“B2B is about Youth and Women,” says Benjamin Ndikiri Umbagbia, Spark Representative-Yambio

“B2B is about Youth and Women,” says Benjamin Ndikiri Umbagbia,
Spark Representative-Yambio

“The hope for future development lies in youth and women entrepreneurs. The youth are the most proactive and energetic force in the whole society. That is why B2B is about Youth and Women,” Mr. Benjamin said.

“Donor Funds have been invested in Western Equatorial State and all-over South Sudan for time immemorial. If such funds have really achieved the goals and objectives they had been meant for, by now we would not have idle youth, peasant farmers, or women trying to eke a living not knowing where tomorrow’s meal shall come from,” this was the opening remarks of Mr. Benjamin Ndikiri Umbagbia, Spark Representative – Yambio in an event attended by different participants including UN Agencies, NGOs, and Entrepreneurs.

In his presentation, he acknowledged the donor funds that have changed the lives of the targeted people not only for survival but also for sustenance beyond project life, “you are invited here today to give your testimony that some donor funds do indeed change the lives of the target people, not only for survival but sustenance beyond project life. The Business-to-Business Linkage, a component of the SSADP II Project implemented by SPARK Netherlands, has just done that! While you will hear more about the SSADP II Project,” Mr. Benjamin narrated.

He explained that “B2B is an intervention that links businesses to businesses, training opportunities, and access to finance. The linkages made enabled businesses to scale operations while at the same time creating synergies other than competition. A vegetable farmer can for example create linkages with an agro-inputs dealer to secure the relevant quality seeds while the agro-inputs dealer links the farmer to buyers. All this is accomplished at a very low cost but effective,” Spark representative Yambio explained.

Mr. Benjamin underscored that the objective of B2B Linkage is to “ensure that all participants (entrepreneurs) discover opportunities in the market, businesses build a long-term partnership and the possibility of increasing their income and finally to enhance the survival and growth of entrepreneurs and small businesses by forming linkages with large and established enterprises.”

In conclusion, he paraphrased the words of the former president of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, saying “if you really love your children, get a business, not a job, because when you die your children cannot inherit your job, but they can definitely inherit your business. .... So, when you close from work, don’t go and watch television. Go home and think of a business idea.”