My team and I spent the past week in Khartoum, Sudan, with our client learning about their businesses. We have been getting the insights from internal and external teams that will enable us to provide valuable solutions at the end of the project.
Statement from Emma
“When we elected to work on this project, we had no idea if we would be able to travel to the client to meet in person. There was a strong possibility that we would conduct the whole project virtually. I’m so glad that wasn’t the case!
In our eight days on the ground in Khartoum, we conducted 26 hours of stakeholder interviews and many brainstorming meetings. We connected with the team and gained valuable insights that would have been impossible over Zoom. Now we are even more invested in the project’s success for the long term. We are leaving Sudan excited and motivated to move into our next phase.”
Our client
Our client CTC is a family business that leads the transfer and implementation of world-class agro technologies into the Sudanese agricultural sector. Their vision is to develop an enterprise that would fulfill a larger societal purpose, bringing economic prosperity beyond the marketplace and into the homes of the people of Sudan.
The lifting of sanctions has opened up Sudan to the world and the opportunities that exist in the country. Our client wants to ensure they are ready and continue to be the leader in the agriculture sector and leader of talents in Sudan.
As a team, we are excited and inspired to see the CTC vision succeed.
Sudan and its people
We got many conflicting responses when we informed friends and family we would be traveling to Sudan for our consulting project. We got questions such as, “Is it safe in Sudan? Isn’t there a war in Darfur? What in the world is in Sudan?”
But fate brought this resilient team together because even though we heard these things and despite many hurdles, we made it to Sudan and did not regret it one bit.
Sudan is a country that has gone through several conflicts. But, still, much more than that, we experienced a people committed and passionate about building the country. This includes letting the rest of the world know that Sudan is rich in natural resources and agricultural opportunities with a young and enterprising workforce. In addition, we experienced hospitality and warmth above and beyond what we envisioned.
On a personal note, I elected to be part of this project because it aligned with my purpose and commitment to contributing to the development of Africa, a continent very close to my heart.
I look forward to our contribution being written in stone as the company and country grow into their potential!
As-salamu alaykum from all of us! Emma James, Abhishek Jakate, Frederic Poncin, Charles de Cerjat.
