WE ARE THE PRIDE OF AFRICA’S WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS
Over the past decade, we have positively impacted more than 1.8 million women entrepreneurs across Africa and the diaspora, helping them build thriving businesses.
Empowering Africa’s Women Entrepreneurs at Scale
Lionesses of Africa is a social enterprise on a mission to drive economic transformation by empowering Africa’s women entrepreneurs. Since our launch on November 19, 2014, we have built one of the world’s largest and most dynamic networks for Africa’s women entrepreneurs—1.8 million strong and growing—providing them with the knowledge, access to markets and funding, and resources needed to thrive.
Our goal is simple but powerful: to help women entrepreneurs build sustainable businesses, create jobs, and contribute to Africa’s economic growth—all free of charge.
The Lioness Network Effect:
Our Unique Strength
The Lioness Network Effect is at the heart of our success—a powerful, collective force where women entrepreneurs support, train and mentor, and do business with each other. Our network amplifies impact far beyond individual efforts through peer-to-peer knowledge sharing, market access opportunities, and investor connectivity.
By creating a safe and dynamic online and offline space for women entrepreneurs to connect, we are shaping an inclusive and collaborative ecosystem that drives success at scale.
Meet our Founder and CEO
Melanie Hawken, the founder and CEO of Lionesses of Africa, is a passionate advocate for women's entrepreneurship. She launched Lionesses of Africa on the first Global Women's Entrepreneurship Day on November 19, 2014, with a vision to create a powerful, supportive network for Africa's women entrepreneurs. Under her leadership, the organisation has grown to 1.8 million strong, spanning the continent and the diaspora. It provides free access to resources, market opportunities, and funding connections, making a significant impact on the lives of women entrepreneurs.
Melanie advocates for addressing the $42 billion financing gap and persistent data gap Africa’s women entrepreneurs face, and works on financial and policy solutions through partnerships with global organisations. Her unwavering commitment to empowering Africa's women entrepreneurs continues to shape the future role of Lionesses of Africa to support economic prosperity in Africa.
How We Create Impact
We tackle the key barriers that hold women entrepreneurs back—lack of funding, limited market access, gender bias, and data gaps—through a combination of strategic initiatives:
Capacity Development: We provide skills training, mentorship, and accelerator programs for WSMEs.
Access to Finance: Our initiatives include investor readiness training, funding networks, and research-driven financial solutions.
Market Linkages: We connect women entrepreneurs with corporate supply chains and international buyers.
Research & Insights: Our Lioness Data insights help close the gender data gap to improve the design of financial services and policies targeted at WSMEs.
Digital Knowledge Platforms: We’ve sent over 57 million eNewsletters, published 5,000+ entrepreneur stories, and offer free resources in multiple languages.
A Decade of Impact
Over 10 years, Lionesses of Africa has built a track record of real, measurable impact:
1.8 million women entrepreneurs empowered across Africa and the diaspora, doing business, sharing stories, peer mentoring, and exchanging knowledge.
30,000+ women entrepreneur event attendees at networking and capacity-building sessions across 21 countries.
1,158 women entrepreneurs trained in Investor readiness, leading to enhanced access to financing for WSMEs, reducing the gender funding gap.
Growing adoption of green business practices among WSMEs through our green business programs, improving WSME alignment with SDG targets.
Partnering for a Bigger Future
As a Public Benefit Corporation, we collaborate with governments, DFIs, financial institutions, and corporate partners to scale impact. By joining forces with Lionesses of Africa, our Impact Partners help shape an enabling environment where women entrepreneurs gain financial independence, create jobs, and build businesses that drive Africa’s future. Critically, our impact partnerships allow us to develop, build and scale our activities and deliver them to Africa's women entrepreneurs free-of-charge.
Join us in shaping a future where Africa’s women entrepreneurs lead the continent’s economic transformation.
ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE PAST 10 YEARS
2014-2024 HIGHLIGHTS:
1.8 million women entrepreneurs in network across Africa and diaspora
52,000 network users access LOA’s Portuguese language portal
212 events and Webinars with 30,000+ women entrepreneur attendees
4,172 editions of daily and weekly eNewsletters
57M+ eNewsletters sent to subscriber inboxes
10M+ Green Business Hack of the Day sent to subscribers
5,000+ women entrepreneur stories published
15,000+ women entrepreneur contributor articles published
8 WSME Capacity Development Programs
800 women entrepreneur program graduates
192 women entrepreneur trainers & mentors
1,158 WSMEs trained in Investor readiness
