Startup Story
Naïma Korchi is the founder of Africa Women’s Forum in Morocco. She is a Moroccan and French citizen and graduated in Paris (Assas and Sorbonne) in international law, international affairs and African legal and political affairs. She started her career with the United Nations deployed in several countries in Africa. She is also an expert on women peace and security with the African Union. After the UN she worked for international firms with businesses in Africa as a strategic manager. Her network and experience motivated her to create her first business to help organisations to develop their activities on the continent.
LoA spoke to Naïma Korchi this month to find out more about this impact driven entrepreneur.
What does your company do?
Africa Women's Forum is a network for women in Africa to support them to develop their businesses by sharing networks and offering capacity building workshops, particularly for the women with small business or in non-formal sectors. The forum also helps women in funding and participation in international events. The other objective of the forum is to improve the visibility of the leadership of African women in different sectors (politics, civil society, business.)
“The objective of the forum is to improve the visibility of the leadership of African women in different sectors (politics, civil society, business.)”
What inspired you to start your company?
Two main points: When I was in Europe, I realized that the leadership of women is not known or there are very few examples, particularly in entrepreneurship where they are the most important compared to other continents. The second motivation came from experience in the field. Many women are in small businesses or non-formal businesses and their activities are very limited due to lack of funding, capacity building and networking.
Why should anyone use your service or product?
In Morocco, when I launched the Forum it was the first or among the first networks of African women. A first forum with the objective to create a Pan-African network to support women from different regions, and most importantly one that gives better visibility to the leadership of African women.
Tell us a little about your team
Our team is Pan-African. We have representatives from all countries. But one important point is that we also have men in our team, because we work with inclusive principles, including also traditional leaders and youth.
Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And do you come from an entrepreneurial background?
My educational background is legal, but as I worked in the field with different responsibilities, I developed a good knowledge of the situation of women. I also have good networks with key partners which help in the quick development of our activities (funding women projects, capacity building trainings, participation in international events).
“Many women are in small businesses or non-formal businesses and their activities are very limited due to lack of funding, capacity building and networking.”
What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?
To continue to expand our activities, particularly with small states not often represented. We already have 5 field offices (Morocco, Benin, Tunisia, Gambia, and Ghana) but other countries are on our agenda once the pandemic will allows us to travel.
What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?
I have a great sense of initiative and am a good observer, so entrepreneurship allows me to implement my ideas. With the Africa Women's Forum, I’m very satisfied for having created a great network with women from different regions, and then contributing to a better mutual knowledge on cultures, success stories and sharing experiences, and implementation of projects. To allow many women in isolated areas to have access to international networks, partnership, and finally contributing to a better visibility of leadership and success stories from women on our continent. We are now recognized internationally, and regularly international organizations or key partners ask for partnerships.
What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?
Do what you believe in and don’t copy others’ ideas because your credibility will be your best business card.
Contact or follow the Africa Women’s Forum
WEBSITE | EMAIL naima.korchi@gmail.com
Why LoA loves it….
On the African continent, women leaders need to network, they need to feel part of a community of other women leaders, and they need to connect to others in order to grow and thrive. In Morocco, Naïma Korchi is creating a forum where women leaders in all areas of society, including the world of entrepreneurship, can raise their profile and their voices in their respective sectors and globally. Naïma understands that for women who are in small businesses or non-formal businesses, they also need support and encouragement, and her Africa Women’s Forum provides a place where everyone can connect for growth. — Melanie Hawken, founder & ceo, Lionesses of Africa