This week, Maria talks with John Kavyavu, who is the Executive Director of Mavuno, a financially, socially, and environmentally sustainable non profit organization that serves the Congolese farmer. During his journey as a social entrepreneur, John has founded and managed startups businesses and NGOs in Africa and in the US. His biggest dream has always been to be a part of the solution in ending extreme poverty in Africa and in particular, the Democratic Republic of Congo where he was born and raised. He has served in different organizations including Pro-Microfinance International that he co-founded to provide financial services and technical assistance to Congolese entrepreneurs from low income families. Tune-in to listen from a visionary social entrepreneur who was inspired by his mother to imagine a better future for his home country, one of the most devastated places on earth.
Production team:
Host : Maria Xenidou
Producer: Julie-Roxane Krikorian
Introduction Voice: David Bourne
Contact us:
impactlearningpodcast@gmail.com
Music credits:
Like Lee performed by The Mini Vandals
Transition sounds: Swamp Walks performed by Jingle Punks
Where to find John Kavyavu & Mavuno:
John on LinkedIn
Mavuno on LinkedIn
Mentioned in this episode:
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Pro Microfinance International on LinkedIn
David Masomo - cofounder of Mavuno
Listen to this episode and explore:
John’s childhood in the Democratic Republic of Congo as the youngest of ten siblings (2:39)
Learning from his entrepreneur mother the principles of social entrepreneurship and microfinance (10:57)
What is microfinance? (15:30)
Getting his master's in microfinance in India and a second master’s in social enterprise in the US (17:06)
One difference between microfinancing in the US and the developing world (20:28)
What John learnt while working in microfinance with entrepreneurs in the US and DR Congo (22:26)
The genesis of Mavuno (23:47)
Mavuno’s mission: what it is and who it is for (28:21)
The Impact Mavuno has created over the last five years (32:42)
Finding the farmers who need help: the importance of being rooted in the community (35:21)
The Farmer Field School (38:26)
How Mavuno measures their success and impact in the field (41:02)
Mavuno’s agribusiness model: a financially sustainable organization (42:54)
The Agripreneur Incubator: teaching farmers business and marketing skills (46:17)
Helping build an association of agripreneurs at the village level (48:04)
How we can support Mavuno (51:13)
The one thing John wants to leave his mark on during his lifetime (52:47)
Maria's takeaways and call-to-action (55:58)