An Experience Like No Other

Today’s guest post contributor, Jordan Broom-Hall, is employed by Not For Sale partner brand Spence Diamonds. Jordan recently joined a team of representatives from Spence Diamonds to assist with Not For Sale and Spence Diamonds’ Entrepreneurship Challenge, and visit Not For Sale Uganda. In today’s post, Jordan shares his perspective on the experience, and Not For Sale’s impact.  

Upon acquiring a position as a Diamond Consultant with Spence Diamonds in 2014, I NEVER would have imagined that I would be traveling across the globe to Uganda to take part in anything like Not For Sale and Spence have designed. Making a difference in peoples’ lives is only the beginning of what we, as a team, are accomplishing there! Together, we are giving hope to those in desperate need, and we are providing them with basic living necessities such as clean water, education, and the ability to lead more comfortable lives. In turn, the people in Uganda are providing each of us more than they could ever know… The refugees we interacted with and got to know had such a joyful presence! I have never seen so many smiles before in one place!

My experience on the trip to Uganda was nothing short of amazing, life changing, emotionally charged, and the most rewarding experience I have EVER been a part of. Terra, Dave and Mark from Not For Sale are some of the most genuine and driven people. Their passion for what they do exudes and imprints on everyone they meet. It was impossible for me not to enjoy myself when in their presence!

Perhaps one of the most compelling and beautiful memories from this trip is the moment we learned that the students of the refugee school had come in on a Saturday for an EXTRA day of school just so that they would have the chance to meet and play with us. When we arrived, our emotions were already heightened, and we were greeted with a ‘roar’ of cheers that could be heard a mile away! After a 5-hour bus ride on quite treacherous roads, it was the most uplifting feeling to have that energy welcome us. When the bus doors opened the sound of children echoed through and filled my eyes with happy tears! When we exited the bus the kids were grabbing our hands and giving us hugs; It was quite literally one of the most happy moments of my entire life, not just of this trip. It pained me SO MUCH when we had to load onto the bus and head back. I could’ve stayed there for the entirety of the trip.

As a company that takes a different approach to our industry and truly wants to give back and make a difference on those affected from poor practices, I am optimistic for the changes and growth we can encourage and support over the next few years with Not For Sale in Uganda. What has been accomplished already is motivating enough, but to see the future projects unfolding is something that will drive me to push my team and the company to perform that much stronger! Knowing that every day we go to work and do what we do best impacts an entire refugee community across the globe brings an overwhelming sensation over me, and that feeling of ‘good’ is something I want to share with the world! I am crossing my fingers I can be chosen to go again next year.

Author Biography 
Jordan Broom-Hall began his career in the wedding and engagement industry at the age of 19. He imagined and brought to life ‘Atmosphere Wedding Planning & Event Design’, an international award winning and thoroughly sought-after design company that reached as far as Mexico and the Caribbean with his unusually beautiful and modern design hand. Broom-Hall was an exclusive planner to such celebrities as country musician, Brett Kissel. He also held a standing position on Breakfast Television as a weekly guest on The Bachelor Panel, and design mentor for holidays and wedding / event trends.

He began his career with Spence Diamonds in 2014 as a Diamond Consultant and is currently the acting Store Director of the Edmonton location. 

Jordan currently resides in Edmonton, Alberta – Canada with his husband, Mathew, and his 3-year-old son, Bennett.

Learn More about The Entrepreneurship Challenge and Not For Sale’s work in Uganda! 

Meet Simon

This post is the first in a series of three, as we introduce you to the three top finalists from June’s Entrepreneurship Challenge with Not For Sale and brand partner Spence Diamonds. Profiles for our third place winner, Esther, and second place winner, Benard, are also available on the Not For Sale blog. 

Steps Toward Change 

Our first place winner for this month’s entrepreneurship challenge with Spence Diamonds is Simon Marot Touloung! Simon’s brand-new sandal making business is only 4 months old, but shows great promise.

Originally from South Sudan, Simon came to Uganda in 2000 when he was just 8 years old. Simon moved around from one refugee settlement to another during his childhood and teenage years. While living in Rhino refugee settlement, Simon received a scholarship to attend university. After graduating, Simon eventually moved to Kiryandongo refugee settlement and joined together with 5 other refugee youth to found a peace building initiative called the African Youth Action Network (AYAN) in 2015. To date, Simon’s initiative has trained 162 refugee and host community youth in peacekeeping,, leadership and video editing.

The youth that Simon mentored through AYAN often complained that they didn’t have anything to do, or any way to support themselves. Simon decided that a shoe-making enterprise could be a good solution.

Using recycled tires and a borrowed sewing machine, Simon learned how to make stylish sandals from discarded materials.

In the past few months, Simon has trained and hired his first two youth sandal-makers, Willy and Pouk, with hopes to quickly expand and hire more youth! He hopes to set up a workshop that can train many youth in skills that they can someday take back to their countries of origin to open new businesses.

In addition to use funds to support his workers, Simon uses profit from sandal sales to continue funding AYAN. The funds that Simon received through the entrepreneurship challenge will be used to set up his training workshop and hire new employees.

#NFSInvestsUganda

If you’d like to learn more about the “why” behind the Entrepreneurship Challenge, you may read an introduction to the project, as well as our project wrap-up and initial impact report here on the Not For Sale blog. For regular updated on our impact-focused projects aand programs around the world,  be sure that you’re signed up for our upcoming newsletters!

Meet Benard

This post is the second in a series of three, as we introduce you to the three top finalists from June’s Entrepreneurship Challenge with Not For Sale and brand partner Spence Diamonds. Profiles for our first place winner, Simon, and third place winner, Esther, are also available on the Not For Sale blog. 

A Piggery With A Purpose 

The second place winner in our #NFSInvestsUganda Entrepreneurship Challenge is Benard Ocaya! Benard entered the challenge to present an innovative business idea for a community-based piggery. Piglets are given to members of the community at no cost to care for and raise. When the animals are sold, they share in the profit! The overall vision for the business is to help vulnerable youth, widows, and families become self-reliant through training them in entrepreneurship skills and giving them an opportunity to support themselves.

Our Entrepreneurship Challenge judges and mentors were struck by the potential scalability and impact of this piggery. With its well-planned business model, hundreds of community members will benefit not only from the income their participation will ensure, but increased nutrition and access to education as well. Benard hopes that the business will also effectively fight illiteracy by giving families the resources to purchase the school materials their children need.

Orphaned as a child, Benard has overcome many difficult circumstances to become the successful young businessman he is today. His own story fuels his passion to support orphans within the Kyangwali Refugee settlement and neighboring areas where the piggery business is based and currently employing 54 people- 45 community members and 9 staff. The funding received through the Entrepreneurship Challenge will be used to grow and strengthen the business and employ more community members.

#NFSInvestsUganda

If you’d like to learn more about the “why” behind the Entrepreneurship Challenge, you may read an introduction to the project, as well as our project wrap-up and initial impact report here on the Not For Sale blog. For regular updated on our impact-focused projects aand programs around the world,  be sure that you’re signed up for our upcoming newsletters!

Meet Esther

This post is the first in a series of three, as we introduce you to the three top finalists from June’s Entrepreneurship Challenge with Not For Sale and brand partner Spence Diamonds. Profiles for our first place winner, Simon, and second place winner, Benard, are also available on the Not For Sale blog. 

Sewing Seeds of Change 

23 year old Rwandan Esther Mambolewo is our 3rd place runner up. A talented designer, She launched a fashion company to design & produce apparel out of Nakivale refugee camp. When we met Esther, she told us how she sells half of her food ration aid so she can buy six yards of cloth. With that cloth she can make two clothing items. 

Through hard work and sacrifice, she’s gained enough customers that she now employs seven young vulnerable women. With our investment funding of 4.5 Million Ugandan shillings, she plans to expand her business and employ more women.

#NFSInvestsUganda

If you’d like to learn more about the “why” behind the Entrepreneurship Challenge, you may read an introduction to the project, as well as our project wrap-up and initial impact report here on the Not For Sale blog. For regular updated on our impact-focused projects aand programs around the world,  be sure that you’re signed up for our upcoming newsletters!

Not For Sale and Spence Diamonds Invest In Uganda’s Innovators

Talent is universal — but opportunity is not. That’s why Not For Sale is choosing fifteen entrepreneurs from Uganda with a big potential to #InnovateForGood to receive funding to launch their business ideas.

Many people fleeing violence in the DRC come into Uganda as refugees. The Kyangwali refugee camp has become home to a quickly increasing number of displaced people.

Short-term, emergency needs like access to healthcare and shelter for new arrivals are joined by the needs of resettled refugees in need of stability and structure within the camp — like education and a way to earn a living. A lack of economic security means trafficking and exploitation rates are high.

Not For Sale Uganda has been working within the Kyangwali refugee camp, providing housing, educational opportunities, and support to those who are vulnerable to trafficking and exploitation. Through the local network we’ve built through Not For Sale Uganda/Democratic Republic of the Congo, we’ve met many brilliant people who have a deep desire to use their best and brightest ideas to create positive change within the Kyangwali community and throughout the world.  

If there’s one concept we’ve learned through launching and partnering with impactful enterprises around the world, it’s that those who are often most well-equipped to be innovators for good in a certain area are the members of that community. It makes sense: people who are immersed in the daily struggles of a region will be the most deeply invested in creating solutions, and the most educated on what those solutions should look like. We believe that the next big world-changing idea might just come from the dusty streets of an Ugandan refugee settlement rather than Silicon Valley’s polished boardrooms. To find the innovators, we’ll go to the area where innovation is needed the most.

This June, aspiring entrepreneurs will come together in Uganda to exchange ideas and compete for the chance to work with Not For Sale and our partners to launch new enterprises. Each of the carefully chosen challenge participants are exceptional leaders and creative minds from the local communities and refugee camps around Uganda.

After a period of research and tailored brainstorm sessions to inform and position our collection of business experts and investors, each entrepreneur will pitch their business ideas to a panel made up of representatives from Not For Sale, Just Business, Spence Diamonds, and local Ugandan business owners, Shark Tank style. The winning ideas will be put into motion, with the chosen entrepreneur receiving the funding, mentoring, and resources needed to launch and scale their enterprise.

We can’t wait to share the excitement and impact of this challenge with the Not For Sale squad! If you’re signed up for our newsletters, you’ll receive updates from our team as we move forward with the challenge. You can also follow along with #NFSInvestsUganda on social media for behind-the-scenes content from our team in Uganda.