80% of the economic sector in Rwanda consists of mini-companies.
Forced by high unemployment, many young people start their own business. Only a limited number survive the first years and manage to establish a stable company. Often these companies have great difficulty in accessing capital to finance the growth of their company. Banks are hesitant and demand high interest rates or personal guarantees to hedge their risk.
To change this situation, ITI has developed a lease program together with a number of local organizations with the aim of supporting promising entrepreneurs. Within the program, the entrepreneurs undergo entrepreneurial training, develop a business plan and are assessed by a credit committee. If the process has been completed successfully, the young people are linked to a microfinance institution or an equipment rental company and a lease contract is offered for the necessary capital goods.
The program offers many young entrepreneurs the opportunity to grow further and thus generate a stable income.
