Grateful for the Season

Dear Friends,

It's a joy and great privilege to bring you the good tidings of great joy this Christmas season.

As we start the wrap to what has been largely tagged the year of the Overcomers. Many businesses have been at odds with so many uncertainties, rising prices, and lots of SMEs grappling with shrinkflation and struggling for survival. Indeed it's been a season of roughs but there are many lessons of triumph despite the huge roadblocks in the journey.

Some of these include: learning to innovate and re-imagine, building bridges, creating real sellable solutions, embracing all things-tech, operating the ecosystem economy, and amplifying other voices. Many businesses that survived the current economic dilemma have adopted some of these options, and have managed to pivot their operations to significantly impact their constituents through collaboration with Ecosystem partners.

Although, many uncertainties remain in the larger ecosystem, it is heartwarming to read the announcement by the Feds of the renewal of funding commitments to underserved communities including those that serve BIPOC, Women, and Youth groups etc. Glad to note the private sector investments that have stabilized many of these minority businesses, including seed investments from Casa partners. They have scaled their operations across Canada and are now securing partnerships to facilitate their expansion into other countries.

It's my hope that the organized private sector, and other sub-nationals will continue this momentum of investment streams as one looks forward to supporting the new initiatives proposed by startup groups at our Hubs nationwide.

Casa Incubation programs continue to offer opportunities for the creation of Seed capital for budding entrepreneurs across continent. So far, these programs have invested in 51 funded businesses in Canada, and a potential to invest in 150 businesses per year.

Keep in mind that Casa reached several thousands of businesses in 2023, but would have provided support to even more by the end of its fiscal year. https://feddev-ontario.canada.ca/en/southern-ontario-spotlight/southern-ontario-spotlight-february-2023#details-panel2

With the continued support of all our Ecosystem partners, I have no doubt that we can achieve these investment targets.

As we continue with our capacity building programs, our team updated the FOA 2024 audience of its new developments and partnerships:

Friends, it is my joy today to announce that 14 years after Casa Foundation started Friends of Africa, it has evolved into a COALITION of like minded strategic partners including: Entrepreneurship Hubs, Community associations, some African Chambers of Commerce, all creating and offering the needed support, and volunteering their resources of time and talents to ensure the long-term sustainability of our Ecosystem. Moreover, Casa has opened Black Advisory Hubs in 3 provinces- British Columbia, Quebec, and Ontario, fully manned by skilled team members.

As I reminisce over the past 12 months and our interactions with business and community leaders through our work at Black Advisory Hub , InVcap and Friends of Africa Coalition across Canada and in parts of Africa; I am quickly reminded, that it is not the ability to create businesses or the giant leaps that we have made that makes us great, but truly great minds are a sum total of the lives that they have impacted positively, the people they have invested in, sponsored, tutored, supported, and created kairos moments for in ordinary and turbulent times....let us therefore become those who are known to build others up and not tear down.

Christmas is a time of gratitude, love, joy, and happiness and I encourage you to take a moment to celebrate your loved ones and support system. The pivotal moments and transformative encounters of 2024 are many despite all odds, but I' ll take a pause and love to celebrate yours in the comments.

Jesus Christ is the reason for the season. Lets celebrate Him at Christmas.

Merry Christmas Friends.

Olutoyin Oyelade