Advance Aid » SIMON LUCAS’ STORY

SIMON LUCAS’ STORY

I was introduced to the international aid community in 1994 through supplying various relief items from manufacturers from around the world with a European-based manufacturing company. Although this market generated over US$5 billion in sales, the majority of the suppliers treated it as an add-on to existing lines and, in some cases, charged more for their products to the aid market than to the industrial markets that they were more familiar with.

In 1997, I decided to start my own company to manufacture shelter-related products designed specifically for the aid sector, mainly sourcing supplies from the Far East. The company soon expanded and in 2000 I opened offices in the USA, Korea and Uganda with warehousing in Kenya and Uganda.

As my company was registered in Uganda, we were officially an African company and were invited to the United Nation’s summits encouraging all the aid agencies to buy from Africa for Africa. At these conferences, I met many other competent African-based manufacturers and I was surprised at their level of professionalism, dedication and commitment, with the extra incentive of making relief items for the needy in their own continent. This should have been the initiative to expand my operation in East Africa and to the rest of the continent, but it soon became apparent that - due to the incredibly unfair trade restrictions and the procurement procedures of the international community - I would have to close my entire African operation down, which I did in 2003.

It was at this point that I realised that if a successful Western company with financial backing could not make such a business viable in East Africa then the vast majority of African companies would have very little to no chance of succeeding in this sector. The most frustrating part of this failure is that over 70% of global aid is delivered to the African continent with little more than 5% actually manufactured in Africa.

Closing the operation down in East Africa was singularly the worst feeling I have ever had. Letting staff go with very little chance of another job and letting down the local market that needed basic relief items… This left me with a feeling of abandonment and guilt, but also sufficient frustration to explore opportunities to bring African products to the international community. It’s at this point that Advance Aid was being born.

My background in manufacturing, logistics and supply was a good start, and I also have a good understanding of how the international community operates its relief missions. The entire project needed funding from the private and government sectors and global partnerships needed to be formed.

It was also clear that my deep affection for Africa and its people would not be enough to succeed - I needed professional help and guidance. So I went to see my friend David Dickie.