"I once thought my dreams were shattered. When I was living on the streets of Kigali and only had hope to hold on to, I couldn't imagine what my life would be like today."
Jean Marie dreamed of a better future. Poverty forced him to drop out of school and move to Kigali in search of opportunities. What he found were harsh realities: no work, no accommodation and no clear way forward.
But life had an unexpected twist in store for him...
A Japanese woman discovered Jean Marie on the street and taught him how to make stunning products from cow horns. This newly learned skill became his lifeline and sparked a development that saw him go from despair to celebrated Rwandan entrepreneur.
Jean Marie was not content with just mastering the craft. He had a bigger vision - a business that could make a difference. After years of honing his skills, he completed the BPN training program to sharpen his business acumen. He successfully developed his business, which turns discarded cow horns into high-quality, environmentally friendly products.
The turning point came when Jean Marie was able to rent a workshop and purchase important machinery thanks to a large order. He put the knowledge he had acquired at BPN into practice and helped his company to make a breakthrough.
This is more than just one man's journey; it is a testament to the transformative power of entrepreneurship and BPN's mission: to turn challenges into opportunities and dreams into realities that solve problems and create jobs.
The BPN(Business Professionals Network) foundation, based in Switzerland, has been active since 1999 and is active in 6 countries: Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nicaragua, Rwanda and Uganda.
We support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in our partner countries through business training, networking and coaching, with the aim of securing and creating jobs in the long term and thus contributing to local economic development.
BPN focuses specifically on the area of business management training in order to close knowledge gaps. For this reason, BPN has developed a training program that includes seminars, webinars, workshops and time for exchange.
The BPN program lasts 2 years and includes all key modules of business administration in differentiated training blocks.
BPN offers 2 different types of consultancy: Technical Advisory and Executive Coaching.
We are a management consultancy with a charitable background. We work with local teams on the ground.
Our proven basic seminars form the basis, but we go even further! In 2024 alone, we have developed a total of 16 new seminars/webinars in all 5 countries that are tailored to the local context.
One-time or regular donations in any amount. The donation receipt is issued in February of the following year.
Transferring a donation by IBAN / bank transfer (QR code) incurs the lowest transaction costs for us. We recommend this method of transfer so that we can use your donation as efficiently as possible.
Transfer donations to the BPN Foundation account:
CH71 0026 0260 3618 5001 L
Direct QR deposit slip scan or download:
Donations from Italy should be transferred to the following account of the association Xpand Südtirol (will be forwarded directly to BPN):
Recipient: Xpand Südtirol | Mühlgasse 5 | I-39100 Bozen
IBAN: IT98 F081 8358 4400 0030 3214 192 | Swift Code: RZSBIT21327
Media entrepreneur
"Thanks to BPN's training programs, people become entrepreneurs and can take their future into their own hands. For me, this is sustainable and meaningful help for self-help."
