Hello my name is Emu Michael Kumane & I lead others to make my community better by volunteering at Nsoroma elementary Academy on Detroit's East-side. A high poverty area which has 1 of the highest # of foreclosures in the city as it was the hardest hit area due to the recession. I assist grade 3&4 level students with improving their reading/ writing skills while being a positive mentor. I am also part of Big Brothers/Sisters and have a little brother whose father is incarcerated & mother who is raising 6 children on her own! The results that I see from this are the importance of having someone to look up to who inspires you especially at a young age because it embeds strong character and perseverence in young growing-minds. When the kids I work with tell me they wana be like me when they grow up, I feel proud and inspired to reach more! I've owned my own business in the past and am also currently pursuing my masters degree at Wayne State University School of Business & believe all children are capable of achieving success despite their socio-economical circumstances or demographic they fall under and I am a strong example of that myself!
The community issue that this project will address is tackling the perception and stigma that today’s youth have nothing to offer by closing the generational gap of ideal and practices. This will give them the opportunity to learn and grow through business development and leadership! Providing them with the fundamentals of what is required when opening and starting up your own business as well as aligning them with mentorship from current business owners and professionals. For example Teaching them the core differences between starting up a LLC, proprietorship, S corporations and or a partnership and why? Giving them a true understanding of the processes involved and how they inter-relate to one another.
The project will be comprised of 25-40 students per session who are who would like to be aspiring business owners and entrepreneurs in a number of different fields. Each student would be required to write detailed explanation of their goals, business objectives and expectations of opening and running their business. This information would then be used to pair them up in groups with mentors who are a number of small and large business owners who are part of our volunteer pool! These volunteer business owners will host the students on the day of the field trip where they will get a tour of the facilities, get answers to pre-written questions and learn about the day-to-day operations conducted in order to keep business running and afloat. There will also be strong emphasis on the importance of building strong relationships with other businesses with whom they might work in conjunction with: local bank (business account), Fed Ex/UPS (shipments, inventory & deliveries), US Food Service for a Restaurant and Health& Beauty Wholesaler for a Hair Salon! Once the students have visited a number of different Businesses they will be encouraged to do a write-up on the one they felt influenced them the most and why? With assisted direction they will focus on a compiling a number of S.WO.T. Analysis question charts allowing them to focus more in depth on their business model arranging in order all the separate elements needed to start, manage and operate a business successfully!
We wish to motivate and spark the intellectual capacity of many of the young minds the city of Detroit has to offer! Giving them the ability to achieve more and strive for success despite economic obstacles that may have been experienced in the past. By providing them the tools and teaching them the strategies needed which creates a more well-rounded and resourceful individual. They will not only become more confident but highly motivated citizens giving back to society while uplifting their communities!
up to $25,000
Emu Michael Kumane: Marketing /Global Supply-Chain Major at Wayne State University, Community Volunteer, Youth mentor (Elementary), Business Dev.Violet Humphrey
This opportunity will engage the community by creating a stronger connection between a wide variation of different generations. Among those more establish individuals such as our church leaders, teachers, lawyers, professional business owners and politicians. Exemplifying real-time engagement with our younger, aspiring generation who want to succeed and follow in the footsteps of those who achieve success and make a prominent difference in society while giving back to their communities! And this will be accomplished by providing them with the access to the tools and resources they normally would not have as well as hands on real-world experience! By visiting a number of different companies and businesses they get to see and are fully exposed to how decisions are made both jointly and independently while putting large emphasis on communication and management skills which are ideal. Providing and preparing them with the confidence and motivation needed to add value not only to the company they will one day own, run or mange but to the broader scope of the community they live in and are a part of!