Each year, over 1,000 Global Women’s Summits are being presented by The Women Information Network (WIN) in major cities worldwide. The mission is to strengthen women and families through Education, Empowerment, and Entrepreneurship in order to eradicate illiteracy, poverty and hunger in every nation. This year’s theme is Towards Vision 2020, Women Leading Innovative Transformation. On Wednesday 10 August, the Global Women’s Summit was hosted by Nairobi, Kenya. Global thought leaders and successful local women business leaders and entrepreneurs joined together to share key strategies on Personal Development, Leadership, Entrepreneurial Solutions and motivational tools for career and business growth.
Following hot on the heels of a highly successful event in Johannesburg, South Africa the week before, the Global Women’s Summit Kenya event took place in Nairobi, hosted by the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), at the Sarova PanAfric Hotel. Opening the event was Gloria Ndekei OGW, the Chair of the Gender Sector Board at KEPSA, who welcomed all delegates and introduced the keynote speakers - Carol Kariuki, CEO of KEPSA and the Hon. Sicily Kariuki, CS Public Service, Gender and Youth Affairs. The Director of Global Women’s Summits Africa, Tumi Frazier, also took to the speaker podium to give an official welcome to everyone in attendance and to share some background information on vision for the Global Women’s Summits.
The morning’s official programme was opened by Stacey Speller, the renowned author andprofessional speaker from the USA, who gave the audience advice and inspiration to help them to transform their personal and business lives. An interesting panel discussion followed on the subject of Access to Business Opportunities, moderated by Mugure Githuku, Senior Enterprise Advisor at SNV. Highly experienced guests on the panel shared their insights and expertise, including Madam Zeinab Hussein, Principal Secretary Gender Affairs; Dr Manu Chandaria, Trustee KEPSA Foundation Champion; Grace Musyoka, Director of SheCares International; Phyllis WAkiaga, CEO of KAM; Fransisco Cockbain, Head of Sales and Marketing at JUMIA; and the renowned international photojournalist, Monica Morgan. Before the break for lunch, Patricia Murugami of the Strathmore Business School gave an inspirational presentation on her organisation’s work and support for entrepreneurs. The morning session was wrapped up by Tumi Frazier, Director of Global Women’s Summits Africa, who presented the official WIN (Women’s Information Network) message from its founder, Paula Fellingham, recorded especially for the occasion. There followed an official launch of the Global Women’s Summits in Kenya, with a ribbon cutting ceremony.
Melanie Hawken
After lunch, Lionesses of Africa founder and ceo, Melanie Hawken, spoke to the delegates about the inspirational women entrepreneurs of Africa who are bringing a new spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship on the continent. She also shared the wide range of business support platforms and tools available to Kenya’s women entrepreneurs through the Lionesses of Africa community, and announced some exciting new initiatives to look out for over the coming months.
The final panel discussion of the day focused on the subject of how women entrepreneurs of Kenya can get greater access to global, regional and local markets. The session was moderated by Makena Mathiu, Director of Global Connections International, and featured useful insights and contributions from Ruth Mwaniki, CEO of the Export Promotion Centre; Grace Nyaa, CEO of Safe Produce Solutions; Waturi Matu, Director of Business Development, Trade Mark East Africa TMEA; and Jane Ngige, CEO of the Kenya Flower Council.
Wrapping up the day’s events, the international guest speakers, Tumi Frazier, Stacey Speller, Melanie Hawken and Monica Morgan, were asked to return to the stage for a panel Q & A session on the way forward for women entrepreneurs in Kenya to fulfil their potential. The final closing remarks went to Gloria Ndekei, Chair of the Gender Sector Board KEPSA to thank all delegates and guests for contributing to a great day’s discussion and information sharing, with a call to action to everyone to turn the learnings from the event into tangible results.
The Global Women’s Summits are powerful and informative events aimed at helping women to address challenges in both their personal and business lives. On the personal front, they get great advice and inspiration on how to lead effectively, how to create the life they want, and how to overcome obstacles in life. In the world of business, they hear from successful women in business as to how how to manage effectively, how to monetize their passion and skills, how to grow their businesses, and how to explore new investment opportunities. For more information on the Global Women’s Summits events in Africa over the coming months, go to www.tumifrazier.com