Creating Solutions and Fueling Development in Africa; Meet Godwin and Titi Josias
Entrepreneurs constantly seek to create solutions. From electricity challenge to job creation, these innovative individuals are becoming answers to varying challenges across the continent.
Titi Josias Kabore is one of them, tis TEF Entrepreneur from Burkina Faso says he was pushed to entrepreneurship by the realization of how electricity plays a huge role in development. “Only 19% of people have access to electricity in Burkina and about 30% throughout the African continent and I thought this would be a good way to contribute to the development of Africa in general, since access to energy is now considered as a central issue in the fight against poverty, the economic and social development of Africa”
In Ghana, multiple Award winning, TEF entrepreneur, Godwin Mawutor Wuankah has created an answer to issues of Accounting and Taxation faced by small businesses.
We had a chat with these entrepreneurs here:
TEF: Tell us about your business
Titi Josias Kabore:
ICBD offers a service under an innovative Pay-As-You-Go model by taking care of the entire distribution chain through the design, assembly kits, installation, maintenance and a warranty. We are also in a dynamic of setting up a platform able to allow the payment by mobile money and the monitoring of our remote installations. Our high quality “Titisun” brand solar kits are focused on rural and semi-urban government officers, whose number is estimated at more than 100,000, businesses and enterprises. The solar kits will provide energy services “upscale” to allow customers to have the services equivalent to those encountered in the city (The TitiSun kits are therefore different from solar kits for lighting and power radio only).
Godwin:
One of the major problems faced by young people starting business includes but not limited to the following, developing their business plans including financial projections, proper bookkeeping, and even deducing the capital required. I then decided to start AGE Accounting & Taxation in Ghana to provide a comprehensive professional service to these businesses in Ghana. We provide basic accounting & tax services to startups, small & medium businesses. We also do business registration advice, introduce our clients to business funding opportunities. What is unique is that, our fees & charges are relatively cheaper as compared with similar service providers.
TEF: What was your vision for your business from the outset and How many employees do you currently have?
Titi Josias Kabore:
My vision of my company from the beginning was to increase the access to the electricity of the rural and semi-urban populations of Burkina and from there, the African sub-region. Currently, we have 4 permanent and 4 temporary employees
Godwin:
My vision is to develop into a world class business service provider and help more businesses to start and stay forever. I would also love to provide entrepreneurship training to the youths in Africa. We are currently three and by next month, we will recruit extra two workers.
TEF: What challenges have you encountered since you started out your business?
Titi Josias Kabore:
My challenges have been of several kinds: First, there is the establishment of my company which was difficult as I had just graduated from university without prior experience and that the possibility of having a job was to create his own company since there were not many companies that could employ qualified personnel at the time in the field of solar energy in Burkina Faso. Even having an internship was very complicated. What led us, my friends and I to set up the association “Solar Energy for Everyone” to collaborate with NGOs involved in the field of solar energy in Burkina Faso, Togo and Benin for a little experience. Also, to be able to register the company, to rent a local, purchase of office equipment and to face other expenses it would have been necessary for me to adopt a plan B. The plan was to go to teach as a temporary teacher in high school and to be able to mobilize money for setting up my business but thanks to the funding and support from TEF, I have now started my business.
Godwin:
We faced the tough challenge of getting customers and the cost of an office space was too expensive but with the support from TEF we have now been able to brand and publicise effectively and get an office space.
TEF: What would you say was a key benefit for you from the TEF programme and How has the mentoring, training and funding from the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme helped you grow your business?
Titi Josias Kabore:
After receiving the seed capital from TEF, we have been able to acquire raw material for the assembly of our solar kits, to test them, to allow the first beneficiaries to have access to electricity. Thanks to this seed capital, we have a website (www.icbd-burkina.com) which increases our visibility and our credibility towards our customers and our partners. Also, the training I received has allowed me to establish partnerships, to improve our value proposition, our customer relationship and to be able to answer a crucial need through our disruptive solar energy business model. Our orders are constantly increasing according to our market segment, which we have been able to choose through TEFEP and we have very good indicators to enter into an ambitious development phase.
Godwin:
Although I registered my business before getting onto the program, all the toolkits from the foundation gave me insight about entrepreneurship. My mentor supported me with the development of the business model. The funding helped me to rent my first office space, hire addition stuffs and pay basic statutory charges.
TEF: What plans do you have to expand and increase capacity of your business?
Titi Josias Kabore:
I have put plans to increase the capacity of my business primarily through the creation of several agencies in several regions of the country.
Godwin:
I’m working towards employing and training more youths who will be outsourced to other small businesses. Also developing a mobile application that will help easy accounting & tax reporting. I have also partnered with an auditing firm that will help affordable audit fees to my clients.
TEF: How can people reach to you if they want any of your services?
Chukuma:
To reach out me, please visit : www.icbd-burkina.com or e-mail : info@icbdburkina.com, titijosias@icbd-burkina.com, icbd.burkina@gmail.com and Phone :+22670782924 or +22679947995
Godwin:
My website is https://www.ageghana.com . email : lapopo054@yahoo.com/godwinwuankah@gmail.com. Mobile/Whatsapp: +233542827482
You can physically locate our office at KK Hub-Ho, Volta Region of Ghana.
