Great news: Image Africa (the photo print business) is up and running! We found a way to make the photo paper work with the printer and we're off and running (Thanks for your prayers about that). In fact, we had our first client this morning: One of the University professors who is also an investor in the business needed a type of certificate of completion.
Let me try to explain what sounds like a strange business idea:
People want color photos to hang in their homes commemorating graduations, weddings, parties, pilgrimages to Mecca. Some men like to have an 8x10 of each of their wives in their living rooms. No one has a printer but EVERYONE has cell phones and the city has many aspiring photographers-our target clientele.
Furthermore, the 10,000 University students need a new ID photo taken each year (cha-ching). People need passport and visa photos, government ID, driver's license photos-so just ID photos is great. Professors (we have several invested in the business) need diplomas, certificates, calendars and offices need color documents as well.
Our ace in the hole is that we can print photo quality 8x10s (I think we're the only ones in town) and thanks to a Continuous Ink Supply System we can do it for next to nothing. Guinea's main military base is also in Kankan. When school is not in session we hope to give away a few free 8x10 shots (pun intended) of soldiers faces in front of a Guinean flag and hope the trend catches on. Every American soldier (or their grandma or mom) has that picture in front of the Stars and Stripes right ?
Hannah is working on designing some business cards and a logo to help advertise the new business. We have purchased a second hand camera from Brenda (A colleague of ours, Brandon's childhood nurse and HS Health teacher). Based on the business model we wrote, all our debt will be paid off, we'll have our own laptop (we're borrowing one) and camera (done) once we've sold 600 units! 10% of our profits go towards the InterVarsity Center (where we're located) to possibly go towards laptops for their computer proficiency classes. More on THAT business later
I doubt it's news in the US but 11 very highly ranked Guinean military officials were killed in a plane crash yesterday over Liberia. There is some speculation and tension relating to who the primary officer angered and the tribal ethnicity of some of those he fired and appointed. Lots of conspiracy theories floating around. As Guinea's most ethnically diverse city AND the big military town, Kankan could use some precautionary prayer.
Also, today we bought the local "Grocery Store" out of their imported Chinese toilet paper-all 10 rolls.
-Brandon
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