Goretti Kat, an entrepreneur educating and empowering young people to thrive in Democratic Republic of Congo

August 29, 2023 Melanie Hawken

Goretti Kat, CEO, Minzoto Club (Democratic Republic of Congo)

Startup Story

Goretti Kat is the founder and CEO of Minzoto Club, an educational cultural centre for teenagers in the Democratic Republic of Congo. She has a degree in organizational and corporate communications and is a member of the global network of educators HUNDRED.org. She is also a facilitator and trainer in entrepreneurship, leadership and personal development. Goretti first worked for young people’s development as an activist for 5 years. During this time, she acquired 3 leadership certifications after helping to set up 4 youth support structures in universities. After that, she then set up Minzoto Club in early 2021. In 2018, she was awarded the title of "100 young pages of hope in the DRC", an annual diploma honouring the 100 country's most active young people of the year.

Gisela Mudumbi Van Houcke, a visionary brand-builder in Africa’s beauty sector

May 28, 2023 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

Zuri, a business with a vision to be the undisputed leader in the African beauty sector

Gisela Mudumbi Van Houcke is the founder of Zuri, a company providing high-quality beauty products and services designed specifically for black women in both Africa and across Europe. Her personal and entrepreneurial journey have been nothing short of remarkable. Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, she had to navigate many challenges in her early years. She left the country due to political instabilities and moved to the UK as a refugee. Her tenacity and perseverance paid off. During her time in London, Gisela excelled in her studies and obtained a First Class Law Degree in British and French Law. Gisela's first opportunity to do so came when she was appointed Africa Head of Legal for a British Renewable Energy company. She worked in this role for three years, gaining valuable insights into the African market and the challenges facing the continent. However, Gisela's true passion lay in entrepreneurship, and she decided to start her own business, launching Zuri in 2016, a business that today employs 30 people.

Noëlla Coursaris Musunka, a champion for girls’ education in the Democratic Republic of Congo

September 12, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

Malaika, a high impact social enterprise educating and empowering girls in their communities in DRC

Noëlla Coursaris Musunka is a Congolese/Cypriot philanthropist, an international model, and the Founder & CEO of Malaika. Founded in 2007, Malaika is a grassroots non-profit that educates and empowers girls and their communities in her home country of the Democratic Republic of the Congo through a school, a community centre, and a comprehensive clean water program. A unique and fearless spokesperson and the face of leading beauty and fashion campaigns across the globe, Noëlla is a voice for the power of girls’ education worldwide. Noëlla has shared her insight at a number of world-class forums spanning the World Economic Forum in Davos to the university halls of Cambridge, Oxford, Harvard, and MIT. She is an Ambassador for the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, an Advisor at Concordia, and a member of the Advisory Board of the Segal Family Foundation.

Dr Patricia Nzolantima, a transportation market disruptor in Africa

July 18, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

Bizzoly Transport & Logistics, an innovative business empowering women in Democratic Republic of Congo

Dr Patricia Nzolantima is a pure Africa product with over 18 years of experience in entrepreneurship and women’s empowerment. As a serial entrepreneur, Patricia is a seasoned leader in market disruption initiatives on the African continent. She is the founder and chairwoman of Bizzoly Holdings, a women-owned company and foundation. She is also the co-founder and managing director of EXP-Comuni-cart, a Sub-Saharan Africa marketing agency. Patricia founded the first women’s economic empowerment hub in Kinshasa, an accelerator program for women entrepreneurs to scale up their business; and also a driving license school for women and young women. She is the owner of the Bizzoly Transport and Logistics company that operates under Ubizcabs, the first female-driven taxi company in the Democratic Republic of Congo; and “Ubizdelivery”, the first women logistics services.

Sandra Mauricio Vuvu, an entrepreneur from the DRC, now building an organic beauty brand in South Africa

March 28, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Sandra Mauricio Vuvu, founder of Vuvu Organic Beauty (DRC/South Africa)

Startup Story

The rapidly growing global market for organic beauty products is one that Vuvu Organic Beauty, founded by Sandra Mauricio Vuvu, is now tapping into. Born in Angola, originally from Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo DRC, and growing up in South Africa, Sandra’s passion for beauty and skincare started when she was 17 years old. She watched her mother have such beautiful fashion sense and the beauty products that she used made her want to know more about beauty herself. Sandra qualified as a beauty therapist where she gained more insight in beauty before launching her business.

Michèle Mianza, an entrepreneur connecting patients to healthcare professionals in the Democratic Republic of Congo

December 13, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Michèle Mianza, founder of 2mk Healthcare (Democratic Republic of Congo)

Startup Story

Technology has become a real gamechanger in the world of healthcare, providing those in need with access to medical advice and healthcare professionals via apps and digital platforms. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, entrepreneur Michèle Mianza, founder of 2mk Healthcare empowers people to manage their health journeys using technology.

Bomanga Ngoi Longango - The startup story of an entrepreneur from the Democratic Republic of Congo capturing the essence of African cooking in a jar

November 13, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Bomanga Ngoi Longango, founder Evelea Foods (Democratic Republic of Congo) — **Bomanga Ngoi Longango**, founder Evelea Foods (Democratic Republic of Congo)

There is nothing more evocative of a country than its cuisine, and one woman entrepreneur from the Democratic Republic of Congo is taking the essence of her country and bottling it in jars for a European audience. Bomanga Ngoi Longango and her company Evelea, are capturing the flavours of African vegetables such as cassava leaves, amaranth leaves, and other traditional vegetables in ready to eat form, preserved in jars.

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