PRESS RELEASE: Maputo, Mozambique, 27 April 2017
April is another exciting month for women entrepreneurs in Maputo as Lionesses of Africa and Standard Bank host the 2nd in a series of highly popular Lioness Lean In Breakfast events to showcase and empower women entrepreneurs in the country. Lionesses of Africa is a rapidly growing network of over 300,000 women entrepreneurs in 49 African countries and across the Diaspora. The event will be held on the morning of Thursday 27th April, once again powered by Standard Bank in partnership with Shell and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The venue will be at the Southern Sun Hotel, Avenida da Marginal, Maputo. The event starts at 8.00am and finishes at 12.00pm.
The hugely popular Lioness Lean In Breakfast Series brings together inspirational and successful women entrepreneurs to share, inspire and connect with the next generation of great women-led startups. The Lioness Lean In Breakfast Series is based on a breakfast networking and speaker presentation format that is highly popular with women entrepreneurs in Africa, and which has been organized in different city locations across South Africa for the past year by Lionesses of Africa in partnership with Standard Bank.
The format of each Lioness Lean In Breakfast is a morning event, commencing with breakfast and networking, followed by an introduction by Lionesses of Africa founder and CEO, Melanie Hawken; three inspirational guest speakers sharing their own entrepreneurial journeys and experiences; a presentation by Sasha Vieira, Incubator Head from Standard Bank Mozambique; and rounded-off with an open Q&A session and then more networking.
The line-up of three guest speakers at this Lioness Lean In Breakfast event in Maputo includes Anila Mussa, co-founder of Izy Shop; Sazia Sousa, founder of Technoplus; and Wacy Zacarias, co-founder of Karingana Wa Karingana.
Commenting on the forthcoming Lioness Lean In Event in Maputo, Melanie Hawken, Founder and CEO of Lionesses of Africa said:
“This is a must-attend event for women entrepreneurs in Maputo as it gives them the opportunity to hear the inspiring entrepreneurial stories of women who are building great businesses in the country. It allows them to benefit from the insights and advice of women entrepreneurs who have seen and experienced it all - and 'got the T-shirt’ in the world of business and brand building; it provides an excellent opportunity for networking with speakers and participants who all share a passion for advancing women entrepreneurs in Mozambique; and it offers the chance to ask questions and get advice that can help take women entrepreneurs to the next level in the country.”
Sharing her thoughts on the inaugural Lioness Lean In Breakfast Event in Mozambique, and the partnership between Lionesses of Africa, Standard Bank, Shell and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Sasha Viera, Head of Incubator, Standard Bank Mozambique, said: “Standard Bank is proud to be a strategic partner of Lionesses of Africa and its important purpose and mission which so closely aligns with our own of changing lives and fulfilling aspirations of entrepreneurs across the continent so Africa can realise its potential. Inclusive growth, and more specifically female economic empowerment is a critical part of the core pillars of the Standard Bank Mozambique Incubator and its objectives and through sponsoring and hosting these types of events, we hope to bring more visibility and market opportunities to the female entrepreneurs in Mozambique”.
Pascale Grotenhuis Ambassador to Mozambique from the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands said: “The Netherlands strongly supports women entrepreneurs in Mozambique and believes that this public-private partnership will contribute to building the ecosystem that is needed. Women are social entrepreneurs. By investing in women, everybody benefits because women invest in education, family and society. Women can accelerate the transition to successful entrepreneurship by putting themselves out there and by taking risks. Courage is a muscle, it needs to be trained. And the Netherlands is here to support you!”
Sharing his thoughts on the inaugural Lioness Lean In Breakfast Event in Mozambique, and the partnership between Lionesses of Africa, Standard Bank, Shell and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Alexander Battaglia, Country Manager from Shell said:
Mozambique has a unique and extraordinary community of women entrepreneurs, and Shell is privileged to support them. We are delighted to stand alongside our partners - Standard Bank and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands – to support this powerful initiative from the Lionesses of Africa. All over the world, women entrepreneurs show the way to creating better, competitive businesses that create lasting, positive impacts on all of us in society. We look forward to taking this journey together.
Lionesses of Africa is rolling out its popular Lioness Lean In Breakfast Event Series for women entrepreneurs in 20 different locations across the African continent over the coming year, all in partnership with Standard Bank.
For more information on the Lioness Lean In Breakfast Event in Maputo, or on the forthcoming Africa roll-out programme, contact Melanie Hawken via email melanie@lionessesofafrica.com or Sasha Vieira via email Sasha.Vieira@standardbank.co.mz
Note to editors
Lionesses of Africa is a rapidly growing network of over 300,000 women entrepreneurs in 49 African countries. It is on a mission to empower the continent’s women entrepreneurs by sharing useful and relevant information and advice on business and entrepreneurship; inspiring by sharing the stories of successful women entrepreneurs in Africa who are building incredible businesses and brands; and connecting women entrepreneurs with each other for greater business success. For more information go to lionessesofafrica.com