Small Country Charcoal

Statement by the Executive Chairman Ahmed Saybom Kanu:
I started selling wood and charcoal as a community driven project in 2008 when I bought a land in an isolated area in Waterloo, later named after my business name: Small Country Enterprise. The area is called Small Country in Waterloo, Sierra Leone, West Africa. As a new community the demand for wood and charcoal in Small Country was almost a humanitarian concern because nobody was selling a product that was needed for domestic use every day. One evening, I chose to offer the services not necessarily for profit but to serve the felt need of the community. This later grew into almost one of my business portfolios until 2017 when I had some challenges with my truck. Again in 2020, I revived my original business but this time expanding it with four selling outlets/points within Waterloo to reduce the average cost of fuel and vehicle maintenance. In 2022, with the employment of a person that was supposed to be a security guard Allie Sheriff, the idea to produce and not to buy charcoal was introduced during an evening routine discussion and the employment of my cousin, Mohamed Sheriff who had studied Information Technology at University level the idea to package the charcoal was initiated and developed. As a farmer, I introduced the sustainable source of getting the raw materials by planting acacia mangium and encouraged the team to work together. Small Country Enterprise continues to supply wood and natural hardwood charcoal mainly burn out of acacia mangium. Acacia mangium is a single-stemmed evergreen tree or shrub that grows to 25-35 m in height. Young trees have smooth, greenish bark; fissures begin to develop at 2-3 years. Bark in older trees is rough, hard, fissured near the base, greyish-brown to dark brown, inner bark pale brown. At both local and international levels customers need a reliable supply of quality charcoal that gives Value for Money in a sustainable way. This is what Small Country Enterprise offers. We go into the remotest part of rural communities on your behalf, integrate to get the quality raw materials for processing charcoal which is supplied maintaining the highest quality standards. About 30% of our workers are rural women who mainly sort and package the charcoal. It is wonderful to see them always in high spirit when welcoming visitors to the production site. The business provides employment for at least 40 young people 30% of whom are women and indirect engagement for more than 30 sellers in the chain of distribution in the informal sector in Sierra Leone. But beyond selling wood and charcoal, we have started planting acacia mangium on a low scale expecting to expand in 2023 and with more support from stakeholders in the Environmental Protection sector; we shall continue to produce charcoal in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner. Enjoy Value for Money as you buy quality charcoal from the outlets or Production Sites of Small Country Enterprise.