NRT TRADING - PROMOTING ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT WITHIN LOCAL COMMUNITIES

NRT is working with over 600 women to develop micro-enterprises. NRT provides assistance to these women through micro-credit, enterprise and skills training, and product design and marketing. Women’s enterprises are a means of empowering women, enabling them to supplement family income and improve their standard of living. Since its inception in 2006, NRT Trading has raised $45,534 for local women.

NRT Trading was established in 2006 as an initiative to promote enterprise development within communities in NRT conservancies. Communities have traditional skills that allow them to develop jewelry, household items and clothing, however, most of these goods are produced for individual use and very few of these products are sold through markets, either locally or internationally. Communities in these areas lack the knowledge on how to market products, are hindered by long distances to market outlets and an over-supply of traditional tourist items.

NRT Trading engages with primarily women’s groups to promote enterprise development through facilitating business-training sessions, access to micro-credit loans, technical assistance in product development, and access to local and international markets. The goal is to provide women’s groups with the opportunity to gain a competitive edge in the craft market and offer sustainable income-generating activities to communities in NRT conservancies.

NRT Trading Objectives:

• Enhance traditional skills through training in new methods and techniques
• Identify and use raw materials that have the least environmental impact, combining them with traditional skills to produce a range of innovative gift items
• Create successful product marketing and packaging in line with contemporary market needs
• Diversify the range of products made by the communities
• Increase market access and branding of NRT Trading products
• Provide an alternative and sustainable source of income for communities in line with NRT’s mission to promote conservation and community development.

NRT Trading employs a highly motivated and qualified team to carry out its objectives. In 2006, NRT hired Celina Butali as its Enterprise and Product Development Manager, responsible for overseeing NRT Trading as well as NRT’s micro-credits and business development programmes for women. NRT has also employed Agnes Lekomet as Enterprise and Product Development Manger Assistant and Hussein Hambulle as Enterprise and Product Development Field Assistant.

Currently, NRT Trading engages 59 women’s groups in six NRT conservancies (Kalama, Lekurruki, Melako, Ruko, Sera and West Gate). NRT Trading markets items from local women to local tourism operations, trade exhibitions, zoos and conservation entities around the world. Once NRT Trading receives orders for these products, NRT Trading will purchase the products from the local women which are then packaged and delivered by NRT Trading. All proceeds from sales of NRT Trading products are deposited in an NRT Trading bank account that is used to fund further purchasing of products and cover packaging and delivery expenses. As NRT Trading continues to grow, it is envisioned that sales will be able to cover all NRT Trading operating costs, perhaps in the next 5 to 10 years.