the pride of Africa's women entrepreneurs
Sanja Hanekom, founder of Noir Chocolates SA (South Africa)
Chocolate lovers who are on the look out for high quality chocolates that are produced using the finest ingredients and that are also gluten free, have found a champion in Sanja Hanekom, the founder of Noir Chocolates SA. She is creating delicious chocolate gifting ideas for individuals and corporates alike.
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Mary-Jean Treloar, founder of MΛRY JEΛN JEWELLERY (South Africa)
Some people are born creative, and others are born entrepreneurial, and if you are lucky, you get to be a combination of the two! South African entrepreneur and talented jewellery designer, Mary-Jean Treloar, displays both of these traits in huge quantities. Her highly personal brand, MΛRY JEΛN JEWELLERY, is inspired by the continent she loves and the stories that are woven into the very fabric of society. Her unique work is winning fans of great jewellery design both at home and abroad.
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Helen Asimegbe, founder of Stylemark Mall Enterprises (Nigeria)
It’s not always easy, making the transition from corporate to entrepreneur, but for Helen Asimegbe, founder of Stylemark Mall Enterprises in Nigeria, it was a personal dream and a promise to herself. Today, she is doing what she loves, building a highly customer-centric retail business, whilst at the same time playing her part in helping other entrepreneurs to realize their dreams too.
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Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, founder of Gorilla Conservation Coffee (Uganda)
With her entrepreneurial spirit, the renowned wildlife conservationist and social entrepreneur, Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, was determined to find a solution that could help coffee farmers on the slopes of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, while improving their attitudes towards conservation. The result: Gorilla Conservation Coffee—a social enterprise created through a partnership between Conservation Through Public Health and Worldwide Fund for Nature Switzerland.
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Vicki Bain, founder of Chocoloza (South Africa)
For all true chocolate lovers out there who are constantly on the search for the purest of taste sensations and the highest quality ingredients, there is a new, proudly African brand that is getting people talking. Chocoloza, the brainchild of entrepreneur and passionate chocolatier, Vicki Bain, combines the best Belgian chocolate with the finest local, fresh African ingredients. The result is a taste sensation unlike anything else you will taste in the chocolate world.
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Jetto Myaba, Founder & Managing Director of Mwaya Enterprises (Malawi)
For many women entrepreneurs, thinking big can be daunting in business, but for Malawian entrepreneur, Jetto Myaba, Managing Director of Mwaya Enterprises, having a big vision is all part of the journey.
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Michelle Mbilizi, serial entrepreneur (Malawi)
There are some women entrepreneurs who don’t just think of building one business, but have the vision and imagination to create several, and Malawian entrepreneur Michelle Mbilizi is one of those.
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Liz van Zyl, founder of The Content Agency (South Africa)
In a world where consumers are bombarded by information 24/7, it can be hard to get a brand and its messaging to breakthrough and connect, and that’s where The Content Agency comes in. The brainchild of South African entrepreneur Liz van Zyl, this specialist business venture creates high impact content capable of making that crucial breakthrough and connecting with audiences across all media formats.
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Shola Ade-Okafor, founder of BlushinGirl Tools (Kenya)
For many women entrepreneurs in Africa, the inspiration for launching a new business, product or brand comes from trying to find a solution to a challenge or addressing the lack of a particular product in the marketplace. For Shola Ade-Okafor, the inspiration for her company, BlushinGirl Tools, came from not being able to find an eyeshadow primer suitable for professional make-up artists.
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Bhatupe Mhango, founder of Bha’s Fragrance Boutique (Malawi)
A passion for creating contemporary fragrances led entrepreneur and perfumier, Bhatupe Mhango to launch her own unique label, Bha’s Fragrance Boutique, creating perfumes that are inspired by Africa but for women of the world.
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Ndaneh Howard, founder of Ngewormia (Sierra Leone)
African women are proud of their unique style and creativity particularly in the world of fashion and accessory design. And for one Sierra Leonean entrepreneur, Ndaneh Howard, founder of accessory brand Ngewormia, this sense of pride is reflected in her work and her personal mission to get the world talking about the beauty of African accessories.
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Evelyne Ndabaneze-Masumbuko, founder of Abidjan4you (Ivory Coast)
It can be difficult moving to a new country as an expatriate and not speaking the local language. But in Ivory coast, English speaking residents now have a great new resource to help out, thanks to entrepreneur Evelyne Ndabaneze-Masumbuko, founder of Abidjan4you.
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Jolene Roelofse, founder of Bludoor Market (South Africa)
One of the major challenges for any startup is understanding how to effectively to get their brands, products and services out into the marketplace and connecting customers. That’s where marketing and communications comes in, and for South African entrepreneur and marcomms specialist Jolene Roelofse, founder of Bludoor Market, it provided an opportunity to create a solution.
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Cecilia Mnisi, founder of MMJ Interpretation Services (South Africa)
In countries such as South Africa where there are so many official languages, and on the African continent in general where language can so often be the key to doing effective business across the continent, it can be challenging. But specialist language and translation expert, Cecilia Mnisi, founder of MMJ Interpretation Services Pty Ltd, has the solution, and her company is breaking down language barriers for business each and every day.
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Leigh-Ann Gowland, founder of Employee Driven Change (South Africa)
Change at a personal and business level can often be challenging and feel like an uphill struggle. But change specialist Leigh-Ann Gowland and her company Employee Driven Change (Pty) Ltd have a solution to make the journey easier to navigate.
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Grace Mlimo, founder of Luxuria Lifestyle Africa
Getting the world to sit up and take notice of Africa’s luxury products is a challenge, but for entrepreneur Grace Mlimo, founder of Luxuria Lifestyle Africa, she thinks she has the solution with her online platform.
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Olukemi Omotayo Asalu, founder of Daolus Organic Products (South Africa)
Increasingly today, consumers are becoming so much more conscious about the products they put onto their skin and on their hair, looking for natural, high quality alternatives to the chemical laden products on the shelves. For entrepreneur Olukemi Omotayo Asalu, this represented the perfect opportunity to do something she loved and create a business, Daolus Organic Products, to bring natural organic ingredients from Africa to the world.
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Geraldine Eve Kasambara, founder of 143 Communications (Zimbabwe)
Staying on top of the latest online trends is key in the world of marketing, and for Zimbabwean company 143 Communications, headed by entrepreneur Geraldine Eve Kasambara, those trends bring exciting business opportunities.
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Febisola Okonkwo, founder of Help For Mankind Initiative (Nigeria)
There are many challenges in our society, and those challenges require dedicated people with the passion and expertise to make positive change happen. Help For Mankind Initiative, also known as Help Initiative, in Nigeria, is one organization making its own contribution to addressing these challenges, thanks to its founder Febisola Okonkwo.
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Nomalanga Sitole, founder of The Voice Within (South Africa)
Often people speak about finding their inner voice as a means of directing their personal journeys and getting their vision or key messages across. This is certainly the case for Nomalanga Sitole, the South African entrepreneur behind The Voice Within, an event management company creating memorable eventing experiences for clients and attendees alike.
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