How one woman became Rwanda's only funeral services provider...and about the traveling mentors on the way to her

Languida was originally a tailor. Then one day a customer came to pick up an outfit for a lost relative, exhausted and confused at having been around to shops to place orders for flowers and other funeral items. "She was my friend," said Languida, "and I felt I should do more to help by having everything needed for burial under one roof. When one loses a relative, if I can help that person not to experience a physical stress, I feel like I have consoled that person."

Languida's business is five years old, and she still doesn't have any competitors. "People are yet to embrace the business, they still see it as luxury having to hire services to cater for the dead yet it is helping and necessary."

One of Bpeace's unique differentiators is that we connect our Associates with experienced technical and functional advisors. Up until now, Bpeace did not have a funeral director in our ranks. But thanks to a shout out to the National Funeral Directors Association, this Friday Craig Baker will be leaving his home in Pennsylvania to help Languida improve the services her staff provides in comforting grieving families and personalizing the funeral experience.

Languida will also be spending time with a second traveling mentor, retired HR professional Phyllis Rosen from New York. One of the original Bpeace members who joined in 2002, Phyllis will be conducting HR workshops and providing coaching for all our Associates. Human Resources management is a new science in Rwanda. Common HR practice is to hire relatives or people you know and to poach good workers from other businesses. There is little loyalty, and often mistrust among workers and employers. Phyllis will have two new Bpeace workbooks in her bag of tricks along with experienced gained on the job at Ogilvy and Bankers Trust.