Rich in resources
Xu Huiying, executive vice president of the Shenzhen Electronic Chamber of Commerce, said she was deeply impressed by the strong drive she saw in the young African entrepreneurs, as well as their innovative thinking, resilience, and desire to change their continent.
"Africa boasts rich cultural diversity and abundant natural resources, and it's remarkable that these young entrepreneurs can transform these advantages into innovative business models," she said.
Xu was "blown away" by Nigerian entrepreneur Amanda Etuk during the learning tour. Etuk co-founded Messenger, which is building a "last-mile logistics" platform in Africa and has been labeled a game-changer in Nigeria.
"It not only solves the last-mile delivery issue and creates more job opportunities locally, but also offers motorcycle loans to riders. It's a great example of synergy and a bold initiative — this is how business works," Xu said.
Dozens of members from the Shenzhen chamber established connections with the African participants during the tour, she said.
"In the future, our chamber and the C-STAR project team could regularly organize online exchange meetings, giving member companies and C-STAR participants the opportunities to exchange ideas and share experiences on a regular basis. This would help C-STAR participants enter the Chinese market and would also benefit the chamber's member companies looking to enter the African market, fostering potential collaborations," she said.
Xu said the program is a big platform that offers comprehensive support for young African entrepreneurs in commerce, culture, education and international cooperation.
"This is of great significance for their future in seeking partners, expanding business, and accessing resources," Xu said. "At the same time, by participating in such international innovation and entrepreneurship programs, young entrepreneurs can feel our support and recognition, which helps boost their confidence and motivation to pursue their entrepreneurial endeavors," she added.
Babagana Wakil, charge d'affaires ad interim of Nigeria's Embassy in China, spoke of the profound influence of the C-STAR program. He believes the current era is being shaped by the creativity, resilience, and the ambition of young people. Fostering and supporting innovation and entrepreneurship among young people is essential for national economic growth, job creation, and addressing social challenges, he said.
Wakil believes young people will have a profound impact on future industrial innovation and business strategies.
Graaf from Rwanda said his biggest takeaway from the learning trip is that he can achieve big things with his Chinese counterparts.
He met with a Chinese delegation during the August trip, which he hopes will help him materialize an even bigger dream. "Originally, my goal was to build four clean fuel and stove factories, but the delegation is willing to help with related machines, technology and other resources," he said.
As a result, Graaf has set his sights on building 10 factories in Rwanda and other African countries.
"The way China has managed to get rid of the air pollution, that's what I want to achieve in the kitchens in Africa," he said.
