Briefly explain what you would like the MBA students to know about your company/organization. Please include the primary function of your business/division.

The Clinton Foundation HIV/AIDS Initiative (CHAI) began working with the Government of Rwanda in December 2002 to develop a five-year operating plan for HIV/AIDS care and treatment. The plan was approved in June 2003 by the Rwandan cabinet as the official national plan for HIV/AIDS treatment and care. CHAI is actively supporting the government’s efforts to roll out the program as quickly as possible and place 20,000 people on treatment by the end of 2005. CHAI is also collaborating with Partners In Health to provide clinical care technical assistance, in particular to develop a rural model for HIV/AIDS treatment in Africa. CHAI-Rwanda is working with Partners In Health to scale up patient care in six health centers and one district hospital in Rwinkwavu and Kirehe health districts in the province of Kibungo. The sites will serve a total population of 340,000.
 

The team will develop a new venture business plan that will support local production of non-water based infant formula. The World Health Organization recommends that HIV-positive mother bottle feed their infants. This is important for the infant's health, but creates a variety of challenges in a developing country like Rwanda. Some challenges are cultural. But others involve the current need to import formula (which creates balance of payments pressures) and lack of clean water supplies with which to mix podwered formula. Many of the leading health organizations in Rwanda are interested in creating a locally produced, non-water-based, infant formula solution for Rwanda. These include CHAI, Partners in Health, and the Ministries of Health and Agriculture. The MAP team will work with these local constituents to evaluate the feasibility of various options, to work out logistical and financial issues, and to pull together a business plan to support this initiative. Rwanda has a large population of dairy cows and is, therefore, well positioned to create local sourcing opportunities to avoid both the clean water issue of powder-based formulas and to hopefully create an inexpensive alternative to current formula options. The business has great potential to develop BOP-based advantages in Rwanda in terms of job creation, new business skills and of course, improvements in the health and welfare of the population, as well as strategic differentiation regionally. Hopefully, as the business is created and reaches profitability the model can be expanded or replicated.

We see three stages to the teams work. The initial stage will involve 1-2 weeks in the US. The team to meet and speak with public health, medical, agriculture and BOP experts at Michigan and elsewhere to learn as much as possible about other infant formula efforts in developing countries and the detailed requirements for such a venture. The team will then spend approximately four weeks in Rwanda. While there, they will work with CHAI, PIH, and the Ministries of Health and Agriculture to work through the local requirements for an infant formla venture, as well as financing, logistical, and organizational issues. The team will return to Ann Arbor to calibrate its findings with other experts and to write up its evaluation. The final presentation will be via teleconference.

(Examples: full market analysis; competitive map for relevant products/services; situational analysis with identified gaps and opportunities; process flow diagram and determination of costs of a proposed process; anticipated ROI to implement new activities; recommendations for staffing a new process)

An evaluation of infant formula efforts in other developing countries. A capabilities assessment of Rwanda in this field. A business plan for launching the effort.
 

• Business Opportunity
• Business Plan
• New Product Development
• Product Launch
• Distribution Logistics

Comments:
Rwanda is a safe and beautiful country. Travel is relatively easy. It would be nice (but is not required) to have at least one team member who is comfortable with French, and one or more team members with a public health or medical background.

 4 Weeks away from the Michigan campus Local project, hours away will vary throughout project

If international travel is expected, please list the countries involved.
Rwanda

Please add specific details of travel expectations.