THE PROPOSAL.
Umurage Partnerships Ltd: A Business Proposal & Invitation
WHO WE ARE.
Umurage Partnerships Ltd is an established UK company limited by guarantee and registered as a foreign company in Rwanda. It will ultimately own the Umurage Development Company Ltd which will become a Community Benefit Company (CBC) and is a registered limited company in Rwanda. We are exploring options for tax deducting donations. ALL PROFITS from this initiative will be used to fund carefully selected new business initiatives in Rwanda.
We own our site and have received our investment certificate. We have applied for our building permit and expect approval for the building permit shortly. Kinigi is the prime tourist area in Rwanda because of the gorilla trekking The Diane Fossey Gorilla Campus is only five minutes from our site.
INVITATION.
We are inviting a few selected people (or companies) to donate to the Umurage Partnerships Ltd project which will act as a flywheel to generate income income in perpetuity from letting the six Lodges to paying guests on our site in Kinigi, Rwanda. A business plan, version 12a, is available on request. It is an exciting initiative which can empower local people to generate their own income by setting up small businesses, with mentoring, rather than relying on continual hand-outs and donations.
OUR AIMS
ALL profits from will either be re-invested for further project development, or donated to CBC’s or other community initiatives in Shyira Mountain Village, Musanze or elsewhere in Rwanda, to develop new mentored businesses, but only after rigorous vetting and on-going monitoring.
FUNDING
We have secured funding for three of the Lodges including site acquisition costs, build costs, the kitchen and workshop buildings, infrastructure costs and landscaping, including a contingency. This is based on a total cost per lodge of £75k ($100k). We are inviting donors to invest in one lodge (or a part share) in one of the remaining three lodges. Donors will have the opportunity to suggest the businesses they wish to support, from profits in proportion to their donation, providing it falls within the charity guidelines.
For the first four lodges, the anticipated net profit, after vat and tax, is anticipated to be, conservatively, £120,000 ( $155,000) per annum, by year 3. (In year 1 we anticipate a net profit of £40,000 ($50,000) based on only 30% occupancy).
We believe this is a sustainable and innovative way of generating funds for community development in Rwanda which could be replicated, if successful, throughout the country.
Your one donation will, thereby, keep on giving in perpetuity
CONTACT:
Roderick James Mobile: +44 7710 783 604 www.umuragepartnerships.com
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We have secured funding, through donations from several individuals, for construction of the first three Umurage Lodges to be built in Musanze and the acquisition of a wonderful site. We still need funding to build up to two more lodges, the staff accommodation, central kitchen and possible future restaurant; Donations for this final phase would be very welcome. A detailed business plan has been prepared and the projections look very promising indeed. We intend to invite a small, select group of donors who are excited about being part of this innovative funding approach.
Once we have proved the viability of this project, we will be inviting philanthropic investors to consider funding lodges in the South East of Rwanda on the Ikirezi Farms, on Lake Muhazi, for visitors to Shyira itself, or in Kigali. Please remember that the whole purpose of this project is to provide funds for Rwandan villages.
We have had a draft estimate of a construction cost for each lodge of around £30k. At this stage it is only an estimate but we have raised enough for the site acquisition and permits (estimate £90k). We have a local engineer and have signed a contract with him to prepare documents for permits. and official fees for planning etc. The business plan is being continually refined and developed as our detailed research and consulting continues and is available to serious potential investors.
In the future, these iconic, cosy, catered lodges will be less than two hours driving apart and provide reliable, mid-priced and unusual accommodation across Rwanda. Marketing will focus on the recognisable and readily identifiable design features of the Umurage Lodge. Our first site is only 5 minutes from the Diane Fossey Gorilla Campus, designed by MASS architects, and the major tourist area in Rwanda for gorilla trekking.
Funding can be an outright gift which will provide maximum funds for starting village businesses. Once the total build cost is covered, we anticipate the lodges will be owned by new charitable companies which we are in the process of setting up in the UK and Rwanda. We have also set up a trading company in Rwanda to buy the land and start the build process (The Umurage Development Company Ltd) This will be converted shortly into a Community Benefit Company (CBC). It is intended that rental profits, after housekeeping, services, VAT and tax have been covered, will be used in both the Shyira Village and Musanze community to start and develop new businesses.
Additional funds will also be required for the local engineer and architect’s fees, planning and building regulation fees and the housekeeper/cook accommodation, depending on the different areas in which we will be operating. Booking, servicing and housekeeping will be organised by The Umurage Development Company Ltd in Rwanda. We are receiving very welcome donations towards some of these infrastructure costs and any donations of any amount at all would be gratefully received.