Native Child Celebrates Multiple Beauty and Hair-Care Industry Award Wins in South Africa

December 30, 2023 Melanie Hawken

Awards & Accolades

Native Child, the visionary natural beauty and hair-care brand founded by Sonto Pooe in South Africa, triumphed with multiple industry award wins to round out a successful year. Sonto scooped up double Gold Awards at the prestigious Gold Pack Awards held on 21 November 2023 which are known for recognizing innovation in packaging. The honors were bestowed upon Native Child for their outstanding Hair Colour bottle design, a creation attributed to the ingenuity of Sonto Pooe herself. Sonto and Native Child have been on a winning streak with the brand also securing the Clicks Supplier Enterprise Development (SED) Award for 2023 the same month.

South African leading sustainable luxury product design brand, The Joinery, strikes gold at the Eco-Logical Awards

November 19, 2023 Melanie Hawken

Awards & Accolades

The South African sustainable luxury product design brand, The Joinery, based in the Cape Winelands and founded by Natalie and Kim Ellis, has just been recognised as a gold award winner at the Eco-Logical Awards. The brand picked up the Gold Eco-Logic Award in the Eco-Fashion and Lifestyle category, sponsored by Pick n’ Pay Clothing. This latest accolade is a testament to the Joinery team’s unwavering commitment to sustainability. Renowned for its beautifully designed range of sustainable products, use of responsible fabrics, and ethical production, The Joinery has won fans around the world for many years for its passionate belief in being kind to our planet and fair to our people, one plastic bottle at a time.

Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka wins 2022 Tällberg-SNF-Eliasson Global Leadership Prize

November 13, 2022 Melanie Hawken

Award Winner

In recognition of her courageous leadership and impact in the field of public health and gorilla conservation in Uganda, Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, Founder and CEO of Conservation Through Public Health and Gorilla Conservation Coffee, is one of three winners of the 2022 Tällberg-SNF-Eliasson Global Leadership Prize!

Rwanda-based eco-shoe brand, UZURI K & Y, wins 2021 Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Frontier Challenge

January 16, 2022 Melanie Hawken

Awards & Accolades

Rwanda-based eco-friendly shoe brand, UZURI K & Y, which uses recycled tires from sub-Saharan Africa and employs local young people, has been announced as the joint winner of the 2021 Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Frontier Challenge. Kevine Kagirimpundu, co-founder and CEO of UZURI K & Y together with Ysolde Shimwe, CFO & Co-Creative designer, were awarded the prize of € 100,000. Speaking about the recognition and award win, Kevine said: “We are honored to be the winner of the Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Frontier Challenge. This opportunity provided us with mentorship and strategic guidance, and a platform for sharing our dream of bringing sustainable shoe options from Africa to the global market. We are dedicated to creating a real impact and inspiring young people today to build a cleaner future.” The other join winner was Lalaland, a Dutch-based platform that uses artificial intelligence to generate customized and comprehensive synthetic models of different ethnic groups, which was also awarded € 100,000.

Thuli Zikalala and Yellow Owl win recognition at the New Generation Digital Awards

October 3, 2021 Melanie Hawken

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Awards and Accolades

The New Generation Digital Awards took place in South Africa in September 2021, a ceremony to recognize and honour independent social and digital media campaigns and initiatives in the country. MC for this year’s awards was the renowned South African Actress, Singer and Songwriter; Relebogile Mabotja, who announced this year’s Silver award for Best Use of a Podcast/Vlog to Promote a Brand or Event going to the Blind History Podcast, produced by CliffCentral.com and Taylor Blinds and Shutters, with sign language interpretation by Thuli Zikalala and Yellow Owl.

Marta Vânia Uetela, founder of BioMec Mozambique, recognized with the Commonwealth Point of Light 193 award

September 18, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Awards and Accolades

Marta Vânia Uetela is the founder of BioMec in Mozambique, an organisation that produces high performance prostheses made of recycled plastic from the ocean. Her inspirational work has garnered her global attention, and she has just been recognized with the Commonwealth Point of Light 193 Award, presented to her on behalf of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Infinite Foods wins Best Plant-Based Business at the World Plant-Based Food Awards

October 17, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Award Winner

Infinite Foods, Africa’s premier go-to-market platform for leading plant-based food brands, cofounded by entrepreneur Michelle Adelman, was awarded the “Best Plant-Based Business” Award at the FoodBev Media World Plant-Based Awards in association with Plant Based World on 2 October 2020. This award comes on the eve of Infinite Foods’ second anniversary and continued growth with several new international and local brands joining the portfolio. As the only African business to be included in the awards, this is an incredible recognition of the growth of the plant-based industry on the continent.

VW Lionesses Den announces top three women entrepreneur winners

September 3, 2020 Melanie Hawken

VW Lionesses Den Competition

Volkswagen South Africa in partnership with Lionesses of Africa, are thrilled to announce the winners of the VW Lionesses Den competition. The panel of judges have selected the top three pitches after calling on women-owned businesses all over South Africa to share a two-minute pitch to win a total of R175,000 cash injection for their businesses. The winners will use the capital to invest in their businesses and in turn, help drive the South African economy forward.

South Africa’s Niche Integrated Solutions wins leading innovation management award

August 30, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Awards and Accolades

Emerging technology company, Niche Integrated Solutions, a100% Black women owned business, has won the Innocentrix South African Innovation League 2020 in the small enterprises category. The award was presented at a special ceremony held on 27 August 2020.

LifeBank’s Temie Giwa-Tubosun named Cartier Women’s Initiative Laureate 2020 for Sub-Saharan Africa

June 21, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Awards and Accolades

The 2020 Laureates of the Cartier Women’s Initiative have just been announced, and the inspirational LifeBank Founder, Temie Giwa-Tubosun, has just been named as the Sub-Saharan African Laureate. LifeBank is a medical distribution company that uses data and technology to discover and deliver essential medical products to hospitals in Nigeria.

Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka receives prestigious St Andrews Prize for the Environment

March 6, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Awards and Accolades

This week, Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH), headed by social entrepreneur and renowned gorilla conservationist, Dr Gladys Zikusoka, has been announced the winner of the prestigious St Andrews Prize for the Environment 2020. The prize was set up by the University of St Andrews and ConocoPhillips in 1998 to recognize significant contributions to environmental conservation.

Savanna Premium Chocolate wins major international chocolate award

January 12, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Awards and Accolades

The International Chocolate Awards, the equivalent of the Oscars for the chocolate world, have recently taken place, and Zambia’s Savanna Premium Chocolate, founded by entrepreneur Chiinga Musonda and Lynn Musonda Phiri, has scooped a top prize.

Kenya’s Suzie Beauty Wins Big at the Kenya Beauty & Cosmetics Awards

December 22, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Suzie Wokabi, founder of Suzie Beauty (Kenya)

Awards and Accolades

The Kenya Beauty and Cosmetics Industry Awards 2019 took place in December to recognize and celebrate key milestones and excellence in the hair, beauty and cosmetics industry in the country. Leading Kenyan beauty brand, Suzie Beauty, founded by successful entrepreneur Suzie Wokabi, took home a host of awards at the event. The company emerged winners in the following categories: Best Lipstick, Blush, Powder and Local Cosmetics Brand of the Year!! Suzie Beauty were also 1st Runners up in the Most Preferred Eye Shadow, Lip Gloss, Concealer, Primer, and Mascara Brand Of the Year.

Kenya’s Flora Mutahi, founder of Melvin’s Tea wins top manufacturing award

December 14, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Flora Mutahi, founder of Melvin’s Tea (Kenya)

Award Winner

The results of Kenya’s Top 100 Mid-Sized Companies Survey, an initiative of KPMG Kenya and Nation Media Group, have just been announced. The survey identified the country’s fastest growing, medium sized companies in order to showcase business excellence and highlight some of the country’s most successful entrepreneurship stories. Flora Mutahi, founder of Melvin’s Tea, was awarded with the prestigious Top Manufacturing Award at a special ceremony on 5 December.

Malawian fashion entrepreneur Lilly Alfonso recognised with UMP Fashion Living Legend Award

December 14, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Award Winner

Malawi’s greatest fashion export and award winning design entrepreneur, Lilly Alfonso, has been honoured with a UMP Fashion Living Legend Award. The award presentation took place at the 2019 UMP Awards music and fashion blended event held on 14 December at the Crossroads Hotel, Blantyre, Malawi.

Leading women entrepreneurs in East Africa win 2X Invest2Impact Business Competition

December 1, 2019 Melanie Hawken

FinDev Canada, Managing Director, Paul Lamontagne (centre) congratulates winners of the Invest2Impact Awards, from left: Climate Change and the Environment award winner, Lucy Mutinda of Ecocycle Ltd from Kenya; Women’s Empowerment award winner, Blan… — FinDev Canada, Managing Director, Paul Lamontagne (centre) congratulates winners of the Invest2Impact Awards, from left: Climate Change and the Environment award winner, Lucy Mutinda of Ecocycle Ltd from Kenya; Women’s Empowerment award winner, Blandine Umiziranenge of Kosmotive from Rwanda; Social Innovation award winner Yvette Ishimwe of Iriba Water Group Limited from Rwanda; and Youth Employment or Entrepreneurship Award winner, Beryl Anyiti Walubengo of Crystal Africa Cleaning Service Limited from Kenya.

Award Winners

On the evening of 25 November 2019, the city of Kigali in Rwanda played host to a very special event, coordinated to recognize the achievements of one hundred East African women entrepreneurs. These impact driven women were announced as the winners of the inaugural 2019 2X Invest2Impact. The event was part of the Global Gender Summit 2019. 2X Invest2Impact was organized and launched by the development finance institutions (DFIs) of Canada (FinDev Canada), the United Kingdom (CDC Group plc), France (Proparco) and the United States (OPIC), in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation.

Eugenia Langa, founder of Nweba, wins Outstanding Woman of the Year Award at the 6th Mozambique Gas Summit

November 24, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Award Winner

The 6th Mozambique Gas Summit & Exhibition has just taken place on 13 to 14 November. One of the highlights of this year’s event was a special awards ceremony to honour the 2019 Mozambique Industry Award Winners. The prestigious Outstanding Woman of the Year Award was presented to Eugenia Langa, CEO and Founder of NWEBA. Nweba is the first Mozambican Company dedicated to Procurement and Logistics for the sectors of Construction, Oil & Gas, Mining and Energy, and has a team of certified International Procurement Professionals with more than 10 years of experience. The company prides itself on providing a market solution to the challenges of these sectors in Mozambique.

Dr Ola Orekunrin and Nkemdilim Begho recognised at the MIPAD Global Top 100 Most Influential People of African Descent

October 13, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Award Winners

At the prestigious 74th UN General Assembly in New York, which took place from 28th September to 3rd October, an important event took place on the sidelines - the MIPAD (Global Top 100 Most Influential People of African Descent) Recognition Week for the Class of 2019. Amongst this year’s honorees were two outstanding and inspirational women entrepreneurs from the Lionesses of Africa community, Nkemdilim Begho and Ola Brown, recognised in the Class of 2019 Business and Entrepreneurship Category.

Shop Nanjala wins Kenya E-Commerce Female Entrepreneur of the Year Award

August 18, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Teresa Lubano, founder of The Nanjala Company (Kenya)

Awards and Accolades

The inaugural Kenya E-Commerce Awards 2019 took place this month amidst much fanfare, with successful local companies being recognized for their excellence and innovation in online business platforms and models. Teresa Lubano, founder of The Nanjala Company, an online specialist store for gifts centered on potted plants and accessories, scooped the E-Commerce Female Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

Fashion’s Finest Africa Awards Recognize Leading Women Entrepreneurs from the Lionesses of Africa community

August 11, 2019 Melanie Hawken

AWARDS & ACCOLADES

The prestigious Fashion’s Finest Africa Awards 2019 have just taken place, and two leading women entrepreneurs from the Lionesses of Africa community have scooped the top two awards. Bag Designer of the Year 2019 went to Femi Olayebi, founder of Femi Handbags and Accessories of the Year 2019 went to Anita Quansah, founder of Anita Quansah London.

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