Lorna Rutto resigned her comfortable banking job in 2009 to start EcoPost in Nairobi. Every month, her company uses approximately 20 tons of plastic waste. Utilising dirty plastic to make a product that saves wood is not just an environmental plus; it also boosts employment.
Read moreLilly Alfonso, a leading light in African fashion
Source: CNN African Voices | 11 January 2019
Building a fashion brand with a unique personality, great style appeal, and a social conscience can be a tall order for many. But for the talented designer and entrepreneur, Lilly Alfonso, a leading light on the Malawian fashion and business scene, this is the nature of the business and brand she is building.
Read moreBupe Chipili Mulapesi, a Zambian strawberry farmer and processor
VIDEO: Bupe Chipili Mulapesi is a Zambian agripreneur turning her passion for strawberry growing into a thriving business in the country.
Read moreFemi Olayebi, a woman at the forefront of driving Nigeria's hugely promising leather industry
Source: CNN Africa Marketplace
Can leather become one of Nigeria's growth industries? With an enthusiastic crop of designers championing Nigeria's leather industry, the country is continuing to diversify its economy by looking beyond oil. Femi Olayebi is a woman at the forefront of this growing industry with her exciting and creative luxury brand, Femi Handbags.
Read moreCapturing the spirit of the Lioness Lean In events in Africa
The Lioness Lean In breakfast event held in Johannesburg on 14 June 2018 in partnership with Open Workspaces, and held at their great co-working space in Sandton, had an added dimension. A film crew from the Perspectives documentary series were recording the event, capturing the spirit of the Lioness Lean In events, and interviewing Lionesses of Africa founder and ceo, Melanie Hawken.
Read moreLeading Ugandan entrepreneur Amina Hersi adds value to her community
Leading woman entrepreneur Amina Hersi has inspired many young women in Uganda to work because she has made it clear that working hard puts you up there and helps you to achieve great things. Amina is one of the most influential women in Uganda who has inspired many to work tooth and nail to achieve success. Having started from a humble beginning, Amina is now enjoying fruits of her hard work.
Read moreChanging the game - Swaady Martin, founder of YSWARA
Source: Radio 702 | Published on Feb 21, 2018
Featuring Swaady Martin. Swaady Martin is the founder of YSWARA, a rapidly growing African luxury brand. YSWARA creates elegant, high-end products using the continent’s natural resources, all produced by African artisans. The product range centres around exquisite teas sourced from across Africa, Swaady aims to capture a true spirit of African luxury by reviving Africa’s endangered cultural heritage and unique ancestral craftsmanship.
Read more100 LIONESSES: Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu the creative force behind soleRebels, Africa's fastest growing footwear brand
Watch this fascinating interview with Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu, founder and ceo of soleRebels, as she talks about how she has led her Ethiopian business to become the fastest growing African shoe brand, now taking the world by storm.
Read moreVIDEO: Lizl Naude, a South African entrepreneur turning trash into treasure
Source: CGTN Africa | Published on May 5, 2017
Lizl Naude is a South African entrepreneur working to change perceptions about waste. She creates unique pieces of furniture from discarded materials or junk. Her creations also help save the planet at the same time. CGTN's Julie Scheier has more from Cape Town.
Read moreMo Abudu, founder of EbonyLife TV: Being Bold in Entrepreneurship
Source: Talks at Google | Published on Apr 3, 2017
Mo Abudu is the founder of EbonyLife TV. She has achieved success in various fields - as an Executive in ExxonMobil for nearly a decade, as the promoter behind the Protea Hotel Oakwood Park, as well as the Founder of Vic Lawrence & Associates, one of Nigeria’s leading Outsourcing firms. Then she entered the world of media as the Creator and Hostess of “MOMENTS WITH MO”, earning the accolade of ‘Africa’s ‘first lady of chat’. The show was the first of its kind to be syndicated across Africa, with an impressive guest list that includes Hillary Rodham-Clinton, President Muhammadu Buhari, and Christine Lagarde, amongst others.
Read moreVIDEO: Adèle Dejak talks about Kenya's fashion industry gaining traction
Adèle Dejak is one of an emerging group of entrepreneurs who are adding value to Kenya's arts and fashion industry. Speaking to Nikiwe Bikitsha for the Africa Connected series, the jewellery designer said that she aims to create a platform that shares information with women that will empower them in business. Adele is part of a group called "Lionesses of Africa" which aims to recognise all those women entrepreneurs in Africa who are an inspiration to us all, those who have made it to the top of their fields and who are shaking up their industries and business sectors.
Read moreVIDEO: Highlights of the Lionesses of Africa Annual Conference 2016
Watch the highlights showreel of The Lionesses of Africa Annual Conference 2016 held in 12 October at the Inanda Club, Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Read moreESSENTIAL VIEWING: Melanie Hawken talks about women's entrepreneurship in Africa on SABC News
Female entrepreneurs from across Africa will meet in Johannesburg this week. The conference, hosted by Lionesses of Africa, will bring together 280 women entrepreneurs to share their stories of success and inspire each other. To tell us more, we are joined by Melanie Hawken, Founder and CEO of Lionesses of Africa.
Read moreVIDEO: Aisha Pandor talks about how her startup SweepSouth is using technology to provide home services
Source: Soweto TV | Tonight with Tim Modise | Published on July 15, 2016
The idea for SweepSouth came in December 2013 when husband and wife team Alen Ribic and Aisha R. Pandor struggled to find a part-time domestic cleaner over the holidays. The aim was to make getting your home cleaned, at short notice, a hassle-free experience. SweepSouth currently operates in most areas of Cape Town, Johannesburg, Centurion and Pretoria and will be expanding into other regions soon.
Read moreVIDEO: Bilikiss Adebiyi on how Wecyclers is creating a business model for recycling in Lagos
Bilikiss Adebiyi, co-founder and CEO of Wecyclers in Nigeria talks about how the idea for her business started in an MIT class; how the service works; the incentives people receive to recycle; how it works financially for this social enterprise; and her ambitions for the business.
Read moreBethlehem Tilahun Alemu - Addresses the Leaders Summit 2016 at UN Headquarters
Published on Jul 19, 2016 --- Gathering leaders from business, civil society, Government, the UN and academia, the UN Global Compact Leaders Summit highlighted how the newly adopted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a tremendous market opportunity for business and other stakeholders to innovate, invest and collaborate to create a more sustainable future for all. In this video is Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu the Founder and Executive Director of soleRebels.
Read moreVIDEO: Ally Angula's story
Ally Angula, Group Managing Director and Chief Strategist of Leap Holdings, talks about her business and the challenges she faced when building a sustainable agribusiness. And what fashion has to do with it? Watch the video and learn more.
Read moreVideo: Tabitha Karanja - If women are empowered they will go places and can play an important role in growing the economy of their country
Tabitha Karanja, founder and CEO of Keroche Breweries in Kenya, talks about the importance of empowering women and allowing them to play a key role in growing the economy in their country.
Read moreTELEVISION INTERVIEW: Melanie Hawken talks Women and Leadership on Women's International Day with Rwanda TV
Lionesses of Africa Founder and CEO, Melanie Hawken, together with Global Women’s Summit Rwanda Director and Founder of Kora Associates, Mireille Karera, were invited into the Rwanda TV studios on 7th March to take part in the Debate 411 television programme, hosted by renowned anchor and tv personality, Eugene Anangwe. The topic under discussion was Women’s Empowerment and Entrepreneurship, to coincide with International Women’s Day.
Read moreMonica Musonda: Don't happily be a spectator in your own economy
Video: Monica Musonda, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Java Foods (Zambia)
Do you want to be a spectator or a participant in your country? Monica Musonda narrates her journey into entrepreneurship as a Zambian woman. Working for the richest man in Africa, her former employer Aliko Dangote asked “Where are the Zambian Banks & Factories?” Monica reflected on how Nigerians run their economy and this inspired her to actively participate in her own country’s economy.
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