In Gulu, Northern Uganda, Santa Joyce Laker leads a cooperative society of 4,070 farmers and traders, 3,000 of whom are women. Her story is an example of recovery and resilience after disaster, rising to succeed against the impact of conflict that plagued the region for almost 20 years. From rape to death of loved ones, to being displaced and facing hunger, Joyce says she saw it all, and so have many members of her cooperative. When the opportunity to do business presented itself, she run with it and co-founded Atiak Outgrowers Cooperative Society. As in many post conflict places, it is the steady hand of optimists seizing opportunities and being on the front lines that lead the way for their communities to begin recovery from the aftermath. Joyce was the optimist in Gulu. The Atiak Outgrowers Cooperative Society collectively grows and trades sugarcane, sesame, maize, beans, rice, cotton, shea, and honey. The cooperative links members to agricultural inputs, information, agronomic education, collective financing, and markets. This has enabled farmers to double their incomes. Santa founded the cooperative after receiving training from the Uganda Women Entrepreneurs Association Ltd (UWEAL) as part TradeMark Africa (TMA’s) Women in Trade project, funded by Government of Netherlands. Inspired by the lessons on managing businesses profitably and collective power, Santa began organising other women back home in Gulu. She convinced them that forming a cooperative will help them access bigger more lucrative urban markets directly. TMA’s women and trade project is premised on the fact that...

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]In Rwanda from the capital city of Kigali to the borders with Democratic Republic of Congo or Uganda, cooperatives are building socially and economically resilient communities. TMA has interest in supporting women economic empowerment and this is being shown by its recent financial commitment to increase funding to women programmes. As well as its partnership with local organisations such as Profemme Twese/Hamwe to devote increased attention to forming cooperatives for women cross border traders to help them tap into their collective power.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image="51005" img_size="full" add_caption="yes" alignment="center"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]At the border of Goma and Rubavu, Kotiheza cooperative comprising of 36 women is milling, packaging and exporting maize flour to Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo, in addition to distributing within Rwanda, as a result of this programme. Musa Abonabise is the President of Kotiheza cooperative, and the only man in the co-operative, “We started off as informal traders stationed right at the border of Goma and Gisenyi. Kotiheza was formed in 2011 when we came together to formalize our operations. Before becoming a cooperative, most of what we did was against the rules and regulations of cross-border trade. Pro-Femme/Twese Hamwe helped us found the cooperative, offered us training and advocated on our behalf with the Ministry of Trade and Industry to access financial grants. Our lives have been positively transformed.” *Goma is the capital of North Kivu province in the eastern DRC. It is located next to the Rwandan city of Rubavu (also commonly referred to as Gisenyi). [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text="Success shows in the ranking"...

A few years ago, the cargo handling section of Mombasa port teamed with dusty and sweaty workers busy hauling  heavy packages on their backs, from the warehouses to the waiting lorries. Injuries and chest pains were a norm. One of these workers was Humphrey Agini. He recounts how the polluted and risky work environment caused him to take many sick leaves; and quantifies the wages he lost, as a result, to the thousands of shillings. He wishes away those back breaking days . For years, Humphrey, who is employed by Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) spent his days offloading heavy sacks of clinker, coal, fertiliser and industrial chemicals. The fierce sun would burn on ruthlessly. He worked for sheer survival. Each time he was about to give up, he remembered his parents back in the rift valley region of Kenya and his younger siblings who relied on the earnings he made. He became a sort of expert in handling dirty cargo. Yet, protective gear was unheard of and many were the days when both he and his colleagues fell ill. Just as hundreds of other port workers shared in his fate; so, did hundreds of importers and exporters, who contended with the delays this caused to exit or enter the port. Greening the port takes off Humphrey’s hard work and diligence had caught the eye of his superiors. And so, when KPA in partnership with TMA transitioned to mobile harbour cranes for bulk cargo handling in 2017, to increase port productivity, he was...

To most people, a One Stop Border Post (OSBP) at one of East Africa’s border crossing points is simply a building where papers are processed.  TradeMark Africa (TMA) has worked to establish and improve systems at 13 OSBPs across East Africa to ensure that they are much more.  To the frequent border users,these infrastructures are more than just brick and mortar. OSBPs represent safety, ease of doing business and time and cost savings. Truck drivers, importers and exporters, clearing and forwarding agents and cross-border traders are among the many people whose livelihoods are affected by border crossing processes. Unfortunately for them, border posts in Tanzania and other East African countries have traditionally lacked the efficiency to ease the burden on trade to the thousands of their users resulting in high transactional costs and delays. Part of the problem was infrastructural, the other human. The old border outposts lacked important facilities such as reliable power, internet, avenues for efficient information sharing among border authorities, and enough space for day-to-day activities. This resulted in a back log of clearance and hence congestion. Inspection sheds were too small and could only accommodate one or two trucks at a go with tens and in some cases, hundreds of others waiting in queue. Traders had to undertake multiple paperwork processes, physically moving from one office to the next, often many metres apart. In many cases, drivers endured weeks of clearance time, partly due to only daytime processing hours. Nowadays, several processes are undertaken on a 24-hour...

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]To a newcomer using a One Stop Border Posts (OSBP) at one of East Africa’s border crossing points where TradeMark Africa (TMA) has worked; the OSBP buildings strike a breathtaking view of modern infrastructure. They magnificently display an artistic presence in the rural remote areas, where most border crossings are, often set against the backdrop of low roofed housing, plains and at times hills.  To the frequent users of OSBPs, these infrastructures are more than just brick and mortar. They represent safety, ease of doing business, and savings of money and time. Truck drivers, importers and exporters, clearing and forwarding agents, cross-border traders are among the many people whose livelihoods are affected by border crossing processes. For a long time, and perhaps since the advent of formal border crossing in East Africa, frequent border users contended with chaotic borders, high costs and delays emanating from inefficient border processes. Part of the problem was infrastructural, the other human. The old border posts lacked important facilities such as reliable power, internet, avenues for efficient information sharing among border authorities, and enough space for day-to-day activities. This resulted to back log of clearance and hence congestion. Inspection sheds were too small and could accommodate only one or two trucks at a go with tens and in some cases, hundreds of others in queue. Traders had to undertake multiple paperwork, physically moving from one office to the next, often many metres apart. In many cases drivers endured weeks of clearance. Because, when the tropic sun set, the border...

Many years ago, Juliana Mtenga worked as a simple tailor in Tanzania's city of Dodoma. She earned a small income, which she didn't mind because she considered her real full time job as that of taking care of her children and the house. As any caring mother, Juliana was concerned about her children’s nutrition – more so for her youngest who was a toddler in 2010.  It bothered her that quality baby formula was expensive and unavailable. At one point, like other women in her village, she resigned to this fate, until one day when she decided that she had had enough. Juliana embarked on a very ambitious mission: that of making her own baby formula. She scored text books and magazines, reading about recipes and soon enough, she had a game plan. She began taking various dried grains such as millet and sorghum to local grinding mills. Afterwards, she would mix them into proportions that ensured nutritious meal for her child. As time passed, her neighbors noticed her product. Increased interest and demand convinced her to start stocking a few packets in her small tailoring shop. A worker at Juliana Mtenga's factory making a sale By 2012, Juliana had increased her monthly production from 5kgs to 200kgs. And, it seemed that she had hit the ceiling, because up to this point, she had exhausted the market that was in close proximity to her. That, and the fact that she viewed the baby formula business as a side activity, not a main source of income. And then, Juliana met officials from Tanzania Women Chambers...

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text="BACKGROUND" font_container="tag:h3|text_align:left"][vc_column_text]Improving the export market access and linkages of firms to export is a critical focus of many businesses in the EAC. Private enterprises in the EAC face a wide range of challenges that make trading across borders difficult and reduce the competitiveness of firms.  However, when there are reduced challenges in exporting this provides an opportunity for firms to increase profit and then re-invest to increase sales, turnover and productivity. Additionally, it increases the competitiveness of domestic firms, at least in the long run, as they become more exposed to dynamic and growing markets. With time this creates an enabling trade regime that helps increase the volume of imports and exports and subsequently contributes to economic growth and poverty reduction. The TMA Traidlinks supported (Export Development) programme worked with 16  Rwandan companies so as to link them to the markets outside Rwanda. The core business of these companies was agro-processing and manufacturing. One of the successful companies that were supported by the programme was G-Mart Limited who are located in Rwanda-Kigali. The programme was implemented in partnership with, Rwanda Development Board, Kigali Independent University and the relevant private sector stakeholders and the overall programme budget was estimated at about US$ 1.4million from 2013 to 2015. This case study profiles G-Mart Limited, a company that was supported by the programme. G-Mart manufactures chalk and was originally selling locally only in Rwanda but started exporting as a result of the TMA programme intervention.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text="ISSUE ADDRESSED" font_container="tag:h3|text_align:left"][vc_column_text]Export promotion programmes is one...

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text="BACKGROUND" font_container="tag:h3|text_align:left"][vc_column_text]TFDA began its operations as a regulatory body on 1st July 2003 and is mandated to regulate the quality, safety and efficacy of food, medicines, cosmetics and medical devices which is provided for under the Tanzania Food, Drugs and Cosmetics Act, Cap 219. Since its inception, TFDA has attained notable achievements in regulating the quality, safety and efficacy of food, medicines, cosmetics and medical devices. Amongst its achievements, TFDA has developed robust systems and put in place guidelines for registration of products, inspection and surveillance as well as laboratory analysis of product samples prior to market authorization. This case study focuses on the improvements that Tanzania Food and Drug Authority (TFDA) has made in enhancing trade in Tanzania through the automation of their key trade process with support from TMA. The TMA support towards automation of key trade process at TFDA began in 2012 at a tune US $ 285,000 and is expected to end in 2017. The automated system at TFDA serves its stakeholders in registration, regulation and monitoring of food, medicines, cosmetics, medical devices and premises in Tanzania. The expected outcome of the TMA intervention at TFDA was to increase efficiency through time and cost saving for TFDA and its stakeholders as the portal eliminates the need for physical presence of customers at TFDA offices, promotes transparency and accountability by TFDA and its customers which in the long run enhance and promotes trade.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text="THE ISSUE" font_container="tag:h3|text_align:left"][vc_column_text]The method of services deliver at TFDA to its stakeholders needed...

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text="BACKGROUND" font_container="tag:h3|text_align:center"][vc_column_text]Rwanda Agricultural Livestock Inspection and Certification Services (RALIS) a directorate under the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI) is a public institution responsible for the overall coordination of: the enforcement of the Rwanda plant health law and regulations for phytosanitary measures necessary for trade, Plant pest/disease monitoring, surveillance and diagnosis, conducting Pest Risk Analysis, and conduct inspection and certification. RALIS also delivers animal product's certification services including enforcement of sanitary laws, monitoring and surveillance of animal diseases, and animal inspection and certification. This case study shows how the TMA support to RALIS has been used to automate the systems and processes used to regulate and facilitate businesses in Rwanda by reducing the time and cost spent when acquiring import and export permits. The RALIS SWIFT project was implemented at an estimated budget of US$ 124,000 and the projected started in 2011 and is expected to be ending in 2017 with the main implementing partner being TMA. The e-portal targeted importers and exporters of plant, plant materials, animal and animal product's, and agrichemicals in Rwanda.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text="THE ISSUE" font_container="tag:h3|text_align:center"][vc_column_text]Before the automation of the systems and process at RALIS, the old system was bureaucratic and not effective and efficient in serving the stakeholders and the general public because it was relatively slow in the process of applications and giving feedback, a lot of signatures were required and too much paper work was involved. All this in the long run were contributing to increasing the cost and time of doing business...

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text="BACKGROUND" font_container="tag:h3|text_align:center"][vc_column_text]This case study highlights how Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) a membership-based trade support institution has benefited from the TMA SWIFT projects initiatives. The Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry is registered as a not-for-profit private company limited by guarantee under the Companies Act Chapter 486 of the laws of Kenya with a National Office and County Chamber’s offices in all the 47 counties in Kenya. The core purpose of KNCCI is to promote, protect and develop commercial, industrial and investments interests of its members and the entire business community both locally and internationally. The KNCCI SWIFT project was implemented at an average budget of US$ 120,000 and the project started in 2014 and is expected to be ending in 2017 with the main implementing partner being TMA. The project targeted beneficiary members of KNCCI who constitute of the small, micro enterprises (MSEs), medium and large enterprises and the expected outcomes of this initiative were to provide support in implementation of an automated system focusing on Trade Facilitation Process and Business Development Process. Molo Greens Limited located in Molo town in Kenya is one of the companies that was identified in this case study using the KNCCI automated system. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text="THE ISSUE" font_container="tag:h3|text_align:center"][vc_column_text]The KNCCI stakeholders highlighted that they were facing challenges in accessing manual certificate of origin which was also causing unnecessary delays and also increasing the cost of doing business. The companies that were involved in exporting had to regularly prepare and submit...