Rwanda Trailer Project Planning & Implementation

Something will always be overlooked, I have yet to run across a business that functions without error or oversight. The key is to remain flexible and ready to make changes as the project evolves. There has been a tremendous amount of planning, however, each project is a unique and independent entity. So changes to the base plan are a given. The individual adaptation to the culture is expected.

Tooling, Production Materials, Business Documentation, Training/Visual Aids and Supplies are all traveling with me to Rwanda. These are the critical components to beginning and sustaining the business during the start-up phase. These critical items have been packed in heavy duty cases for air shipment "checked baggage".

Additional Tooling and Production Materials will be procured in-country. Fixtures/Jigs will be built in-country.

Wheels will be procured in-country.

Note: The trailer micro-business project plan is designed to stimulate the local economy. The in-country procurement of tools, material and other resources benefit local businesses and shop keepers. Additionally, the trailer project supports many spin-off micro-businesses (i.e. delivery, hauling, taxi, ambulance services, repairs, accessory development and sales/rentals). This leads to a paradigm shift in economic reliance on aid to economic reliance on self.

People have been selected to participate in this project by an in-country Project Liason. This person has prepared and scheduled them for the upcoming project implementation and has arranged for advertising, marketing and sales networking throughout the Kibungo parishes. This person has also coordinated all necessary regulatory requirements through the appropriate governmental officials.

The next step is to arrive at the trailer manufacturing facility and begin the familiarization and general training process. This will include participating in turning a blank space into a process driven manufacturing facility. I will be introducing logical progression concepts and how working within a framework of processes leads to project order...

Vision

After many discussions and having pondered the question, "what do I hope to accomplish with this trailer project?", I find solace in a simple quote from a simple woman. "We can do no great things, only small things with great love." Mother Teresa.

Some call it "Grass Roots" or "Bottom of the Pyramid", either way it means making change at the source where the change is needed. It means applying resources directly affecting those in need.

Only God knows what He plans to accomplish through me. I do know His plan has me focused on the development of Indigenous Micro-Businesses for people suffering in abject poverty. Perhaps His plan is as simple as enabling those people in need to witness another person reaching out to them in friendship and understanding; having someone care enough to give of their time and resources to relieve suffering and pain. Perhaps God's plan is to use the trailer project as a mechanism for moving much more than goods, perhaps it is intended to move people spiritually. It takes so little to show how much we care and yet it is so hard to do sometimes. I believe the trailers are truly a vehicle intended to carry a heavy load...

I feel I have been given the proper vision, technical and business knowledge, relational skills and resources to carry out this work. During this journey I have met many well intentioned people, forged deeper relationships, enjoyed developing the project, suffered setbacks and gained a great appreciation of how it really feels to give freely. I am happy to say the journey has just begun...

Appreciation to Minuteman Press

I'd like to recognize the efforts and dedication to developing the Rwanda Trailer Project printed materials by Minuteman Press. They are located in St. Peters, Missouri (636) 928-5529 and owned by Jan Beardsley. I have been working with one of their very talented staff members, aptly named Art, who is not only creative and insightful but is very personable and committed to meeting cost and deadline constraints. These people really go the extra mile in providing a full range of affordable high quality printing and design services. I recommend them highly and appreciate their professionalism and personal investment (interest) in their customers as people, with whom they are building lasting relationships.

Trailer and the Plow

The first plow was probably a stick pulled through the soil with a rope. In time, however, domesticated cattle were harnessed to drag the plow in place of the farmer. Yoked, harnessed animals pulled plows in the Mesopotamian alluvium by 3000 B.C.

As a result, farming advanced from the cultivation of small plots to the tilling of extensive fields. By harnessing the ox, men began to control and use a motive power other than that furnished by man’s own self-exertion. The ox was the first to pull a plow utilizing the invention of the “Chain Link” as a universal joint. The ingenious farmer utilized this link to provide strong and dependable side to side and up and down capabilities for whatever was being pulled behind the ox. The ox benefited from this linkage as well, making his work more efficient and fluid, thus relieving muscular strain and awkward pulling angles.

My goal in engineering the RanCorp Services trailers was to develop strong, durable, efficient trailers utilizing simple build techniques and materials available in the countries where they would be built and utilized. This had to be accomplished while making the trailers extremely low-cost and affordable for the masses. Enter the ox and the plow.

Anyone can build a trailer! Elaborate expensive designs utilizing exotic alloys with bottomless R&D funding is an engineer’s dream, but the trailer design I was after caused me many engineering dilemmas and left me with a great appreciation for the simplistic nature of the original plow designs. I have adopted the “Chain Link” (minus the ox) to serve as the universal link connecting the trailers and their various power sources. There is a bit more to it but you get the general idea. This linkage maintains structural integrity, simplicity, common materials usage and is extremely low-cost.

The design elements of the RanCorp Services trailers play a significant role in facilitating a wide cultural acceptance. This is a key element to the success and viability of the project as a whole, however, appropriate design technology runs much deeper than product design and functionality. A comprehensive project must account for product feasibility, usefulness, marketing, sales, distribution, application, adaptability, cultural acceptance, business operations, human resources, legal/regulatory considerations and logistics as a whole.

During the next several posts and throughout the Kibungo, Rwanda project phases, I will be addressing the evolution of a micro-business and the necessary components that drive successful indigenous project implementations while maintaining the goal of project simplicity and cultural acceptance. It is my intention that RanCorp Services Trailer projects reflect the simplicity of the farmer the ox and the plow…

Rwanda Bicycle Trailer Project Preparation

While in Rwanda, I was challenged by my good friend, Bishop Josias Sendegeya, to develop a viable solution to some basic transportation problems they face, while stimulating the local economy at the same time. No small task, but one I felt called to attempt! One question the Bishop asked me during our conversation was, "Do you know why the Catholic Church has such a strong financial structure in Rwanda?" His answer was quite simple... "They are good at running businesses." The Bishop went on to explain how the Catholic Church ran many successful micro-businesses within the community. He finished our conversation simply stating, "Why can't we do this as well?" Indeed, why not us? Flash forward a few thousand hours...

I designed three models of trailers and developed a comprehensive business process to facilitate the success of indigenous micro-business implementation. The process is adaptable to any people group where the use of bicycles or motorcycles to haul goods and/or people is acceptable. Moving goods and people safer and more efficiently while stimulating economic growth are the key elements in the overall success of these project processes.

We must also be aware of the culture within which we are working. For instance, I had suggested we implement the “No Weld Wood Trailer” model as an alternative to the “Welded Steel Trailer”. However, I was quickly informed that in Rwanda the government would not approve of using wood based trailers. In fact, I was told that the government was quite excited about our initial plans to utilize steel in our manufacturing process. I have also heard that a few members of the government have already reserved their steel trailers from our first production run. The reason for the push to utilize steel rather than wood is because there is a dedicated reforestation effort by the entire country of Rwanda. I am happy to report RanCorp Services is part of a product and service that supports that effort. So we'll use steel instead of wood!

I will take many tools with me which are cost prohibitive to purchase in Rwanda. The extremely high cost of tools and materials is a challenge that the people of Rwanda face daily. The tools we will be utilizing are of high quality and will support many years of productivity.

Updates, pictures and more are on the way. Check back soon to discover how RanCorp Services bicycle/motorcycle trailers are helping to improve the methods for moving goods and people around the world. At RanCorp Services we have developed the trailers and the micro-business processes necessary to build these simple, durable, cost effective trailers by the indigenous people who need them the most.

Please visit our website at www.RanCorpServices.com

Ben Ransom
CEO, RanCorp Services, Inc.