100 Lionesses Digital Transformation Playbook for Africa’s Women Entrepreneurs offers first-person hacks, tactics and strategies for building businesses back from Covid-19 pandemic

March 25, 2022 Melanie Hawken

PRESS RELEASE

Report produced by Lionesses of Africa and financed by African Development Bank’s Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) initiative

The COVID-19 pandemic has made businesses, large and small and across all industry sectors, start thinking about Digital Transformation as a priority, pushing it to the top of their agendas. However, for many women entrepreneurs on the African continent, the challenge is knowing where to start. So as a practical response to the challenge, the 100 Lionesses Digital Transformation Playbook has been launched, the first in a series of practical digital tools for Africa’s women entrepreneurs produced by Lionesses of Africa, with the support of The African Development Bank through its Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA). The 100 Lionesses Digital Transformation Playbook provides peer to peer insights for women enterprises to kickstart their digital transformation journeys. It features 24 leading African women entrepreneurs who share their personal digital transformation playbooks and experience for improving efficiency, building resilience and speeding up recovery.

Nabou Fall, an inspirational communications leader with a passion for coaching

September 19, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

Vizeo, an advertising agency in Cote d’Ivoire helping companies get strategic about communications in Africa.

Nabou Fall is the CEO of Vizeo an advertising agency in Cote d’Ivoire which helps companies implement strategic publicity and public relations in Africa. She started her career as an executive board member for 15 years, as Sales and Marketing Director, Deputy Managing Director and Managing Director in Telecom companies such as MTN (Ivory Coast and Congo Republic), 2XTCOM Vodacom in DRC. She is a public speaker, personal development coach, and a coach of youth and women entrepreneurship, leadership and happiness. Nabou is a TEDx speaker, author and mentor in various empowerment NGOs, the President of Wimnet (NGO involved in women and youth empowerment ), and was recently appointed to be the president of the Women Investment Club in Ivory Coast. She is also the cofounder of Impact Hub Abidjan.

Kah Walla, a Cameroonian solution-driven entrepreneur and political leader

August 29, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

STRATEGIES!, a consultancy firm specializing in leadership and management solutions

Kah Walla is a Political Leader, Activist and Entrepreneur from Cameroon. She is the founder and CEO of the 26-year old consulting firm, STRATEGIES! and the current president of the Cameroon People’s Party (CPP) she joined in 2010. In 2011, she became the first woman to ever run for President of the Republic of Cameroon. She has been recognized with several awards: The Vital Voices Global Leadership Award in public Life (2012), the DVF Award (2014), and the Vital Voices Vanguard Award (2015).

Video: Dr. Victoria Kisyombe founder of SELFINA in Tanzania shares her message of hope at TEDx Berkeley

March 26, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Source: TEDx | published on Mar 26, 2015

Dr. Victoria Kisyombe has founded micro-financing for women in Tanzania, and is now working to empower women worldwide. Victoria is a leader who has used innovation, initiative, and determination to empower women in Tanzania to become economically self-sufficient. Watch her address at TEDx Berkeley.

Video: 'Women in Tech' Month - LoA interviews inspirational techpreneur Nkemdilim Begho founder of Futuresoft in Nigeria

March 6, 2015 Melanie Hawken

As part of LoA 'Women in Tech' month, we spoke to the inspirational techpreneur Nkemdilim Begho, founder of Futuresoft in Nigeria, and a passionate supporter of women's entrepreneurship and empowerment through technology in Africa.

Video: Tabitha Karanja discusses Keroche Breweries latest US$55 Million production expansion project

March 5, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Source: SABC News | Published on March 4, 2015

Tabitha Karanja, founder and CEO Of Kenya's Keroche Breweries talks about her latest move and major investment to increase her company's production capacity. Keroche Breweries plans to raise its share of the beer market by 20 percent over the coming twelve months. It started in 1997 as a wine maker, then diversified into beer and spirits in 2008.

Video: Njeri Rionge on empowering daring entrepreneurialism in Africa

February 23, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Source: Cadillac Dare Greatly Series | Published on February 22, 2015

Njeri Rionge was a hairdresser with an entrepreneurial streak. She dared to trust her instincts and in doing so helped bring low cost internet to East Africa, and built its biggest internet service provider. In the video below Njeri is featured in Cadillac's 'We Dare Greatly' series - celebrating daring changemakers, whose passion and vision have reshaped their industries, our lives and our future. She discusses what it means to #DareGreatly and how to empower daring entrepreneurialism in Africa.

Video: Victoria Kisyombe speaks on Leadership: How to turn loss into strength

February 17, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Video source: The Washington Post PostTV | August 15, 2014

Victoria Kisyombe, founder of SELFINA, a pioneering micro-credit organization for women in Tanzania, talks to the Post's Lillian Cunningham about what motivated her work and how she turned personal loss into strength.

Video: Dr. Jennifer Riria wins EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award

February 12, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Source: CNBC Africa | 12 February 2015

Jennifer Riria, CEO, Kenya Women Holding, has won the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award in the Master Category for the Kenyan region. Joining CNBC Africa for more is the winner herself Jennifer Riria, CEO, Kenya Women Holding.

Video: Uche Pedro is featured on Diamond Woman's Nigerian Women of Vision

December 9, 2014 Melanie Hawken

Source: Diamond Woman's Nigerian Women of Vision | Published on November 30, 2014

This video features Bella Naija's founder Uche Pedro who has recently been named as one of the ’30 Most Promising Young Entrepreneurs In Africa in 2014′ by Forbes. She is the Managing Director of BellaNaija and Creative Director of BellaNaija.com, an online company that develops and manages exciting online media content aimed at Pan-African and Nigerian audiences.

Video: Ethel Cofie discusses Women's Leadership, Technology and Entrepreneurship

December 1, 2014 Melanie Hawken

Video published on 1 December 2014

Ethel Cofie is tech entrepreneur and founder of women in tech Ghana/Africa. In this video she shares her thoughts on Women's Leadership, Technology and Entrepreneurship.

Video: Dr. Jennifer Riria talks women's empowerment with CNBC Africa

November 26, 2014 Melanie Hawken

Source: CNBC Africa | Published on 26 November 2014

CNBC Africa's profiles Dr. Jennifer Riria, CEO of Kenya Women Holding, who works tirelessly to empower women in her native Kenya by giving them small loans to start businesses.

Time interview: Q&A with Nigeria’s Flying Doctor Ola Orekunrin

November 10, 2014 Melanie Hawken

Source: Time | September 12, 2014

British-Nigerian doctor Ola Orekunrin may be only 28, but she’s already founded Nigeria’s first emergency air ambulance service. Flying Doctors has become an essential service, airlifting patients from remote areas to hospitals, and providing care en route. It has helped hundreds of patients, particularly employees in the country’s oil and gas sector, who are among Flying Doctors’ top clients.

Video: Aissa Dione is at the heart of magically weaving African grown cotton into prized fabric

October 27, 2014 Melanie Hawken

Source: Bruno demeocq

Watch highly skilled artisan weavers at work in Assia Dione's workshop in Dakar, Senegal as they create beautiful fabrics prized by many of the high-end interior design brands of the world.

Video: Lydia Hakizimana talks about the effects of corruption on the human spirit

October 14, 2014 Melanie Hawken

Source: Poverty Cure | Published on September 19, 2013

Lydie Hakizimana of Rwanda describes the effects of corruption on the human spirit. The problem of corruption extends beyond dollars and cents. It crushes the entrepreneurial spirit of a people.

Video: Lydia Hakizimana talks about her reading project to inspire the children of Rwanda

October 14, 2014 Melanie Hawken

Source: US AID | Published on February 8, 2013

Lydia Hakizimana talks about a children's reading programme and competition she launched in Rwanda to inspire children to get more excited about reading.

Video: Dr. Ola Orekunrin shares her views on the Ebola crisis

October 10, 2014 Melanie Hawken

Source: Diamond Women | Published on October 10, 2014

Diamond Women selected Dr. Ola Orekunrin as the Diamond Woman of the month for October. Dr. Ola Orekunrin is the founder of The Flying Doctors Nigeria, a leading air ambulance service in Nigeria. Here she discusses among other things her views on the latest Ebola crisis impacting West Africa.

Video: Deola Sagoe the Queen of African Design

September 1, 2014 Melanie Hawken

Source: ARISE Entertainment 360, hosted by Lola Ogunnaike, published on Feb 14, 2014

Nigerian fashion pioneer Deola Sagoe celebrated 25 years in the business with a solo exhibition at the 2014 New York Fashion Show. ARISE Entertainment 360, hosted by Lola Ogunnaike sat down with her moments before the festivities began.

Video: eNCA profiles Sibongile Sambo - Pioneering woman of aviation

August 29, 2014 Melanie Hawken

Source: eNCA | Published on Aug 29, 2014

eNCA profiles remarkable women in a series called August Women. Sibongile Sambo turned her dream of flight to reality by becoming the first black female to own an aviation company in South Africa.

Video: Gahaya Links connect global shoppers with quality handcrafted products

August 25, 2014 Melanie Hawken

Source: Walmart | Published on 7 March 2013

Walmart and Full Circle Exchange connect shoppers with quality products made by the network of women basket weavers in Rwanda, allowing customers to help the lives of their families and communities.

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