30 August 2010
I’m sitting here at the bank, having now completed the paperwork necessary to open my personal accounts in US dollars and Rwandan francs. The process has been very straightforward and simple. Just a few nuances: (1) Another customer had to fill out a reference letter for me, and fortunately my friend Chris was here at the bank so he did it for me. (2) The last time I signed my name this many times I ended up with the keys to a house! I’m thankful to have everything completed so that I can actually transfer funds from our US bank account to our account here.
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.