The selections for Acumen's fourth cohort of East Africa Fellows were announced on 1 February after a competitive application process. This year’s Fellows are fighting poverty and changing lives across East Africa through unique social initiatives that range from providing much-needed ambulance services to helping make hygienic sanitation more accessible and affordable to empowering young women to start viable agro-enterprises and more.
Read moreFebruary designated Design Month as Lionesses of Africa celebrates the continent’s talented women designers
Africa has always had a vibrant design scene, but no more so than today, with a host of incredibly talented young women designers emerging from every corner of the continent. So, at Lionesses of Africa, we are declaring the month of February as Design Month, each day showcasing some of the finest design talent and telling their unique start-up stories.
Read moreJenna Clifford - The startup story of a world-renowned South African jewellery designer and entrepreneur
Jenna Clifford, founder of Jenna Clifford Designs, South Africa
Jenna is an inspirational example to women entrepreneurs across Africa that despite significant challenges in personal and business life, with many setbacks and considerable personal heartache along the way, it is possible to find business success.
Read moreJennifer Riria: A model leader for women’s empowerment
Dr. Jennifer Riria (second from left) CEO of Kenya Women Holding
Source: Women's World Banking | by Gayle Gatchalian | 1 February 2015
Few women in the microfinance world are as recognizable as Jennifer Riria. She is the CEO of Kenya Women Holding, twice-voted Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year (East Africa and Kenya respectively in 2013 and 2014) and a Ford Foundation “Champion of Democracy.” She was first female Board Member of the Nairobi Stock Exchange and the Chair of Post Office Savings Bank for four years. She is also the chair of Women’s World Banking’s Board of Trustees. This level of success however, more so for a woman in a patriarchal society like Kenya, was not easy.
Read moreCelebrating Africa’s women social entrepreneurs who are making the world sit up and take notice
The end of January draws to a close a focused month of storytelling, aimed at celebrating and acknowledging the incredible achievements and impact being made by Africa’s inspirational women social entrepreneurs. At Lionesses of Africa, we salute their life-changing contributions to making the African continent a better place for all who live and work there.
Read moreCreating life-changing business opportunities for women in Tanzania
Dr. Victoria Kisyombe, founder & CEO of SELFINA, Tanzania
Dr. Victoria Kisyombe was motivated to launch a business to provide women entrepreneurs, specifically micro-entrepreneurs in rural areas of Tanzania, with the financial support they needed to create and sustain their own business. Her personal experience opened her eyes to a new horizon — that of widows left without land or significant assets.
Read moreKofo Akinkugbe founder of SecureID Nigeria unveils state-of-the-art new smartcard manufacturing plant
SecureID founded by one of Africa's leading women entrepreneurs, Kofo Akinkugbe, commissioned a brand new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility on January 19th. This new facility in Lagos is a world class, EMV-certified smartcard manufacturing plant – the first of its kind in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Read moreMeet two talented young women entrepreneurs selected for the 2015 Green Pioneer Accelerator Programme
Impact Amplifier, Growth Africa, VC4Africa and Hivos have announced the entrepreneurs selected to participate in the 2015 Green Pioneer Acceleration Program. The Programme aims to support and help scale green innovations in Kenya and South Africa. The final selection includes 11 Kenyan and 12 South African green businesses. Included are two talented young women entrepreneurs, Joyce Gema the founder of Boma Safi in Kenya, and Jessica Bonin the founder of Lady Bonin’s Tea Parlour in South Africa.
Read moreEssential Viewing: Dr Ola Orekunrin talks 'Womenomics' at TEDx Berlin
Source: TEDx Berlin | Published on January 26, 2015
Dr. Ola Orekunrin is an inspirational social entrepreneur, medical doctor, and trainee helicopter pilot who founded West Africa’s first air ambulance service, Flying Doctors Nigeria, which saves hundreds of lives across the region every year. Watch this fascinating TEDx Berlin presentation by Ola on the strength of women in business and "Womenomics".
Read moreDivine Ndhlukula queen of Africa's security industry has her sights set on regional expansion
Divine Ndhlukula, founder of SECURICO Security Services, Zimbabwe
Source: News Day Zimbabwe | January 27, 2015
Leading woman entrepreneur and queen of Africa's security industry, Divine Ndhlukula, talks about her plans to expand Securico's operations beyond Zimbabwe into Mozambique. “In 2015 our major thrust is to look beyond the borders, we would want to begin with Mozambique and we have already done the ground work. We are hoping by end of this year it will be operational and then going forward will work towards opening other branches in Zambia among many other countries in Africa.”
Read moreTara Fela-Durotoye - Africa's beauty industry trailblazer featured on CNN African Voices
Tara Fela-Durotoye, founder and CEO of House of Tara International, Nigeria
Source: CNN African Voices | January 26, 2015
Tara Fela-Durotoye is founder and CEO of House of Tara International, a household name in her native Lagos, her company develops makeup, perfume and accessories all created specifically to meet the needs of Africa's beauty market. Learn more about this inspiring woman entrepreneur who is rapidly developing her pan-African cosmetics and beauty training brand in this fascinating interview.
Read moreKarin Rae Matthee - The startup story of the creative designer behind Dear Rae Jewellery
Karin Rae Matthee, founder of Dear Rae Jewellery, South Africa
In the world of jewellery design in South Africa, Karen Rae Matthee is a young entrepreneur with a vision, a unique design and creative aesthetic, and a deep commitment to skills development and upliftment in her community.
Read moreEgo Iwegbu-Daley - The start up story of the never-say-die entrepreneur behind Miss Salon London nail boutique
The start up story of a serial entrepreneur who has created a unique business in South Africa by elevating the nailbar to a world-class boutique and luxury girls club experience.
Read moreVogue Italia 'Scouting for Africa' final shortlist includes 3 talented women designers
Akosua Afriyie-Kumi (Ghana), Loza Maléombho (Ivory Coast), Katherine-Mary Pichulik (South Africa)
Vogue Italia has announced the final shortlist for its "Scouting for Africa" contest, an event organized by Vogue Talents in collaboration with the International Business Consortium Nigeria Limited. Included on the final shortlist of 11 designers are 3 of Lionesses of Africa's favourite women designers on the continent, Akosua Afriyie-Kumi of AAKS in Ghana, Loza Maléombho from Ivory Coast, and Pichulik by Katherine-Mary Pichulik from South Africa. We wish all three women the very best of luck in winning the ultimate accolade and prizes.
Read more2 South African women-led social ventures selected as finalists in Chivas Regal contest
International whisky brand Chivas Regal has just unveiled the five finalists of its Win the Right Way campaign. Included are two inspiring women-led social ventures from South Africa, Subz founded by Sue Barnes, and Rethaka Trading creators of Repurpose School Bags, founded by Thato Kgatlhanye and Rea Ngwane.
Read moreEntrepreneur Advice from Swaady Martin: Building a brand takes creativity and lots of hard work
Swaady Martin-Leke, founder of YSWARA
It takes creativity, commitment and hard work to build a successful brand....
"We are aiming at creating a globally recognized luxury brand so there is never a moment of rest. We are and need to constantly push the limits of excellence, creativity and beauty. We are constantly benchmarking ourselves to the global brands and know we still have some work to do."
- Swaady Martin-Leke, an Ivorian entrepreneur, is founder of YSWARA, a growing African luxury brand. YSWARA creates elegant, high-end products using the continent’s natural resources, all produced by African artisans. Products include gourmet tea, chocolates and home and accessories collections such as homeware, spoons, home fragrances and artisan jewellery. Swaady aims to capture a true spirit of African luxury by reviving Africa’s endangered cultural heritage and unique ancestral craftsmanship. YSWARA is present in 4 countries -- South Africa, Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire and France -- with 15 different direct and indirect retail points.
Read moreTech Hero: Rapelang Rabana
Rapelang Rabana, founder of Rekindle Learning (South Africa)
Source: InfoRocked | by by Anesh Sukhnandan | 22 January 2015
The temptation to idolize an international role model seems as natural as the globalization of business celebrities, who becomes more mainstream with young entrepreneurs, regularly glorified as they sell their start up for millions, rather billions of dollars. Why stray so far away when these stars can be found on our shores.
Read more3 African women social entrepreneurs invited to Davos as part of the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship
L-R: Essma Ben Hamida, Anne Githuku-Shongwe, Njideka Harry
The Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship is hosting 25 social entrepreneurs from around the world who will substantially contribute to the 2015 edition of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Three of Africa's leading women social entrepreneurs Essma Ben Hamida (Tunisia), Anne Githuku-Shongwe (South Africa), and Njideka Harry (Nigeria) have been included.
Read moreNew Report: Technology drives change. How does social innovation drive technology?
How do you use ICT to create social impact? Ashoka in partnership with the Intel Foundation have published a new report on how social innovators are making the most of information and communication technologies to create social impact and change the world!
Read moreMeet an extraordinary women-led social enterprise from Cape Town turning plastic waste into beautiful giftboxes
Lynn Worsley and the inspiring team of ecopreneurs of All Women Recycling, Cape Town
All Women Recycling is an inspiring women-led social enterprise in South Africa turning discarded plastic soft-drink bottles into beautiful upcycled, highly decorative giftboxes.
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