TROPICS VOICES Newsletter by TROPICS MAGAZINE (Edition #02) - English

Dear Tropics Network,

A warm welcome to our 2nd edition of the TROPICS VOICES Newsletter. Below is the content that the Tropics Team has curated for you this week.

We hope that you will enjoy it and, most importantly, share it within your own network and help us make the circle bigger. 

Finally, we remain open to collaborations and win-win partnerships. You can also subscribe to TROPICS MAGAZINE in digital and print-on-demand formats today. To enquire about our rates for advertising, branding, content creation, public relations, digital marketing or events services, kindly email us at newsroom@tropicsmag.net cc venicia@tropicsmag.net

African DOers • Meet Koffi Jacques Olivier N'guessan makes leather out of pineapple fibers

N’Guessan Koffi Jacques Olivier, who was born to a farming family in Dabouyo, Ivory Coast, has a naturally strong love of the soil. He has a knack for achieving rich and prosperous harvests. He couldn’t imagine only being a farmer however. As the SRC president of his school, N’Guessan ran a fundraising drive build three new classrooms for his school. Then, he started a vegetable garden at school for learners to look after and harvest. He had a flair for initiating projects and for making them grow. Thus, his destiny was found in combining his two greatest loves and talents: agriculture and entrepreneurship, initiating the start-up “Yaletite”.

Yaletite specialises in the growing, production and selling of cocoa, and, the processing of cocoa into products like chocolate. N’Guessan noted that the Ivory Coast, while one of the largest cocoa-producing countries in the world, wasn’t reaping the benefits of the sort-after raw material and its products, like chocolate. This is because the country had focused only on growing cocoa crops and not entering into manufacturing of it into chocolate.

N’Guessan wanted to change this practice, namely so that the local, mostly poor community would reap more benefits. With this aim in mind, he set up Yaletite to employ young people as well as students with disabilities to work as farmers. Not only is cocoa farmed, but peanuts, bananas, cassava and maze are grown too. The success of his initiative means N’Guessan has been able to sustain 32 employees, with more views to expand.

Tropics Events • Register and grow your network at TROPICS BUSINESS SUMMIT to make meaningful connections in 2022 and close deals.

The 6th annual TROPICS BUSINESS SUMMIT is scheduled on 10-15 October October 2022 in the island nation of Cabo Verde under the High Patronage of Mr. Francisco Carvalho, the Mayor of the City of Praia. In a span of six days, the TROPICS VENTURES GROUP alongside the CHAMBER OF COMMERCE LUXEMBOURG - CAPE VERDE (CCLCV) will host an array of activities are staged including High-Level Conferences, Corporate Exhibitions, Capacity Building Workshops, Country Presentations, Government-to-Government Meetings (G2G), Government-to-Business (G2B) and Business-to-Business Networking (B2B) private meetings. This year, the summit will host the first-ever TROPICS INTRA-AFRICAN TRADE EXPO as well as a second TROPICS PITCH COMPETITION for emerging startups.

This is the perfect opportunity for senior or emerging leaders, startups, investors and members of governments from 100 countries hailing from anglophone, francophone, lusophone and arabophone markets and from all 5 continents to meet their peer group, share experiences and forge new business partnerships with Africa that will create new opportunities and lead job-creation and promote win-win cooperation for sustainable development.

Save on your #TropicsBusinessSummit tickets! Sign up before end of June and join us in Praia, Cabo Verde. Register for Tropics Dealroom and get 50% off your tickets!

Get in touch with the organizing committee by emailing hello@TropicsSummit.com cc TropicsBusinessEvents@gmail.com

TROPICS FOOD • Recipes, Menus, Chefs, Wine, Cooking Inspiration, Entertaining

Every week, put some sunshine on your plates with our beautiful recipes for all seasons. Find quick and easy video recipes, a global foodie feast, portraits of chefs from the tropics and more.

Simply be aware of the latest gourmet trends by following our new Tropics Food Magazine page on Facebook.

TROPICS RADIO • Podcasts Recommendation by the TROPICS MAGAZINE team

Every week, the TROPICS MAGAZINE team curates a listing of its favourite podcasts, check out our updates to discover new podcasts. This week, we chose "Ideas That Matter" from VT.

Vusi Thembekwayo is an acclaimed business mogul and global speaker. It is true. But that is not Vusi. Vusi is many things. From a maverick, a leadership genius, a petrol head, a family man, a self-made millionaire to a dragon.

The VT Podcast, Ideas That Matter, is amongst the most in-demand business podcast on iTunes. In this podcast, Vusi Thembekwayo brings his fiercely inspirational content to his followers around the world. Check the latest episode out on Spotify: Ideas that Matter by VT

TROPICS MOBILE TV • Africa-focused impact funds selected by TROPICS BUSINESS SUMMIT and TROPICS INVEST & CO.

Acre Impact Capital invests in climate-aligned infrastructure in emerging markets by partnering with leading commercial lenders and export credit agencies. Our Export Finance Funds address the estimated $100 billion annual infrastructure financing gap in Africa, driving economic growth and providing essential services for underserved populations.

By co-investing alongside well-established export credit agency partners, we aim to achieve risk-adjusted market-rate returns for our investors while mobilising up to 5.6x private sector capital for every dollar invested. Our strong relationships and partnerships with key players in the export finance ecosystem provide us with privileged access to a diverse pool of curated opportunities across Africa.

For more information, please visit https://www.acre.capital/

Until next week, stay safe and follow us on other social media platforms: LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Clubhouse and YouTube.