Our Story
CARL’S STORY
Hi, my name is Carl, I’ve been doing business for four decades working in transitional economies (new countries) in what is, an exponentially changing world.
We at SEEDS-AFRICA have one overriding objective, to leave our planet sustainable, build resilience and a massive movement of like-minded people that will assure future generations are joyful and healthy; from a Pathogenesis system to one of Salutogenisis. I’ll explain this later.
But first, let me take you back a few years with a vignette (short story) about why I believe everyone who so chooses can master their destiny. As the world moves toward massive migration (some estimates put the number at 50% of the population will be migrants by 2050) I’ll ask you to imagine forging your future as an entrepreneur.
In 1989 I’d just given up smoking and drinking, a year later my wife left me for another man. Fed up with life, I decided to set out for a place where I knew no one, nothing at all about the place, not even the language. From Geneva I travelled to Western Siberia, in the middle of nowhere that until January 1991 had been a closed area for foreigners. I was among the first visitors from abroad. I arrived there thank God with a coat, but in summer loafers, and a suit from Abu Dhabi. It was about -30°C, I slid and fell on all the ice and snow, finally by miracle I found my way to a warm hotel room. Hungry after an epic 25-hour trip, I went downstairs for dinner in this giant dining room, that had only one working light bulb, and under it, a banquet table with some 30 people eating. I was asked to join them. Everyone at the table was white, grey, or turning yellow even looking green from too much alcohol, except one person, Victor who was a brilliant pink, fit and strong. I met with him after the meal, and we decided to work together, and then started the best five years of my life. He spoke only Russian, me not a word, so we were joined by a translator.
Three mates, out to conquer the world: Victor, Sasha & Carl. Together, we set up “Siberian World Company” (SWC), to bring the world to Siberia, and Siberia to the world. Altogether within five years we built up a multinational conglomerate that included oil and gas concessions, pipeline construction company, blending & refining plants, a Mercedes-Benz agency, a building company, trading companies on several continents, sawmills and forests (the first ever private foreign investment from Russia in over 70 years), a large airline (actually we had 14 large Russian planes working for the UN in Africa), all coordinated through our office in Geneva. Three “brothers” working in trust, we grew SWC group into over 10’000 employees worldwide and over 2 dozen nationalities all this within 5 years. This is what was and is possible in an economy in transition.
But, the Kremlin lawn mower, made sure our fast-sprouting buds (companies) were chopped up, to be taken over by powerful oligarchs, and some of us ended six feet underground resisting. Since this incident, with the downfall of the dictator, Slobodan Milosevic, in 1999 my university alumni buddy and I created the biggest business incubator in the Balkans called ICT Tower, this time in Serbia. Again this was a roaring success, joined by Microsoft, Sun Microsystems, and others we developed dozens of start-ups until the new government leaders crushed us. Today, I simply believe in the grass roots. Together, let’s build a new Africa, where entrepreneurship is the beating heart, that let’s us each and everyone, bloom where we are planted.
Today, we see Africa ecosystem transitioning. Africa needs to move away from colonial structures in education, finance, defence, etc. toward becoming master of their destiny; the sovereignty of each nation is at stake.
Our objective at SEEDS-AFRICA (Social Entrepreneurship & Enterprise Development Strategies) is to serve youth and skilled workers with an entrepreneurial mindset to create, structure and grow sustainable business concepts in Africa to achieve success and financial independence without fear. Our goal is to be the catalyst for creating one billion jobs by 2063, by making youths entrepreneurial dreams come true.
Now you can join us, and let’s together grow your future in Africa. Mama Africa the cradle of humanity, is the saviour of our planet. Let’s give our children a sustainable world.
Let’s join our competences to build a better life for each of us and for all life. We are a values-driven cooperative, welcoming people who aspire to self-development, building the person they were meant to be. Have you ever looked in the mirror and thought to yourself, “Wow, I should be a lot further along in life by now”?
We at SEEDS-AFRICA understand this, entrepreneurship is a simply a question of learning from our and other’s failures. We are bridge builders because we will be there to coach you when the going gets tough with the project you’re building.
Pathogenesis = certain death
Salutogenisis = complete health
RODRIGUENO’S STORY
Rodrigueno left his hometown Bamenda in the Anglophone area of Cameroon, as a promising footballer at the age of 14, 2003. Recruited by the Herther BSC Berlin (Germany) team as a promising young athlete, his time there was short lived due to poor performance and not selected to join the Berlin under 18 squad.
There began the life as an African migrant in Europe. From legal Immigrant to illegal immigrant, to back to legal, and to day the he is the vice president of SEEDS-AFRICA, Social Entrepreneurship & Enterprise Development Strategies) is to serve youth and skilled workers with an entrepreneurial mindset to create, structure and grow sustainable business concepts in Africa to achieve success and financial independence even when times get harder without fear. Our goal is to be the catalyst for creating one billion jobs by 2063 acconding to African UNION AGENDA, by making youths entrepreneurial dreams come true.
Rodrigueno finally understood that he was not the only one living this same life as inlegal immigrant, he met other immigrants who came to Europe also by the “back way”. They all had different stories to tell, and one of the shocking stories was how they saw their loved ones dying of hunger and some drowning in the Mediterranean Sea and there was nothing they could do to help because they had to save their own lives at that particular point in time. This was just the beginning of the harrowing journey they embarked on, most of them came in through the Spanish boarder from Libya after being tortured and to Morocco and then by sea ended up in Spain. Now from Spain everybody must find his way to live. Some stayed in Spain where the Spanish Government took care of them , some moved to France, Germany, and to other European nations, i Finanly ended up Switzrland where i met some of these immigrants again, hustling on the street, stuck in a sort of “no-man’s land” with dodgy papers, for the most part unable to find proper work and accommodation yet paying social security expenses and various taxes without rights to the accompanying benefits. Rodrigueno moved From Germany to France and finally ended up in Switzerland where he finanly got married and his marriage was a total disaster because he needed to get married to obtain his resident permit so he can legaly registerd in switzerland.
We all had hopes and dreams, at the same time huge frustrations. But, knowing the realities of Europe, the policies and the needs of Europeans, it is clear to Rodrigueno that Africa offers all the required assets to enable Europe to continue to grow; from natural resources for industry to youthful population to keep the old age system working. African Diaspora and the riches of the African continent are the saviour for Europe and of the planet.
Now Rodrigueno is established in Switzerland as certified football coach, having a 2 years contract sign by a sport Company called Intersoccer based in Nyon, with a great help of a friend who helped me got the job, coaching young kids from 5- to 18-years-old , while doing this Rodrigueno met a new friend who was working for money transfer Agency in Geneva, who introduce him to his Boss and he propose a stagiaire contract on how to train rodrigueno giving him the skills he need in order to do the job well and Rodriguno accepted the offer and started learning immediately. After 6months rodrigueno was operational, and because of his honesty the Company gave him a oppotunity to start working as stagiaire learning and transfering money to different costomer as clients requested to countries round the world. As if that wasn’t enough Rodrigueno was open to learn new things taking risk searching for new doors to be open while the doors that he came through was closed because i was hungry every day for more and never wanted to satle for less i could do or creat to make a change in my life. I was doing some side hustle during the weekends during that time after 2 years he lost his job as money transfer agent and as a coach, because i was paid to drive somebody to Monaco for $1500 and come back the next day monrning without asking permision to my Boss to leave, and that was another stressful moment for me, while searching for a new job at the unemployment office, Rodrigueno got new opportunity working and learning how to become a salesman and a Delivery Driver for 1 year. At that time Rodrigueno start working as an intern for another year at Earth Focus Foundation learning sustainable development empowering youth of all ages to believe in sustainable development. At the end of his contract Rodrigueno got a new opportunity through connections to work in logistics, Inventory, Accounting, and as a salse man because that company also owned a Bakery restaurant and receiving of prodcuts in this company for 3 years in Geneva, within the third year in this Company rodrigueno was introduce in real estate business of which was new and great opportunity as a (courtier) REAL ESTATES AGENT .The primary goals was to get new customer looking and wanting to have new apartements for rent,or buying apartements and houses to become owners.
After all these experience Rodrigueno understood his has potential that needs to be unlock having the confidence to move further, that was the day I discovered why I was born, because believd we all have two birth days the day we were born and the we realised WHY we where born.
While going to church on Sundays Rodrigueno met a new friend who has been in Entrepreneurship and has created companies, who introduce him to a new project called SEEDS-AFRICA. Rodrigueno immediately understood he must turn his mess to message, start learning to developed his internal consistence , finding mentors, reading books and listening to success documentary story that can help him get to the promised land.
Today Rodrigueno is an Entrepreneur, Investor, and a live coach, and also the Vice president of SEEDS-AFRICA.Helping African Start ups or skill workers who want to start their owed business as an Entrepreneurs in Diaspora,Africa but really don’t know how to cross that bridge by embracing failure in this journey of becoming an Entrepreneur and achieve their goals without fear.
Quote.
You have to confident and not arrogant.
Success is journey, is a mission, is never complited and is not for the most intelligent but for those who are hungry,willing to participate in your own rescue and ready to be Coachable, Teachable and Trainable, that is the only way you can throw your self into the land of becoming unstoppable.
Because when times get hard
Go harder,
When times get harder go harder.
When times get great go even harder
don’t stop, because i am not stopping,we are too bless, very blessed and God is great.
Do not allow your past to determine your future ,where you come from has nothing to do with where you are going.
The question is do you have the guts to fail mothan 3 times and try again or start all over? If not, you’re not even trying your way to this journey.
