AAA Rwanda started its activities in October 2014, with a total of 16 members and to date with over 70 active members. It has not been easy but change is always difficult at the beginning.

Rwanda known as the “Country of Thousand Hills”, is a small landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on the west, Tanzania on the east, Uganda on the north, and Burundi on the south. According to the World Bank data, the population of Rwanda is approximately 11.61 million, of which 52% are women. With the support of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, Rwanda has been able to make important economic and structural reforms, and sustain its economic growth rates over the last decade.

More than two decades on, Rwanda’s economy, left in tatters following the genocide, has come a long way. Genocide against the Tutsi tribe killed more than one million of people. A few years after, the country has recovered and it is now one of the fastest growing economies in Africa. Rwanda notched up her GDP growth of around 8% per year between 2001 and 2014.

AAA Rwanda started has five business clubs, that is, Kigali, South, North, East and West Business Club.

The Chapter has many success stories which include;
1. In September 2015 a training on business plan writing was organized at chapter level with 43 members attending the 3 day session. Ms. Floor Peters, AAA Project Supervisor and Elijah Kangar'a, AAA Financial consultant, facilitated members to have bankable business plans. Three months after, a member company, High Performance Business and Service Ltd, got a fund from RaboBank Foundation and this was a good result of a well-designed bankable business plan.

2. In April 2016 AAA Rwanda organized a roundtable in Kigali where the founders of the Academy and members met and discussed on the future vision of the academy. The roundtable was combined with staff training and the Pan African Board. During the roundtable AAA Rwanda members presented their business pitches to show to funders the image of agribusiness investment in Rwanda.

3. September 2016, AAA Rwanda organized an Agribusiness day and invited sponsors and stakeholders in Agribusiness. Sponsors presented their services offered to beneficiaries and AAA members pitched their business ideas. Sponsors agreed to sign an MOU with the Academy to support members.

4. During the three years AAA Rwanda has participated in various international forums and trades. The academy enables members to exhibit their products and to learn from different entrepreneurs who attend those various events, whilst engaging in sales, business deals and partnerships.

Indeed it is very important to mention that during this period of three years the academy has organized various trainings and workshops which have helped members improve their value chain and quality of service. Trainings such as “Branding, Labeling and Packaging”, “Market Penetration and Marketing Strategies”, “Taxation”, “Access to Finance and linking to local and international funders”, “Entrepreneurship and Accounting practices”, “Product Certification and Standardization”, amongst others, have helped members to compete both locally and internationally hence, increasing members’ sales and profits creating change in their living conditions.

The benefits members have gained through AAA are not exhaustive and tangible. The Academy brings real changes to members. Joining AAA is saving a bright tomorrow.