by Lionesses of Africa Operations Department

The Lionesses of Africa is and always will be a-political, and rightly so. This means this article is not about the pros and cons of one candidate over another in the recent US Election (we are also not US voters, so it would be arrogant of us to suggest we know one way or the other what is the right, or the best or correct route - the country has not only spoken, it has spoken loudly and clearly not only with the majority of the popular vote going to now President  Elect Trump, but with majorities in the Senate and most likely in Congress, with increased number of Latino, African American, Hispanic, “[e]ven in demographics she won…women, Black men and young voters—Harris conceded [large numbers of] votes to Trump and won by a narrower margin than Hillary Clinton did in 2016 or President Joe Biden did in 2020.”  Forbes here. Latino men and women also had a huge drop off of support for Harris, having come out in large numbers for President Biden and Hillary Clinton previously. Her only increase in support from that previously given to Biden was with Black Women and a slight improvement on college educated white voters. Women still voted for VP Harris “but she won less of the vote than both Clinton and Biden…while Trump won white women by 8 points.”

The voters sent her and her party a clear message.

by Lionesses of Africa Operations Department

As we write this the Olympics is moving into its second week, and African athletes are starting to lengthen their stride and impact more of the medal table. With such a fabulously varied and diversified continent, it is fascinating to note the way the medals flow from the south as we move from Swimming (Tatjana Smith setting the pool alight!) and 100 metres track (with both South Africa and Botswana in the final), up and into the Kenyan and Ethiopian dominance of middle and long distance running. Dominance it is too as Kenya took Gold and Silver in the 5000 metres (take a massive bow Beatrice Chebet - Gold, and Faith Kipyegon - Silver) and in the Men’s 10,000 track Uganda took an incredible Gold with a new World Record through the power that is Joshua Cheptegei, with Eithopia’s Berihu Aregawi just behind.

by Lionesses of Africa Operations Department

Having watched in awe the truly inspirational Lionesses pitching at our Start-Up Night Africa event in The Hague last month (see here the event page with all their brilliant pitches), we recognised that here was a group of businesswomen all seriously engaged, knowing how to take their companies to the next level. They were all in growth or high growth mode and were obviously loving the journey.

by Lionesses of Africa Operations Department

It has taken us almost two weeks to come down from the high and to make sense in our minds of what happened on June 11th 2024, but what we do know for sure is that before, during, and after our Start-Up Night Africa event where we showcased and celebrated ten truly inspirational Lionesses of (and into) Africa in our own particular way (more of that later!), lives were changed and people were impacted, links made and partnerships cemented on this memorable day.

by Lionesses of Africa Operations Department

“You don't want the institutions incentivized to go big and expensive when you could maybe have more impact, smaller and less expensive”, so said Margaret Kuhlow of the US Dept of Treasury at one of the side meetings at the recent World Bank Spring Conference (see here 1:30:05).

Anna Bjerde, the World Bank Managing Director of Operations confirmed the key message of the meetings (here): “A key component…is measuring outcomes rather than inputs and focusing on results that further our aim to improve people's lives and livelihoods.”

by Lionesses of Africa Operations Department

As American Presidential hopefuls will tell you, life begins at 80 and so given the World Bank turned 80 this year, would there be a new lease of life, a new energy to tackle the world’s greatest problems?

by Lionesses of Africa Operations Department

There have been many times over the past few years when we have looked at a country’s foreign exchange rate, have watched in horror as it has collapsed, had sleepless nights over the inflation that is sure to come given the needs of the country for US$ based imports (or is already building due to the mismatch between the ‘official’ rate and the parallel black market rate), and wondered how our Lionesses in that country will survive the long nights ahead.