In response to my recent call in the Huffington Post for less focus on Aid to Africa, and rather an increase in support for investments and enterprise, there were a lot of cynical comments, and other more respectful responses.  I had to further clarify my stand that unlike Dambisa  Moyo who believes that Aid is dead, I am more of the opinion that Aid is dying , and still has an important but very limited role (especially during humanitarian disasters like in the Horn of Africa) especially for development.  Rather I advocate support for enterprise for its role to lift nations out of poverty.

Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome.

Hence, I was highly elated to meet with Dr Kim Tan of the Transformational Business Network at the recent Harambe Rome Forum held between September 2-4, 2011 in Rome Italy, and not only listen to such an established entrepreneur voice the same opinion, but I also found out he had co-authored a book titled “Fighting Poverty Through Enterprise; the case for social venture capital” which is free for download. It may take time to wean Africa off Aid, but then Rome was not built in a day!

I have already related my interest and motivation to attend the Harambe Rome Forum in my September 1 blog post , and the obstacles I had to overcome to get to Rome

Several days now after returning from Rome, and several thousand dollars poorer, I have no regrets for having taken the decision to attend the event, and I feel honored to have been part of what one of the participants rightly described as “a precision event with lots of gemstones and cross-pollination of ideas.”

Entrance to the Vatican

As a social media enthusiast, I therefore present to you a collection of my gemtweets (tweets on a piece of paper!)  from the event which I hope you will find inspiring, and I look forward to the next Harambe Forum!

Harambe Tweets on a Piece of Paper

Kickoff

#haramberomeforum kicked off with intro-Lisa from LBS, Tanya from Actis,Director-Acton Inst.,Vatican rep,Theo from Nestle. #socent

Henrik of Dahlberg also on board of @tonyOelumelu’s foundation, Kim Tan-Chairman SpringHill,TBN n VC,Michele from @usadf #haramberomeforum

Media reps from @AP ,@WSJ , @FT. Undersecretary of the Pontificate,John Cabot Univ rep, and others make up panel. #haramberomeforum #socent

Theo kicks off with need to move from CSR to creating shared value. Not surprised as @michaelEporter sits on Nestle board #haramberomeforum

Embed processes in supply chain 2 create value for all stkholders.nestle focus in Africa is nutrition,water n rural devp. #haramberomeforum

For companies 2 add real value in Africa,need 2 move away 4rm philanthropy 2 intersection of societal n shareholder value #haramberomeforum

35 yrs ago,Kenya GDP was higher than Taiwan n S.Korea. S.Asia transformed via economic devp not dependence on aid #haramberomeforum #socent

Foreign aid has a role in tackling poverty but greater emphasis need to be on the role of business n enterprise. #haramberomeforum #socent

Funds xsferred from west 2 africa as returns-seeking investment creates more permanent jobs than govt2govt grants #haramberomeforum #socent

Asia realized it could not compete on natural resources or traditional industries so invested in knowledge base #haramberomeforum #socent

There is a fundamental misalignment of state bureaucracy n national goals in most African countries. #haramberomeforum #socent

There is no time 2 wait in africa for proper alignment. Challenge is how 2 still pursue social devp despite imperfections #haramberomeforum

USADF has portfolio of $70mm in 20 African countries, largely agrobased. Support for African-led businesses #haramberomeforum #socent

It takes time, persistence, team building and experience of failure to succeed. #haramberomeforum #socent

 Encouraging women in #socent. Reference2Nigerian LBS MBA grad, Tokunbo Ishmael, now manages microfinance fund in #Nigeria#haramberomeforum

Need to learn d courage 2 fail.Ur first idea is not likely to turn into a billion dollars #haramberomeforum #socent

 Is Silicon Valley a bubble? Interesting to see silly ideas get funding in ‘Silly-Con’ valley, same ideas we get everyday. #haramberomeforum

Skills needed to succeed as an entrepreneur in africa- forward planning , expect worst case scenario,think on your feet #haramberomeforum

Other skills are- leadership, courage to go with your ideas,turn problems into opportunities #haramberomeforum #socent

Identify a need, going to mkt just bcos u think u have a smart idea n everyone else thinks it’s dumb may be a step towards failure #haramberomeforum

3 types of entreps in africa- 1.Ivyleague trained,MNC-experienced folks who come back 2 start stuff.Don’t need much help. #haramberomeforum

 2.Those trained in Africa,mostly lack funding n ecosystem 2 support ideas. We need to av a strategy to support them#haramberomeforum

3rd n largest group is d informal sector. Great effort is reqd to support them and move them from passive to productive #haramberomeforum

Why do African SMEs fail?1. Too small n undercapitalized. You require a certain scale to survive n grow #haramberomeforum #socent

Why do African SMEs fail?2. Lack of adequate management capacity. Strong Mgmt teams are vital in emerging mkts. #haramberomeforum #socent

 While women entrepreps in Asia r d best in responsible borrowing, they have scaling issues as husbands feel threathened #haramberomeforum

Why do African SMEs fail?3. Wrong location; good ideas located in the wrong places r prone to die quickly. #haramberomeforum #socent

What Actis looks 4 b4 funding: passion, relevant experience,desire 2 solve social need ,ability to access further funding #haramberomeforum

African talent and enterprise is chained down by bad policies and politicians. #haramberomeforum #socent

Aid is not dead,but African countries need 2 b weaned off aid. Show me 1 country that bcame developed by depending on aid.#haramberomeforum

At MBA age(27-29), fewer women apply bcos they are just starting a family so LBS gets more female MBAs under 23. #haramberomeforum

 Question 2 Panel-Is it necessary for entrepreneurs 2 b able 2 speak English?Panelist-I can answer that question in Chinese #haramberomeforum

Not necessary for entrepreneurs to speak English but highly important so as to be able to access knowledge n info #haramberomeforum

#rwanda and #s.leone have become pacesetters for the rest of Africa.Kigami of Rwanda aims to make it Singapore of Africa. #haramberomeforum

In 10 years, #Rwanda has gone from 80% dependence on foreign #aid to below 50%. #WeaningAfricaoffaid #haramberomeforum

When you strip away investments into extractive industries, only very little money going into africa vs rest of world. #haramberomeforum

What’s africa’s devp model?Is d middle sector booming cos of a fundamental shift or cos extractive industries r doing well?#haramberomeforum

Investors still committing blunder of treating #africa as one single place where events spill over from country2country #haramberomeforum

In #socent you must empathize,listen n collaborate. Your US education or London experience cannot replace those skills#haramberomeforum

 Breaktime at #haramberomeforum. Very informative session so far. Just finished interviews with @WSJ and Financial Times. #socent

Don’t over romanticize #socent. You must be commercially viable to succeed. Can’t help d poor by becoming poor #haramberomeforum

Creating high impact jobs in Africa would be impossible without creating friendly environment 4 #FDI and partnerships #haramberomeforum

Every entrepreneur needs a coach. The best ones are the ones that r hardest on you. #socent #haramberomeforum

B4 u make it,figure how to sell it. Sad example selling organic vanilla by d pound in Uganda when it shrinks by d minute #haramberomeforum

All enterprise (excluding illicit ones) is social! Its ok to b a normal business.Make good products that ppl want #haramberomeforum #socent

As #afropreneurs, we will move the success of Africa from Impossible to Improbable to Inevitable #haramberomeforum

 Huge opportunities in energy, agriculture n the service sector n Bringing good Mgmt to poorly managed family biz #haramberomeforum #Africa

Cannot wait 4 our universities in Africa to catchup. Fasttrack thru partnerships n licensing innovation.copycatting is ok #haramberomeforum

We need 2 change d mindset at every level in Africa. Very annoying 2 be stopped by a policeman asking for s bribe. #haramberomeforum

There was m-pesa, watch out for m-profesa, leveraging mobiles for education in Africa #haramberomeforum #mobile

 Future opportunities in Africa lie in Green, Technology and Food. Over 48% of food in Africa is lost on way to market #haramberomeforum

Survey of postmba plans at an African biz school 5 yrs ago 1.Go into politics 2.Work for an NGO 3.Start a church #haramberomeforum

 I hope some of u will b very successful, but even more importantly; I hope you will remember your roots then #haramberomeforum

Are Africans racist? Story of white McKinsey junior analyst congratulated by African minister ignoring black VP #haramberomeforum

Where r u going?Are u going 2 b merely successful? Or are you going 2 b significant? What is your strategy 2 move from success2significance?

God will judge your intentions, but history will judge your actions. Do the right thing #haramberomeforum

If not now, when: if not here, where : if not us, who? And that brings us to the final tweet from #haramberomeforum #Africa #socent #leadership

If not now, when: if not here, where : if not us, who?