FT Podcast with Dorcas Muthoni: “Starting a business young is a bonus” says Kenyan tech pioneer

July 1, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Dorcas Muthoni, founder of Open World Ltd (Kenya) — **Dorcas Muthoni**, founder of **Open World Ltd (Kenya)**

This week saw Kenyan tech pioneer, Dorcas Muthoni, founder of Open World and creator of Open Business, sharing her thoughts on doing business in Kenya and the general lack of women in the tech sector in Africa as a whole, during a fascinating podcast interview with the Financial Times. Dorcas talked about the exciting new business opportunities in Silicon Savannah and also about how to avoid corruption in a country which has its challenges in the way that business has traditionally been done.

100 LIONESSES: Nkemdilim Begho takes to the stage in Brussels to talk Technology and Job Creation, Growth and Competitiveness in West Africa

June 24, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Nkemdilim Begho, founder of FutureSoft (Nigeria) — **Nkemdilim Begho**, founder of FutureSoft (Nigeria)

This month, Nigerian serial entrepreneur Nkemdilim Begho, founder of specialist IT company FutureSoft and co-founder of children’s accessory brand AlwaysMe by Ann Li, had the honour of speaking in Brussels at a high level European Commission conference. The event, which sought to tackle issues around Job Creation, Growth and Competitiveness in West Africa, attracted 300 high-level representatives from the European Commission, Regional Organisations (ECOWAS and WAEMU), Regional Development Banks, National Authorities at Ministerial level, financial Institutions and private sector stakeholders.

100 LIONESSES: Celebrating the life of a pioneering South African woman entrepreneur who revolutionized the real estate industry

April 8, 2018 Melanie Hawken

This past week saw the end of an era in South Africa as one of the country’s pioneering women entrepreneurs passed away. Pam Golding, founder and Life President of the Pam Golding Property Group, was an extraordinary example of how to beat gender stereotypes and build a global business and brand from the bottom up. She died on Tuesday at her home Wittebomen in Constantia, Cape Town. She was 89 years old.

100 Lionesses: Flying Doctors Nigeria founder, Dr Ola Brown, honoured with Aviation Most Remarkable Medical Personality Award

April 1, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Flying Doctors Nigeria Founder, Dr Ola Brown and Finland’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Pirjo Suomela-Chowdhury after Brown received the Aviation Most Remarkable Medical Personality Award from NIGAV in Lagos.

In recognition of Flying Doctors Nigeria’s role in saving lives during critical and emergency situations in sub-Sahara Africa, Dr Ola Brown, the company's founder has been bestowed with the prestigious 2017 Aviation Most Remarkable Medical Personality Award by the Nigeria Aviation Awards (NIGAV) held last month.

100 LIONESSES: Featuring Margaret Hirsch, co-founder of Hirsch's Homestores, a powerhouse of appliance and electronic retailing

January 26, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Margaret Hirsch has become a leading example to business women in Southern Africa – coming from a humble background, to co-founding and running the multi million rand Appliance and Electronic retail organisation, Hirsch’s. Margaret has been recognised through her efforts in building a successful business, and her determination to give back to the community by, over the last four years, winning a multitude of business awards, including two Lifetime Achievement Awards in business and entrepreneurship.

100 LIONESSES: Swaady Martin, stylish purveyor of African luxury tea

December 3, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Swaady Martin, founder of Yswara — **Swaady Martin**, founder of Yswara

Swaady Martin is 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. YSWARA is sold online and in 8 countries with different direct and indirect retail points.

100 LIONESSES: Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu, the shoemaker with a deep social conscience

November 19, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu is founder and Managing Director of soleRebels, the world's fastest-growing African footwear brand and the only Fair Trade-certified footwear company in the world. Growing up in a poor suburb of Addis Ababa, Bethlehem decided that there was only one way to defeat poverty – use local craftsmanship to make products that can compete in the global marketplace. She decided on footwear and today 70,000 pairs of shoes leave her factory every year. soleRebels has been expanding rapidly and has 18 stores around the world, including in Silicon Valley (USA), Japan, Singapore, Austria, Greece, Spain and Switzerland, along with an aggressive e-commerce marketing strategy. in 2015, Bethlehem launched a new venture, Republic of Leather, offering bespoke, hand crafted Leather wear and accessories; and in 2016 she launched an equally ambitious new coffee venture called Garden of Coffee with the objective of taking Ethiopia's ancient coffee culture to the world.

100 LIONESSES: Jenna Clifford, world-renowned jewellery designer

October 29, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Jenna Clifford is a world-renowned jewellery designer, known for her unique designs and superlative craftsmanship. Established in 1992, her company has steadily grown its clientele and improved its profile to institute itself as a powerful force in the jewellery industry. Her bold and dramatic designs are sought after by some of the most recognised business icons and celebrities from around the world. Today, Jenna Clifford Designs employs around 60 people, including some of the finest jewellery artisans and craftsmen in South Africa.

100 LIONESSES: Featuring Dorcas Muthoni, a passionate techpreneur transforming lives

October 15, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Dorcas Muthoni is founder and Chief Executive Officer of Openworld Ltd, a specialist computer software company she established in Kenya when she was just 24 years old. Today, Openworld is a leading e-Government and business software services firm involved in the delivery of some of the most widely used Web and Cloud applications in Africa, such as ARIS, an African Union reporting application used by all 54 member states; and the Performance Management System for the Government of Kenya, automating performance contracting in the public sector.

DR. JENNIFER RIRIA '100 Lionesses' Profile - Meet the woman who has committed herself to empowering Kenya's women

October 8, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Dr. Jennifer Riria is the Group CEO of Kenya Women Holding and one of Africa's leading women entrepreneurs who has always been on a mission to transform the lives of women and their families in her native Kenya. She is distinguished microfinance banker, researcher and a leading gender specialist. She has served in many leadership roles for which she has been recognized locally and internationally. In 2013 she was awarded the Ernst & Young (EY) Entrepreneur of the year, East Africa 2013, and subsequently, the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2014, at which point she was admitted to EY’s Global Hall of Fame.

100 LIONESSES: Dr Jennifer Riria, a business leader empowering Kenya's women

September 24, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Dr. Jennifer Riria is the Group CEO of Kenya Women Holding and one of Africa's leading women entrepreneurs who has always been on a mission to transform the lives of women and their families in her native Kenya. She is distinguished as a microfinance banker and practitioner, researcher and gender specialist. She has served in many leadership roles for which she has been recognized locally and internationally. In 2013 she was awarded the Ernst & Young (EY) Entrepreneur of the year, East Africa 2013, and subsequently, the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2014, at which point she was admitted to EY’s Global Hall of Fame.

Divine Ndhlukula wins Zimbabwe's private sector leader of the year award

September 17, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Screen Shot 2017-09-17 at 2.01.33 PM.jpg

Women dominated the Zimbabwe Institute of Management 2017 Leadership Excellence awards that were presented in Harare this month, with Securico Security Services founder, Divine Ndhlukula, picking up the prestigious Private Sector Leader of the Year award. She received the award for her ongoing contribution to management excellence in the country in the preceding year and for being an example and inspiration for others to emulate.

100 Lionesses: Nigerian entrepreneur Mo Abudu, founder of Ebony Life TV, honored with journalism award

July 6, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Mo Abudu, founder of Ebony Life TV (Nigeria) — **Mo Abudu**, founder of Ebony Life TV (Nigeria)

This week, on 6th July 2017, the 4th Women in Journalism Conference takes place, honoring the outstanding work done by women in their own individual fields in the media sector. Nigerian game-changing media entrepreneur, Mo Abudu, founder of Ebony Life TV, is to be recognized for her work in changing the media landscape in Africa.

100 Lionesses: Divine Ndhlukula appointed new Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce President

July 2, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Divine Ndhlukula, founder of Securico — **Divine Ndhlukula**, founder of Securico

This month saw the appointment of Divine Ndhlukula, founder of game changing security services company, Securico, as the new Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) President, a post she will occupy for the next two years. She has committed to dedicating her time at the helm of the ZNCC to furthering the cause of small to medium sized enterprises, something close to her heart as an entrepreneur. Divine said: “It will be important to note that we will focus on helping SMEs to realize their full potential as they now anchor the country’s economy. In the same vein, we will also strive to ensure that the country’s economy can realize its full potential.”

100 LIONESSES: Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu the creative force behind soleRebels, Africa's fastest growing footwear brand

June 24, 2017 Melanie Hawken

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.

100 Lionesses - Tabitha Karanja and Julian Adyeri Omalla, two game-changing women entrepreneurs recognized for their trailblazing drinks industry businesses in Africa

June 11, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Tabitha Karanja (L) and Julian Adyeri Omalla (R)

The Africa Report has just published its list of the 50 women Star Dealmakers, the trendsetters, trailblazers and game-changing business brand-builders, who are shaking up the world of business on the African continent. Two of the women making the list and who have definitely made their significant mark in the drinks industries are Tabitha Karanja, CEO Keroche Breweries; and Julian Adyeri Omalla, Managing Director of Delight Uganda.

Nigerian ecopreneur, Bilikiss Adebiyi and her company WeCyclers, wins the Smart Cities Innovation Awards Grand Prize Le Monde 2017

June 3, 2017 Melanie Hawken

For the second edition of the Smart Cities Innovation Awards held this past week, the French newspaper Le Monde thought big. Nigerian startup WeCyclers, co-founded by Bilikiss Adebiyi, the innovative startup that brings domestic waste collection and treatment to Nigeria through a fleet of cargo-bikes and a waste sorting hub, was awarded with the prestigious International Grand Prize at the awards event held in Singapore.

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