the pride of Africa's women entrepreneurs
Gloria Kamanzi Uwizera, founder of Glo Creations (Rwanda)
Tapping into the growing global interest in African design, entrepreneur Gloria Kamanzi Uwizera is building an award-winning company, Glo Creations, that is celebrating traditional batik printing techniques but with a contemporary twist.
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Pascale Bukize, founder of Nawel Company Ltd (Rwanda)
There is something truly inspirational about women entrepreneurs who harness the real power of the media, in particularly TV and Radio, to empower women in their countries through positive messaging, great storytelling, and powerful women role-models. Rwandan entrepreneur, Pascale Bukize, and her fellow team members founded Nawel Company Ltd to produce not only great content and TV shows, but also to launch a pioneering show The Real Women Show, to uplift and inspire other women in the country.
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Denise Umunyana and Celine Uwineza, founders of RightSeat (Rwanda)
The challenge for any company or organisation is finding the right people and building great teams, and one entrepreneurial team is making this process a whole lot easier. Right Seat is a specialist talent management company in Rwanda, spearheaded by two young women entrepreneurs, Denise Umunyana and Celine Uwineza, who are focused on building a strong HR pipeline in the country.
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Thokoza Mjo, founder of Beyond the Lemonade Stand (South Africa)
South Africa’s future economic prosperity depends on its young people making active contributions to the socio-economic development of the country. Yet with unemployment being a major challenge, the future lies in creating a new generation of entrepreneurs who can make a difference. Beyond the Lemonade Stand, the brainchild of founder Thokoza Mjo, is a social venture looking to do just that!
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Roxanne Edson, founder of Hidden Halos (South Africa)
The challenge of dealing with the effects of Foetal Alcohol Syndrome and the devastating impact it can have on the lives of innocent children, is a major one in South Africa. Social entrepreneur Roxanne Edson, and her team of supporters at Hidden Halos, are working tirelessly to champion foster care advocacy and support for those children affected by the syndrome.
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Joycee Awojoodu, founder ORÍKÌ (Nigeria)
As the fast developing world of personal grooming and skincare grows in Africa, so too does the desire to find products that harness the unique natural ingredients from the continent for their inspiration. One luxury brand, ORÍKÌ, is not only creating a range of products that truly celebrate Africa’s natural resources, but it also positively touches the lives of those who harvest those raw materials.
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Frances Edwards, founder of House of Cinnamon (South Africa)
They say one of the most successful ways of building a company and a brand is to follow a passion, and in the case of South African entrepreneur Frances Edwards, that has certainly been the inspiration for the launch of her business, House of Cinnamon. Today, Frances is creating a unique luxury footwear and accessories brand, that celebrates the art of fine craftsmanship in Africa.
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Christelle Kwizera, founder of Water Access Rwanda (WARwanda)
Water scarcity in Africa is a huge challenge today, but one young woman socialpreneur is building an enterprise that is looking to bring an answer that is both affordable and durable. Christelle Kwizera, founder of Water Access Rwanda (WARwanda), a company providing essential water filtration solutions, is already making a difference in her country.
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Carine-Zoe Umutoni, founder of ONYX (Rwanda)
Developing a distinctive fashion brand which celebrates African fabric and inspiration with contemporary design that reflects the uniqueness of Rwanda, is what makes ONYX stand out in the marketplace. Founder Carine-Zoe Umutoni has a passion for her country which is only matched by her talent for creating must-wear garments which the fashion conscious want to own.
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Wunmi Amokeodo, founder of Design for Love (Nigeria)
For many entrepreneurs, their businesses start with a passion or a need to address a key challenge that exists in the marketplace - in the case of talented Nigerian fashion design entrepreneur, Wunmi Amokeodo, founder of Design for Love (DFL), it was both of these factors.
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Bhavya Kalsi and Nimisha Kalipurayath, founders of KONA (Uganda)
KONA, the name of a unique new accessories and homeware company in Uganda was inspired by a mixture of cultures, the word literally meaning CORNER in Swahili Luganda and Hindi. So, from a little corner in Africa, two women entrepreneurs, are creating an exciting new brand with a distinctive personality.
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Bernadette Umunyana, founder of Dokmai Rwanda
A passion for handcrafted accessories, combined with a sense of pride for Made in Rwanda products, inspired Dokmai Rwanda founder, Bernadette Umunyana, to create a company and a brand that would celebrate the skills and raw materials of Rwanda. Today, her company is producing a range of high quality leather fashion accessories that are proudly made and designed in Rwanda, and custom tailored to meet the needs of the brand’s discerning customers.
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Sonia Mugabo, founder of Sonia Mugabo (SM), Rwanda
Recognising the high potential of the Rwandan fashion scene, and having a passion for mainstream and bespoke clothing design, was the inspiration for Sonia Mugabo to make the move and establish a new and exciting fashion company in the country. Her label, Sonia Mugabo (SM) is winning legions of new fashion conscious fans along the way.
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Nkem Okocha, founder of Mamamoni Limited (Nigeria)
Empowering women who come from low-income rural and urban backgrounds, but who have the potential to become independent micro-entrepreneurs, is the mission of Mamamoni Limited, a social enterprise founded by Nkem Okocha. She is providing a powerful combination of free vocational skills and mobile loans to help them on their way to becoming financially independent.
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Thokozile Mangwiro, founder of Nyla Naturals (South Africa)
In 2015, Lionesses of Africa featured a wonderful young startup company, Nyla Naturals, the brainchild of creative entrepreneur Thokozile Mangwiro. Today, one year on, so much has happened in the life of this great young company and entrepreneur, and a new natural hair care product line, Nilotiqua, has been launched which is just as exciting.
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Sarah Nakisanze, founder of Easy Afric Design (Uganda)
The world is becoming increasingly more enamoured by the wonderful traditional designs and fabrics of Africa, particularly when they are incorporated into contemporary fashion and decor pieces. Entrepreneur Sarah Nakisanze and her business Easy Afric Design, is harnessing the inspiration of the wonderful Ugandan traditional fabric of Barkcloth for her collections of fashion and art.
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Irisha Luhanga, founder Redefine Human Capital (South Africa)
In today’s increasingly competitive world, companies and organisations are becoming more focused on empowering their people in order to help them fulfil their full potential in their careers and in the workplace generally. Irisha Luhanga is one entrepreneur with a passion for human capital and with her company, Redefine Human Capital, she is redefining the way people view their work and helping them to align it to their true purpose.
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Olubukola Asafa, founder of Oba Couture (Nigeria)
There is a growing interest right now in AfroLuxe, bespoke finely crafted luxury items all proudly designed and created here in Africa. Oba Couture, the brand created by Nigerian entrepreneur Olubukola Asafa, is a new name in the world of luxury leather accessory brands emerging from the African continent, to add to the list of those brands currently winning legions of fans around the world with their high-end, luxury products.
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Ysolde Shimwe and Kevine Kagirimpundu, co-founders of Azuri K&Y (Rwanda)
The art of fine shoe-making is a specific design discipline and one that excites the team of entrepreneurs behind the Rwandan shoe brand, UZURI K&Y. Ysolde Shimwe (CFO & Co-Creative designer) and Kevine Kagirimpundu (CEO & Co-Creative designer), are combining their substantial design talents to create some of the hottest shoes on the continent.
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Samantha Skyring, founder of Oryx Desert Salt (South Africa)
With the world looking to source more sustainable, ethically produced and renewable sources of foodstuffs, one South African business venture, Oryx Desert Salt, founded by entrepreneur Samantha Skyring, is looking to bring an exceptional source of salt to enrich both the flavour of food and also promote good health.
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