Monica Musonda, founder of Java Foods, Zambia wins the African Agribusiness Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2017

May 14, 2017 Melanie Hawken

The Market Matters 2017 African Agribusiness Entrepreneur of the Year Award has just been presented to Ms. Monica Musonda, founder and owner of Java Foods in Zambia. Ms. Musonda and Java Foods’ contribution to Africa’s agribusiness sector and food security was officially recognized during the Closing Banquet of the 2017 Making Markets Matter Executive Training Program for the African Agribusiness Sector in Somerset West, South Africa, on 11 May 2017. Java Foods joins a list of 8 other pioneering African entrepreneurs in receiving this honor.

Margaret Hirsch announces the winners of the Hirsch’s Woman In Business Achiever of the Year Awards in the Western Cape

April 9, 2017 Melanie Hawken

The prestigious annual Hirsch Women in Business Awards Gala Evening in the Western Cape for 2017 took place on Friday 7 April at the Century City Conference Centre in Cape Town, South Africa, and as usual, was a star studded affair. The theme was old Hollywood and top business women from around the Western Cape dressed the part! Over 300 people attended the event, which was co-sponsored by Hisense, one of Hirsch’s top suppliers. Robyn Hey, Past president of the Cape Town Chapter of the Business Women’s Association of South Africa was the Guest Speaker at the event, and complimented Margaret and Hirsch’s for their initiative for holding the event.

Sarah Collins and Wonderbag collaborate with Pfizer Vaccines to positively change lives in Ghana

March 10, 2017 Melanie Hawken

In the Upper East Region of Ghana, cooking is a dangerous and time-consuming daily activity. Results from a self-reported survey indicate that women spend two hours a day gathering fuel and water, followed by up to four hours standing over open fires1. Exposed to cooking smoke for hours each day, women and small children can be at higher risk for deadly diseases such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, heart disease and lung cancer.

Is your favorite lipstick fake? Africa's leading beauty entrepreneur Tara Fela-Durotoye launches campaign to tackle counterfeiting

March 5, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Tara Fela-Durotoye, Founder & CEO of House of Tara International — **Tara Fela-Durotoye**, Founder & CEO of House of Tara International

Leading African beauty industry entrepreneur, Tara Fela-Durotoye, together with other leading Nigerian entrepreneurs are raising their voices to stand against counterfeiting, intellectual property theft and piracy in Nigeria. Their powerful new campaign 'United We Stand' aimed at tackling piracy, counterfeiting and intellectual property theft head-on launched on 24th February 2017. The campaign is a call to action against injustice which also implores the Nigerian public to take extra steps to preserve hard work and to ensure consumer safety by buying genuine products and shunning counterfeit products.

SoleRebels founder Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu demonstrates the power of thinking big with her new Garden of Coffee venture

February 26, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu, the pioneering and enterprising creator of the inspirational SoleRebels ethical footwear brand, and Republic of Leather, her business venture that puts Ethiopia’s handcrafted leatherwear and accessories on the global map, believes the future of a truly sustainable specialty coffee market can be found in coffee’s birthplace, her native Ethiopia. After more than a decade of building SoleRebels into a global footwear and leather goods brand that combines traditional Ethiopian craftsmanship and materials with fresh new designs while also paying top dollar throughout the supply chain, Alemu late last year launched an equally ambitious new coffee venture called Garden of Coffee.

2016 - What a year it was!

January 1, 2017 Melanie Hawken

It’s that time of year when we like to look back at all the highlights of the last 12 months, and reflect on what an amazing year it has been. So many inspirational women entrepreneurs met and startup stories told; so many unforgettable events held and new business relationships forged; so many business ideas and challenges shared; and importantly, so many lifelong friends made. We would like to take this moment to say a huge thank you to all those who have been part of the Lionesses of Africa journey so far - the women entrepreneurs across the African continent who inspire us every day, the impact partners who work with us to make great things possible, and the entrepreneurial eco-system that continues to connect us like-minded people, amazing partners and supporters from around the world.

Ethel Cofie recognized as Africa’s Most Influential Woman in Business and Government for ICT by CEO Global

November 27, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Ethel Cofie, founder & CEO of EDEL Technology Consulting in Ghana — **Ethel Cofie**, founder & CEO of EDEL Technology Consulting in Ghana

Ethel Cofie, CEO of EDEL Technology Consulting is Africa’s Most Influential Woman in Business and Government for the ICT Category, according to CEO Global. The award was conferred on her in South Africa on Tuesday November 23, 2016. The awards are the leading African recognition programme honoring excellence in the private and public sector. The programme covers 23 economic sectors and has for the past sixteen years independently recognized leaders who are at the pinnacle of their industry.

100 Lionesses: Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu talks disruptive change at the UN Global Compact Leaders Summit

July 9, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu, founder of soleRebels

Ethiopian entrepreneur Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu addressed the 2016 UN Global Compact Leaders Summit at the United Nations headquarters in New York last month, invited to speak in a session aimed at highlighting those global game-changers who have demonstrated their ability to change mindsets.

100 Lionesses: Alldens Lane Founder and CEO, Ruka Sanusi, leads delegation of Ghanaian and Nigerian businesswomen on inspirational fact-finding tour to Johannesburg

July 3, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Ruka Sanusi, founder & CEO of Alldens Lane (Ghana) — **Ruka Sanusi**, founder & CEO of Alldens Lane (Ghana)

This week, emerging female business owners from Ghana and Nigeria got the chance to experience a week of instructive and inspiring life and business lessons, when one of Africa’s leading business advisory and consulting firm founders, Ruka Sanusi, CEO of Alldens Lane, led the group on a fact-finding tour to Johannesburg, South Africa.

100 Lionesses: Mo Abudu listed on Business Insider's Top 100 Business Visionaries creating value for the world

June 26, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Mo Abudu, CEO of EbonyLife TV has been listed on Business Insider‘s Top 100 business visionaries creating value for the world. She is the only African on the list with a ranking of 56 on a list of 100 people from all over the world. As the head of one of Africa’s most successful new media ventures, the Nigeria-based television network EbonyLife TV, endeavors to tell real African stories and change the conversation around the continent.

100 LIONESSES: Ethel Cofie's Edel Technology Consulting is nominated for IT Consulting Firm of The Year

May 16, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Ethel Cofie, founder Edel Technology Consulting, Ghana

EDEL Technology Consulting, founded by Ethel Cofie has been nominated in this year’s Ghana Telecom Award now re-branded Ghana Information Technology and Telecom Awards (GITTA), in the category “IT consulting firm of the year”. This follows hot on the heels of being judged one of the '100 Most Globally Competitive Startups in Ghana', compiled by one of the country’s reputed media rating establishments, Avance Media, together with The African Network of Entrepreneurs (TANOE) and Joy Business.

AKRAFO, a new socially responsible gourmet brand launched by the SWAADY Group

April 5, 2016 Melanie Hawken

A new and lovingly created, socially responsible gourmet brand, AKRAFO, has just been launched by one of the leading AfroLuxe exponents on the continent, the SWAADY Group, headed by inspirational founder, Swaady Martin. AKRAFO offers a wide range of organic and natural products with wellness properties including teas & herbal teas, honey, jams, mineral water, oils, spices & condiments.

Monica Musonda: Don't happily be a spectator in your own economy

February 28, 2016 Melanie Hawken

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.

VIDEO: Sibongile Sambo - pioneering woman of South African aviation - shares her entrepreneurial journey with CNN

January 31, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Sibongile Sambo, Founder & CEO of SRS Aviation (South Africa) — **Sibongile Sambo**, Founder & CEO of SRS Aviation (South Africa)

Sibongile Sambo is a pioneering woman of South African aviation. She is founder and Chief Executive Officer of SRS Aviation Ltd., the first 100 percent black, female-owned aviation services company in South Africa. This week, CNN’s African Start-Up featured this pioneering woman entrepreneur whose love for flying has paved the way to a successful private aviation business.

BILIKISS ADEBIYI '100 Lionesses' Profile - Meet the woman building Nigeria's recycling sector

July 7, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Meet Bilikiss Adebiyi, the inspiring Nigerian social entrepreneur and founder of WeCyclers. Her multi-award winning company offers waste collection and recycling services to the Lagos informal settlements, where an estimated 66% of Lagosians live.

RAPELANG RABANA '100 Lionesses' Profile: Meet a game-changing South African education technology entrepreneur

June 10, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Rapelang Rabana is a South African technology entrepreneur who is making waves both on the African continent and around the world. Rapelang is the innovative founder of Rekindle Learning, a company looking to improve education in Africa by turning people’s compulsion to check their phones into an opportunity to learn.

The '100 LIONESSES' Project a window into the world of Africa's most inspiring women entrepreneurs

June 10, 2015 Melanie Hawken

100 Lionesses is an ongoing project of Lionesses of Africa to identify and celebrate 100 extraordinary African women entrepreneurs whose example serves to motivate and inspire a belief in all of us that we can pursue our personal entrepreneurial dreams and make them a reality.

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