With less than 2 weeks to go until I leave my current employer, work has been decreasing and I've been making preparations to return to my home country. To many, being in Tanzania by the coast, only a stones throw away from the paradisal island of Zanzibar for 7 weeks before starting b-school would be an almost ideal retreat. But there's only so much rest one can have before boredom kicks in. The passport renewal and visa process should keep me busy to begin with but after that things could get dull. So I've decided to pursue some part-time jobs or work shadowing in the time I'm there. 3 top candidates include:
1. Umojaa Fund (Unit Trust of Tanzania) & Capital Markets:: Tanzania used be a deeply socialist country and in the late 1980s we became a democracy, the process of privatisation of many industries began in the 1990s and has been recently accelerating. Industries as diverse as telecomms, tabacco, power utilities and distilleries have been privatised with a lot more to come. It would be a valuable experience in learning about the capital investment market in Tanzania even for only a few weeks. The fund will enable ordinary poor to middle class citizens for the first time to be able to own shares in the country's key industries. Each unit will go for an initial cost of 100 shillings, that equates to 10 cents US! Sale ends on 29th July- before you take out your wallet- I should let you know it's only open to Tanzanian nationals.
2. Vodacom:: A giant mobile/cellular network that operates across Africa. My engineering degree was focused on communications technologies, particularly cellular, so I've always had an interest in this area. In addition, I'm keen to find out how this giant makes a profit in a poor developing world country, yet provides such affordable deals for a market where the average GDP per head is $300.
3. TANconsult: Family engineering consulting business. It won't be too exciting, but I might as well lend my ideas and manpower and start showing my worth with respect to the contribution my father is making to my MBA education. And who knows, one day it could be me making some of the company decisions.
Oh, and I almost forgot, although not strictly related, I've been enhancing my web skills by helping my friend's recently launched music agency site, TheLiveLink. The world of jazz, watch out!
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2 comments:
I in your place would go ahead with either Umojaa or Vodacon. TANconsult, since a family thing, can be pursued part time(maybe in the evenings, on the dinner table...)
Livelink looks pretty cool.
Cheers,
I'm keen for the investment fund not only for the relevance to b-school, but also on how much of a novety it is to Tanzania- share ownership is still a very foriegn concept...
My dad will drag me along anyway to help him out in his business- no choice there.
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