We are proud to announce that we have officially launched the Orange Corners Alumni Community on July 1st, 2021 with a festive virtual opening inlcuding the first network sessions for attending alumni. The aim of this community is to offer alumni from all Orange Corners locations an accessible, inspiring and supportive platform where they connect to peers, exchange knowledge, and foster new business relationships.
In light of the launch, the Masterclass ‘Getting ready to export’ took place on July 13 2021, hosted by Centre for the Promotion of Imports (CBI), marking the very first alumni community activity. This masterclass aimed to inform our alumni on export opportunities, requirements and conditions in regards to finding new customers and markets to increase sales.
CBI is a programme that is part of the Netherlands Enterprise and Development Agency (RVO), as is Orange Corners. The center supports the transition towards inclusive and sustainable economies by strengthening the growth of (M)SMEs in developing countries. With expertise, knowledge and resources on exporting to Europe, they help (M)SMEs prepare for the market and provide detailed information on exporting per sector and product group.
Additionally, the masterclass focused on finding synergies between the specialist export knowledge of CBI and the desires of Orange Corners entrepreneurs to expand their market across borders. This, in turn, sharpens the focus on Youth by CBI while broadening the perspective and knowledge of the entrepreneurs who joined the event.
Johan Veul, Head of Private Sector from the Department of Sustainable Economic Development of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, kicked off the masterclass by highlighting the relevance of cross border collaboration and the exploration of new markets. Nearly 100 alumni from different Orange Corners’ countries attended the masterclass which was held English, with live French translation.
Several specific topics were discussed such as export opportunities, product quality, certifications and how to perform market research. Alumni Asim Amin and Emi-Beth Quantson, who are already active into the world of exporting, shared their experiences and the lessons they learned with the alumni.
The masterclass was well-received by the alumni and our Local Service Providers, who responsible for implementing the Orange Corners programme locally. The session sparked curiosity among many participants to further explore options within international export.
We want to give a big thanks to all attendees and everyone who was part of organising the masterclass!
This masterclass is only a pre-lude for the formed youth focused partnership between CBI and Orange Corners and we are very excited for the next steps. We will keep you posted!
For now, feel free to watch replay of the Masterclass below!
To find out more about CBI’s work and missions, visit their website: www.cbi.eu
