Support for the creation of InReturn

Inreturn is a brilliant example of how the dream of a Rebel colleague can come true, but also of the professional approach to development aid.

Internal fund for SME’s in East Africa
Inreturn Capital is an investment fund for SME’s in East Africa, that is aimed at SME’s who want to grow. Where small businesses in East Africa coped with investments from family and friends, there is a shortage of capital for SME’s. To remedy this, Inreturn set up a fund: the East African Fund (EAF). A Rebel colleague at the time, Bart Meijs, came up with the idea. He found a co-entrepreneur, Steven Otto, and they founded Inreturn together. They asked Rebel to help them with the project development. No we are shareholders too.

First closing a fact in 2009
In January 2009, the first closing was a fact. Inreturn is now established in Nairobi and Tanzania. The organisation completed its second closing in 2011, and the third closing is now being prepared. The expectation is a growth towards a fund worth approximately 15 million. We aren’t there yet, but things are going well. We learned that a lot of stamina helps, and that you must be willing to work together with other parties endlessly - if this improves things. Ultimately, it’s not something you can do alone.

A good example of development aid
We are proud of this success. Indeed, this is how we envision development aid: making the world a better place, but through entrepreneurship, investment and risk-taking. It is a rather high-risk investment compared with the return. All investors – the fund itself is a cornerstone investor, but there are also a lot of personal investors – take social considerations into account. To show them what they represent, we organise trips to Kenya, among other countries.

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