda, where his lecture courses include Financial Management, Financial Analysis and Valuation, Security Analysis and Portfolio Management, Entrepreneurial Skill Development, Introduction to Business, Enterprise Diagnosis and Counseling, Production and Operations Management, Financial Services, Banking and Insurance Management. He works as reviewer of Universal Journal of Accounting and Finance (ISSN 2331 -9720) and Khartoum University Journal of Management 

2.Mr. KASAJJA Emmanuel

Providing consultancy services in business and management: Finance and accounting e-commerce and other professional & technical activities. Excellent skills in training and coaching small and medium enterprises (SME’s) in e-commerce; business management and strategic planning ;market research; marketing and customer service; and other business and entrepreneurial areas.

1.Academy of Women Entrepreneurs-Rwanda: The project  involve raising business and entrepreneurial skills in women

2.National Council for Science and Technology (NCST): Research project on poverty reduction in Rwanda