Small Enterprise Development

Over the course of the past eleven weeks, each Small Enterprise Development trainee has consulted a small business. I had my final meeting with my entrepreneur today who owns a cyber cafe in the center of town. Our major accomplishments included:

-Implementing an accounting system - The most important implementation has been the "cahier de caisse," a simplified method of accounting. He records his expenses and revenues on a daily basis (he didn't write anything down before!) and has been teaching the accounting method to the other employees.

-Performing a SWOT: We conducted a SWOT analysis of the cyber cafe. He is looking into other opportunities such as selling cell phone credit or snacks.

-Looking at benefits versus costs - After having his employees track when, who, and how long each customer uses the computers, we decided it was unnecessary to buy another computer as that would just be an added expense; there would not be enough benefit versus the cost. Thus, the focus is not so much expansion
at the moment, but rather improvement on attracting clientele.

-Budgeting - He has made a personal and business budget - something I think everybody should do!

-And...minus a few fluke expenses this past month, he is making a profit!

With my entrepreneur, Jean Marie and his cyber cafe

We will continue our working relationship as I plan to revisit Bafia in the future. And as a thank you, he gave me a "cadeau" (gift in French): pagne tissue! Time to make another Cameroonian dress!