How Kingdom Business Principles Transform an Industry

Fred, Aspire Program Graduate

Country: Rwanda

Business: Beekeeping and honey products

Impact: Improving access and techniques to increase and diversify production, thereby creating more jobs

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With a bachelor’s degree in education and a MBA, Fred knew he was gifted in teaching and training, but as a Christian he also felt a deep call on his life to ministry. In his local community in Rwanda, Fred became a pastor and a businessman, looking for ways to support himself and his family as well as serving others spiritually, socially, and vocationally.

Fred saw an opportunity for a flourishing community.

In 2018, Fred noticed a lack of quality honey in his area, the Kayonza District. When he began researching the beekeeping sector in Rwanda and worldwide, he found many gaps and opportunities to improve production, access, and profitability. That year, he began selling honey himself, and working with other beekeepers in the area for their mutual benefit.

Fred had a vision to build the community of beekeepers into a thriving industry. He talked to other beekeepers about how to expand their operations beyond selling honey and to transform waste and byproducts into finished goods like beeswax and propolis.

Applying business knowledge looks different in Rwanda.

These conversations quickly turned into more formalized training, as Fred passed on what he learned about management, hygiene, sanitation, and how to improve quality in beekeeping operations. Having identified six groups interested in these topics, Fred’s consulting and training started to take off.

However, Fred quickly saw how lack of access to resources hampered his efforts. He and other beekeepers struggled to access funds for facility construction, or to purchase updated beekeeping equipment and tools.

Fred also saw how, even with his own advanced business training, he found it difficult to comply with Rwanda’s extensive business requirements. For his fellow beekeepers and trainees, it was even harder. He wondered how to align his faith with this reality, and how to conduct his business in accordance with his beliefs.

Sinapis training helped Fred connect his business to his faith.

When he heard about the Aspire program, Fred wondered how he might connect what he had learned from his MBA with his knowledge of Scripture. The intersection of faith and business had always appealed to Fred, but Sinapis helped him to make the practical applications that he needed in his context.

Aspire helped Fred think of his operation as a faith-based business. His beekeeping consulting and training now includes encouragement for other beekeepers to do business with integrity, especially in how they navigate Rwanda’s complex tax and regulatory environment.

Kingdom businesses uplift entire communities.

Fred also learned helpful frameworks for turning his vision into a reality with community-wide impact. His focus on equipping other beekeepers to think broadly about honey products and quality is geared toward creating more jobs and expanding revenue possibilities to a wider customer base, which is critical to compete in the region.

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“Aspire gave me confidence to run a faith-based business. I encourage beekeepers to produce quality products to bring more honey and more jobs to their communities.”

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Sinapis training empowers entrepreneurs to find God’s purpose for their work.

Sinapis helps entrepreneurs learn the business skills they need to put their faith into practice vocationally. The unique combination of enthusiastic and experienced trainers, elite-level curriculum, and Kingdom business principles makes Sinapis programs ideal for emerging African markets.

By partnering with Sinapis, businesses, organizations, and individuals in East Africa and around the world can make a difference spiritually and economically for communities.

Learn more about Sinapis programs >>        Support Kingdom-focused business in Kenya>>

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