Last year one of the British Embasssy’s most successful and high profile projects was Mashrouy: the TV programme to help identify and support young Sudanese entrepreneurs. It has been described as a cross between the hit BBC shows “Dragon’s Den” and “The Apprentice”. There was huge interest from Sudanese business people, some great ideas for new business proposals, some wonderful contestants and a huge following on TV for the presentations and selection process.
The winner is now a national figure. I met her and other finalists recently. They say they benefitted enormously from Mashrouy. They had a great visit to the UK to see British entrepreneurship in action. They have received mentoring on developing a business idea. Some of them have found backers. They are, or are close to, launching their businesses.
Now this year’s Mashrouy is underway. We want to make it better still. We, our private sector sponsors (Sudatel, United Capital Bank, Cofftea, CTC) and partners (the Sudanese Young Businessmen’s Association, British Council, Blue Nile TV) are again working closely together. One innovation this year was to invite four young British entrepreneurs to Sudan to share their experiences and mentoring. One of them set up his first business at the age of 13, while another established a social enterprise to nurture young social reformers and equip them for leadership.
They hosted a couple of events which attracted huge interest. More than 500 budding and actual Sudanese entrepreneurs turned up to a workshop they hosted, keen to hear from what the British entrepreneurs had to say about doing market research, raising finance, motivating staff, leveraging IT and other essential tasks for launching a business. For their part the British entrepreneurs were impressed by the creativity and the enthusiasm of the young Sudanese business people they met.
While they were here the British entrepreneurs helped in the initial sift of the 600 or so project proposals we received. These ranged from small-scale artisanal businesses to large agricultural projects that could boost Sudan’s exports and create dozens of jobs.
The next stage of the selection process begins in November. This is the exciting bit when young entrepreneurs pitch their ideas to a panel of experienced Sudanese business leaders. It’s all televised on Blue Nile TV and makes for compulsive viewing.
But Mashrouy is much more than just good TV. It makes a real difference to those who take part. It helps to turn ambitious dreams into business reality. Even those who don’t make it through to the final stages have the opportunity to learn a great deal about how to succeed as an entrepreneur. Those who get through receive support to build a business, for their benefit and the benefit of the Sudanese consumer.
Beyond the individual, Mashrouy demonstrates that Sudan has many young, capable, creative, energetic entrepreneurs who can succeed if only they are given the chance. There is an entrepreneurial culture here. It will flourish if the economic environment allows it to. And conversely if it is allowed to flourish it will help create a better economic environment – more jobs, products, prosperity, for all.
I was reminded of what Sudan can achieve on a short visit to Shendi last week. I visited a very large and impressive alfalfa farm, financed by foreign investors and run by Sudanese management. It is already producing thousands of tons of alfalfa and will be producing hundreds of thousands when it is fully operational, mainly for export. Its contribution to the local economy – building infrastructure, providing basic services, employing local people and earning foreign currency – is self evident.
In Shendi itself I met with the founder and CEO of a wide-ranging and top quality Sudanese conglomerate which provides jobs and training opportunities to its staff and high quality products to Sudanese businesses and consumers and to markets overseas.
It shows what Sudan is capable of given half a chance. I hope that National Dialogue opens the way to the political and economic change that will give Sudan a complete chance.