Anne Drane, championing artisan women in Kenya with her slow fashion brand Sawa Sawa Collection

November 15, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Anne Drane, founder of The Sawa Sawa Collection (Kenya/USA)

One of the biggest challenges for women artisans in Kenya is getting their handcrafted products into global markets. The Sawa Sawa Collection, founded by Anne Drane and her co-founders looks to help change that narrative, empowering women to make a sustainable living from their work and contribute to local economic empowerment.

Thuladu Mngadi, a passionate South African foodpreneur creating first-class catering experiences

November 8, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Thuladu Mngadi, founder of Fresh Food Daily (South Africa)

To ensure your corporate or private function is memorable for your guests, great catering is essential. After all, people may forget the speeches but they will always remember the food. In South Africa, that’s where Fresh Food Daily comes in. Founder Thuladu Mngadi, has a passion for creating great African cuisine, all delivered with a touch of flair.

Nonhlanhla Ditshego, a South African entrepreneur building an exciting craft gin brand

November 1, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Nonhlanhla Ditshego, co-founder of Vuttomi Liquids (South Africa)

The craft gin market has exploded globally over the past few years with some interesting independent brands emerging, particularly in South Africa. One of those brands is Vuttomi Liquids, co-founded by Nonhlanhla Ditshego and her family, and they have big hopes and ambitions for the future.

Boikano Sikwane, a South African entrepreneur turning a family chilli recipe into a growing business

November 1, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Boikano Sikwane, co-founder of Chuck Chilli Foods (South Africa)

South Africans love their condiments, especially those that have a chilli kick to them. So for all those consumers who are constantly in search of a new chilli taste sensation, look no further than Chuck Chilli, an exciting brand of chilli condiments from Chuck Chilli Foods, co-founded by Boikano Sikwane.

Tania Moonsammy, an entrepreneur offering a bespoke product sourcing service to clients

November 1, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Tania Moonsammy, founder of The Business Concierge (South Africa)

In South Africa, with more and more people choosing to work from home, sourcing essential products and services and, importantly, getting them delivered, has become a must-have. Tania Moonsammy, founder of The Business Concierge has the solution and the team to offer a bespoke product sourcing and delivery service for her clients.

Tshego Ratshidi, a South African entrepreneur building a successful business inspired by her passion for flowers

October 25, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Tshego Ratshidi, founder of Bleu Rose Flowers (South Africa)

Who doesn’t love flowers, either as gifts or in the home and office? They make us feel good, they cheer up our living and work spaces, they can help with our healing processes, and they make us feel closer to nature. In South Africa, entrepreneur Tshego Ratshidi, founder of Bleu Rose Flowers, knows the power of flowers to brighten lives and is delighting customers daily with her beautiful floral arrangements and floral gift boxes.

Nicoline Bole, an entrepreneur from Cameroon crafting beautiful shoes for women with larger feet

October 25, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Nicoline Bole, founder of Bolnique Ltd (United Kingdom / Cameroon)

As any woman who has larger feet will tell you, it can be a real challenge trying to find shoes that not only look beautiful, but are also well crafted and comfortable to wear. Entrepreneur Nicoline Bole, founder of Bolnique Ltd based in London, has the solution. Her uniquely created designs are appealing to all those discerning women customers who want luxury shoes that actually fit larger feet.

Natércia Mondlane, a talented architectural design consultant delivering professional solutions to projects in Mozambique

October 17, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Natércia Mondlane, founder & CEO of Natercia Mondlane Arquitectura & Imobiliária (Mozambique)

Finding a specialist, experienced and professional consultant who can navigate their way around any complex architectural real estate project can be tough. But in Mozambique, Natércia Mondlane, founder of Natércia Mondlane Arquitectura & Imobiliária, is creating highly innovative design solutions to meet all her clients’ urban design needs.

Maeshibe Marema, a South African entrepreneur creating social impact through coffee

October 16, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Maeshibe Marema, founder of Maeshibe Coffee (South Africa)

Coffee lovers in South Africa can now enjoy their favourite brew whilst making a difference to the lives of young deaf people, thanks to Maeshibe Coffee, founded by entrepreneur Maeshibe Marema.

Lucy Beard, an entrepreneur building a successful distillery and brand in South Africa

October 11, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Lucy Beard, co-founder of Hope Distillery (South Africa)

The growing interest in small batch gins and other spirits that have great brand stories and individual personalities, has created a great growth story for South Africa’s Hope Distillery, co-founded by husband and wife team Lucy Beard and Leigh Lisk. The Hope brand is distinctive, modern and committed to quality, and is winning fans around the world, as are the spirits they design and distill for other popular boutique brands.

Tlhologelo Mabelane, a South African entrepreneur passionate about healthy African haircare

October 11, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Tlhologelo Mabelane, founder of MabuTribe (South Africa)

On a mission to bring back health into the African haircare space, Tlhologelo Mabelane, founder of MabuTribe in South Africa, is creating great products combined with hair health education to help consumers to enjoy and celebrate their natural hair.

Louisa Gibbons, a South African entrepreneur passionate about children’s developmental and nutritional needs

October 4, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Louisa Gibbons, founder of Little Foodease (South Africa)

Recognizing that many families have increasingly busy lifestyles with limited time, entrepreneur Louisa Gibbons, founder of Little Foodease, is providing parents with solutions. A range of nutritious meals, fun mealtimes and stimulating playtimes that equip parents to fulfil their child’s developmental and nutritional needs, while giving them peace of mind to spend more quality time with their families.

Devaksha Maharaj, a South African engineering entrepreneur with a passion for STEAM education for kids

October 3, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Devaksha Maharaj, founder of Ikigai Engineering (South Africa)

Building a successful energy and electrical consulting company, Ikigai Engineering, drives South African entrepreneur Devaksha Maharaj on one level. But her passion for STEAM and the education of children has driven her to create her IKI KIDS, a business that teaches kids such subjects as engineering, mathematics, robotics and coding, creating a new generation of future STEAM specialists.

Sofia Pedrosa, an entrepreneur developing special tea blends for health conscious consumers in Mozambique

September 25, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Sofia Pedrosa, co-founder of  Mokcha (Mozambique) — Sofia Pedrosa, co-founder of Mokcha (Mozambique)

As the world becomes increasingly health conscious, so consumers are constantly on the look-out for products that will contribute to their sustainable lifestyle. In Mozambique, entrepreneur and nutritionist Sofia Pedrosa, co-founder of Mokcha, is introducing consumers to soothing and relaxing teas and natural infusions that aid health and wellbeing.

Sibonelo Gamnca, a South African entrepreneur helping businesses reduce their carbon tax footprint

September 25, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Sibonelo Gamnca, co-founder of EcoDiesel (South Africa)

As the world looks to reduce CO2 emissions in order to address the growing threat of climate change, one South African business is playing its part. EcoDiesel, co-founded by Sibonelo Gamnca, is making the process of choosing biodiesel easy for customers who want to be more environmentally conscious.

Kathy de Araújo, a Mozambican entrepreneur with a passion for personal development and self knowledge

September 20, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Kathy de Araújo, co-founder of Fluir - Centro de Desenvolvimento Pessoal (Mozambique)

For all those people in Mozambique who want to develop and improve their quality of life and find greater harmony with their communities and the environment in which they live, help is at hand. Fluir - Centro de Desenvolvimento Pessoal, co-founded by coach Kathy de Araújo and yoga instructor Adriana Jamisse, offers a holistic approach through yoga and coaching workshops, and positively changing lives.

Marta Vânia Uetela, a Mozambican entrepreneur changing the lives of amputees with her prostheses

September 20, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Marta Vânia Uetela, founder of BioMec (Mozambique)

Inspired to find a solution to the problem of 90% of amputees in Mozambique never getting access to prosthetic limbs to improve their lives, young entrepreneur Marta Vânia Uetela, founder of BioMec, came up with a plan. Today, she is changing lives through her innovations.

Grace Gichanga, a South African legal techpreneur transforming lives through the law

September 13, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Speak to Grace Gichanga, founder of Luma Law (South Africa), and she will tell you that she loves, loves, loves the law, because of its power to transform lives. As an attorney with over 10 years of experience, not surprisingly Grace has built a business which allows her to share her love of the law and how it works with the people of South Africa. The business was founded 2 years ago and LUMA the legal literacy chatbot officially went live on Facebook Messenger at the beginning of April 2020. Grace is committed to the vision of an empowered Africa through technology, innovation and the principles of social justice.

Nosisa Dhlomo, a South African entrepreneur on a mission to mobilize the country’s tech scene

September 13, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Nosisa Dhlomo, founder of Afrizulu Tech (South Africa)

South Africa needs vibrant, bright young women with ideas and entrepreneurial ventures that have the potential to transform the economic landscape of the country and bring with it a wealth of opportunities. Nosisa Dhlomo, founder of Afrizulu Tech is one such pioneering woman entrepreneur. She believes in building African female leadership through industry platforms and hubs to produce more female leaders.

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