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Diaspora Life to African Dream - Henri Nyakarundi's Remarkable Journey Home
Meet Henri Nyakarundi - the Rwandan entrepreneur who traded the certainty of American success for the uncertainty of African innovation, and in the process, became one of East Africa's most influential tech leaders.
The Man Behind the Mission
Henri's story begins as a native Rwandan who moved to the United States in 1996 to study computer science at Georgia State University. After graduation, he quickly realized that a 9-5 job wasn't his calling - he was an entrepreneur at heart.
Over the next decade, Henri founded and developed trucking and construction businesses in both the US and Burundi, including UMG Transportation (a heavy equipment rental company) and UMG Logistics LLC (a trucking company based in Georgia). But success in traditional business wasn't enough.
The Green Awakening
"My previous businesses had been fully focused on profits and I promised myself that my next business was going to have some impact," Henri reflects on his decision to pivot toward social entrepreneurship.
His true passion lay in the green sector, and after developing ARED for three years, he returned to Rwanda in 2013 to start the company full-time. This wasn't just a business move - it was a homecoming with purpose.
Building ARED: Digital Infrastructure for Africa
Henri founded African Renewable Energy Distributor (ARED) as a one-stop renewable energy platform to facilitate last-mile access to offline and online digital content via Wi-Fi.
What makes ARED revolutionary? "Using our high capacity router and solar kiosk technology via wi-fi, we can solve the problem of high-cost Internet access because most content is stored outside the continent," Henri explains.
The Innovation That's Transforming Africa
ARED's solution is deceptively simple yet incredibly sophisticated: digital content, games, surveys, and advertisements are stored in high-capacity routers powered by solar kiosks, allowing users to simultaneously charge their phones and access digital services via Wi-Fi.
According to Henri, ARED is the only company in Africa that has built a localized edge network accessible via Wi-Fi on a solar kiosk. The company has secured patents for its technology and operates across multiple African countries.
Recognition and Impact
Henri's work hasn't gone unnoticed. He's the recipient of numerous prestigious awards including the Siemens Empowerment Award, Energy Global Award, African Forum's 100 Innovation for Sustainable Development Award, SEIF Social Entrepreneurship Award, and the first edition of the "ICT for Social Good" Grant program.
ARED is now expanding rapidly, with recent pilot programs in Nigeria and plans for Ethiopia, setting up the company for a potential exit within the next three years.
The Book: "My African Dream: One Man's Journey Back Home"
Henri's personal journey is captured in his powerful book "My African Dream: One Man's Journey Back Home," where he shares his experiences living in the West and his ultimate decision to return to Africa.
"This book is about the misconceptions he had, the challenges he faced, and finally the rediscovery he experienced once back at home," the book description explains.
Who Should Read This Book
"If you are part of the African Diaspora living abroad or contemplating moving to the West, this book is for you. If you want to come home to Africa and need some inspiration, this book is for you."
"After seventeen years abroad and now five years back in East Africa, the road has not been easy, but what Henri found is peace of mind, a better quality of life, his true self and where he truly belongs."
What Readers Are Saying
"It busts the myth that life in the West is easy, and it looks at the complex issues of social isolation and self-identity that come with a move of that magnitude. It also looks at the author's decision to return to Africa, and highlights the opportunities that are emerging in business and social enterprise on the continent. It's a really thought-provoking, heartfelt read."
Another reader shares: "I enjoyed every part of this book because it is a true story that could serve as an eye-opener to African youth wasting their energy and resources to go to the western world just for survival when they could do more in their homes."
Henri's Expertise and Services
Today, Henri leverages his 20+ years of experience to help other entrepreneurs succeed. His services include:
Business Consulting - Fixing broken business models and scaling strategies
Public Speaking - Sharing insights on entrepreneurship, renewable energy, and African innovation
Leadership Development - Mentoring the next generation of African leaders
IT Consulting - Digital transformation strategies for African markets
Custom Software Development - Building solutions tailored for African challenges
The Philosophy That Drives Him
As Henri puts it on his website: "Most people talk about changing Africa. I'm building the infrastructure to actually do it."
"As an entrepreneur, I believe that there are more business opportunities in Africa, because there is so much to be done here," Henri explains his decision to return home.
Why Henri's Story Matters
Henri has dedicated his life to fighting poverty through social enterprise, with 60% of profits from ARED being reinvested into research, development, and training to create economic opportunities for women, refugees, and people with disabilities.
His approach represents a new model for African entrepreneurship - one that combines global experience with local solutions, proving that coming home doesn't mean limiting your impact.
Looking Forward
"Our long-term vision for ARED is to be a catalyst for change across Africa. We see ourselves not just as a company, but as a movement that's driving digital transformation from the ground up," Henri shares about the future.
For Henri Nyakarundi, the American Dream was just the beginning. The real dream - the African Dream - is what he's building now, one solar kiosk, one community, and one inspired entrepreneur at a time.
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