Women entrepreneurs a force for job creation

Across the African continent, many countries were already experiencing a jobs crisis before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, and this challenge has now become significantly bigger. The UK’s Development Finance Institution, the CDC Group estimates that between now and 2030, Africa’s working-age population is expected to grow by forty per cent to 1 billion, which implies that the rate of job creation must increase by around 12 million jobs per year to prevent unemployment from rising. We know that job creation is  probably the single biggest political and social priority across the continent. We also know that job creation is very near and dear to many of the women entrepreneurs across our community. They see the impacts of unemployment in their communities every day, and experience the responsibility and the pressure to create new sustainable jobs through their businesses. Many women entrepreneurs are trailblazers in this regard and have become an inspiration to others when it comes to job creation. Women such as Divine Ndhlukula, founder of Securico Security Services, who has long been the biggest employer of women in Zimbabwe outside of government. Divine, and other women entrepreneurs like her in Africa, live their mission of using their businesses to be a force for positive change, with job creation at the heart of that change.