But there's some useful information about the programs I'm doing and about the place I'll be going.
I haven't had reason to put it into the blog until now and I'm not the type to do the same job twice unless I have to.
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Introduction:
The Ontario Global Edge program seeks to promote a culture of entrepreneurship and competitiveness among Canadian youth. As a participant in the program, I am committed to these goals and have created learning objectives that reflect this commitment. My OGE internship has been jointly arranged through a media development project called the Rwanda Initiative, based out of Carleton’s journalism school. The Rwanda Initiative has separate objectives for its interns, requiring them to learn about journalism and its place in a developing society like Rwanda. I have established learning objectives to satisfy the components of this program as well. The first three relate to OGE program, the final two relate to the Rwanda Initiative.
Learning Objectives:
- To better understand the role of small to mid-size business in the global marketplace.
- To better understand the challenges and struggles of building and operating a small to mid-size business in a developing economy and society.
- To broaden my understanding of global business culture and develop the skills and knowledge to compete at the international level.
- To practice journalism and gain reporting experience in a foreign country.
- To employ my skills and training to support the work of an emerging media outlet.
Economic Overview of Rwanda:
Rwanda is a poor rural economy located in the heart of Central Africa. The CIA World Factbook reports that as many as 90 per cent of the country’s 11,370,425 people rely on agriculture (largely subsistence farming) and agro-processing as their primary means of survival. Mineral extraction and processing (gold, tin ore, tungsten ore and methane) have also become important industries, in 2008 minerals overtook coffee and tea as Rwanda’s primary export. Despite the numbers involved in agriculture, tourism remains Rwanda’s most profitable industry and supports the remaining 10 per cent of Rwandans involved in service-based industries.
Rwanda has enjoyed 17 years of stability and growth following the end of the civil war in the mid-nineties. Even so Rwanda remains a deeply impoverished country with an uncertain economic future. Rwanda ranks 152nd out of 162 countries on the Human Development Index (HDI) and has been classified as a Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) by the International Monetary Fund. Rwanda’s per capita income is $1,100 (USD) meaning few Rwandans have the purchasing power to support a globally competitive marketplace. The 2008 recession weakened the market for Rwanda exports but it has gradually improved. In 2010, the country’s growth rate was 6 per cent, up from 4.5 per cent the year before.
In the absence of extensive foreign investment intra-African trade has become central to Rwanda’s economic survival. The CIA World Factbook indicates that Kenya, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Swaziland account for more than half of Rwanda’s export revenues (Kenya: 33.88 per cent; DRC: 13.56 per cent; Swaziland: 5.43 per cent.) Rwanda is an active member of the African Union and other regional trade bodies that aim to promote economic integration.
Relationship with Canada:
Canada has maintained diplomatic relations with Rwanda since its independence from Belgium in 1962. Canadian general Roméo Dallaire was force commander of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda during the ’94 genocide; Canadian development agencies have established large aid networks in the country; and Canadian legal experts are active in bringing genocidaires to justice at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. Despite these points of connection, trade and investment between the two countries is paltry. According to 2010 figures from Industry Canada, Canada exported $1,217,454 worth of goods and imported $455,476. According to the Department of Foreign Affars and International Trade, Canada’s limited economic interest in the country focuses Rwanda’s electricity production and distribution industries, investments in infrastructure and information technology. Regardless of modest trade and private sector investment, the Government of Canada has committed itself to a rage of aid projects in Rwanda, focusing particularly on the agricultural sector.
Details of the Placement:
I have confirmed an 8-week placement at an entertainment and lifestyle magazine called Kigali Unplugged from May to July. Douglas Mugerwa, founder and managing editor of the magazine tells me the magazine needs content and help with business development. Mugerwa has sent me a letter of invitation that I will use to apply for a Rwandan student visa. While I have yet to be given a formal title–and may not receive one– I expect to have responsibilities similar to a junior-level marketing and sales manager. Kigali Unplugged needs to attract new advertising partners, improve its web-presence and strengthen its branding, all tasks usually associated with a marketing and sales position. These aspects of the placement should allow me to accomplish the learning objectives associated with the Ontario Global Edge program:
- To better understand the role of small to mid-size business in the global marketplace.
- To better understand the challenges and struggles of building and operating a small to mid-size business in a developing economy and society.
- To broaden my understanding of global business culture and develop the skills and knowledge to compete at the international level.
- To practice journalism and gain reporting experience in a foreign country.
- To employ my skills and training to support the work of an emerging media outlet.
I will arrive in Kigali in mid-May, began my 8-week internship and return to Canada in mid-July. I have created learning objectives to structure my experience and satisfy the requirements of the Ontario Global Edge program and Rwanda Initiative, respectively. These will be the metrics by which I gauge the success of my internship experience, in an educational sense. I believe these objectives are realistic and achievable given the responsibilities I will have during my placement at Kigali Unplugged.
Appendix:
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