This morning I spent more than two hours at the Clinton Foundation, gaining a better understanding of how RUTF is purchased and distributed in the country. The need is great in Rwanda, probably even greater in Burundi (to the south), and potentially exponential in eastern Congo (to the west).

Additionally, I learned a lot more about setting up a manufacturing enterprise from the Clinton Hunter Development Initiative director. There’s a management book called Death by Meeting, and you may think from my entries so far that all I do is have meetings! And you would be mostly right! Nonetheless, these meetings are very helpful in building relationships with people who have been in Rwanda much longer than I have. I’m learning a lot that is helping to ensure that we get things off on the right foot.

This morning I met with George Mulamula at the Ministry of Trade & Industry. George formerly worked at the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and is very knowledgeable about business in Rwanda. Our specific discussion focused on potential locations for the MANA factory. These are the basic requirements I sent to George as he said he would do some research on options for us:

• Reliable electricity and water
• Secure area of town (prefer near to Kigali)
• Easy access for large trucks
• Convenient access for employees
• Proximity for skilled labor
• Facility can be easily renovated for our requirements (need 500 -700 m2)

After meeting with George, I went to UNICEF for the wrap up meeting to hear the initial conclusions regarding the national nutrition supply chain. The four commodities that were under evaluation were therapeutic milks (F-75 and F-100), Corn-Soy Blend (CSB), and Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF). I learned that in 2009, the Ministry of Health conducted a health and nutrition survey on 750,000 children under the age of five (53% of the U5 population in Rwanda) and found that 1.9% (~26,000 children) were suffering from severe acute malnutrition, while 6.9% (~97,500 children) were suffering from moderate acute malnutrition. These numbers confirmed the research we did in 2009 and earlier this year. Beyond that, it demonstrates the great need for MANA in Rwanda. One of the key recommendations that UNICEF is making to the Ministry of Health is the encouragement and support for local production of RUTF.

I met my friend Beau Kalinda for [much needed] coffee after dropping the kids off for school. Turns out that Beau is managing a poultry project that my friend Jenise Huffman (Tyson Foods) initiated a few years ago. Small world. Turns out we have a lot of friends in common. Beau shared a lot about the need for protein in Rwanda and various ways to increase that in an affordable, relevant manner. I asked him where he would put a small factory such as MANA needs. He said he would build on his own land. I’m not particularly interested in becoming a landowner and construction manager right out of the gate, so I’m going to keep looking for a place to rent and renovate.

I spent a little time with Etienne, my new friend who is Rwandan traffic police officer. Since the truck doesn’t have number plates (remember?), Etienne wanted to visit with me after I dropped the kids off from school. Though his English and my French were both somewhat limited, we did manage to talk for about 15 minutes. It’s clearly illegal to drive a vehicle without number plates, but he left me off the hook when I told him that I would have the plates within one week. I hope to get the paperwork I need from our U.S. office so I can complete the business registration, register the vehicle, and get the number plates!

From the tire shop I went to the UNICEF office for a meeting to discuss the national nutrition supply chain. The focus was on how four specific nutritional products flow through the country to the eventual end user. I learned a lot, and it was great to connect with Dr. Abiud Omwega who heads up nutrition for UNICEF in Rwanda. One key thing I learned was that RUTF (that’s what MANA is) was declared an “essential medicine” in Rwanda, and therefore is exempt from Value Added Tax (VAT) of 18%. That’s great news and means more children can be served since the price of the product isn’t increased by the tax.

Before we left the U.S., the Rwanda Ambassador to the U.S., the Honorable James Kimonyo, wrote a very nice letter of recommendation for MANA. I emailed him a few days ago to thank him for the letter, only to discover that he was on his way to Kigali. We were able to meet today and visit for a few minutes at a local coffee shop, and he continued with his gracious willingness to help us in any way necessary.

Yesterday I received an email from the Dutch Embassy telling me to come and pick up the truck. The email actually read, “Please come and pick up your car as soon as possible because it’s standing too long now at our premises. It has a flat tyre and looks dirty although it’s a nice car.” I was concerned about this because the paperwork had not been completed for me to take it; nonetheless, the Embassy insisted that I come to get the truck, so I did. The number plates (license plates) had been removed, and I was told that I should keep it parked at the house until the paperwork has been completed. That will be hard to do as we have kids to take to school, grocery shopping to do, etc.

My family of five arrived in Rwanda last night. Today was a day to establish communications with the world. My friend David took me around in his 1997 Toyota Hilux. I already had a cell phone from my trip to Rwanda earlier this year, so it was just a matter of purchasing air time for the phone. That necessitated a trip to the Forex (place where we exchange U.S.$ for Rwandan Francs) where I exchanged money quickly and easily. Just outside the Forex is an MTN representative, so I purchased air time.

Cell phone functioning. Check.

Next, David took me to the Rwandatel office where in just an hour my computer was configured for wireless access to the internet. This was incredible to me because it took four days for Cox Communications to get my home connected in the States!

Internet access. Check.

We then went to the Dutch Embassy to inquire about the 2002 Toyota Landcruiser Prado I purchased last month. The vehicle was there and checked out nicely (except for one flat tire). There’s paperwork to do before I can take the vehicle, so we’ll start that process tomorrow. While at the Embassy we learned of an investment program through the Dutch government for which MANA may qualify. We were encouraged to investigate and apply. Definitely will pursue that!