Jaki Kweka - The startup story of a Tanzanian artisan chocolatier who is creating the country’s first gourmet chocolate brand

November 29, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Jaki Kweka, co-founder of Chocolate Mamas (Tanzania) — **Jaki Kweka**, co-founder of Chocolate Mamas (Tanzania)

With the launch of the #Choose Artisan campaign recently, the spotlight has been shining firmly on those women artisans in Africa who are creating world-class luxury products right here on the continent. Chocolate Mamas Gourmet Tanzanian Chocolate Company is an entrepreneurial startup making real waves in the luxury artisan chocolate space in Africa, and its co-founder, Jaki Kweka, has big ambitions for the brand going forward.

Mavis Nduchwa - The startup story of a young Botswana agripreneur on a mission to demonstrate that women farmers in Africa can make a difference

November 29, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Mavis Nduchwa, Chabana Farms (Botswana) — **Mavis Nduchwa**, Chabana Farms (Botswana)

To make real and lasting positive change happen in the agricultural sector in Africa for women entrepreneurs, it is important to have great role models. Mavis Nduchwa, the force behind successful agribusiness Chabana Farms, is one such role model. She is harnessing the power of technology and innovative new methods to make a difference in her business.

Entrepreneur Smarts: More fun ratios!

November 27, 2015 Melanie Hawken

In the latest of a series of guest blogs that look at issues around financial management for women entrepreneurs, this week our focus is on getting a better understanding of ratios.

Celebrating our Community - Two women entrepreneurs impress at the annual Anzisha Prize

November 27, 2015 Melanie Hawken

The Anzisha Prize, which is Africa’s premier award for youth entrepreneurship and in its 5th year, has just announcedthis year’s winners, and two young women entrepreneurs impressed the judging panel. Fashion entrepreneur Mabel Suglo, 22 and the founder of Eco-Shoes from Ghana, was 2nd Runner Up in the competition and Chantal Butare, founder of Kinazi Dairy Cooperative in Rwanda received the prestigious Anzisha Sector Prize in Agriculture.

Quote of the Day

November 27, 2015 Melanie Hawken

“Corruption leads to a lot of missed opportunities, .... Corruption stops someone to think that he can be an entrepreneur. Corruption makes you fear to take the risk. When you have corruption in a country, people are just discouraged. There is no hope. They don’t see themselves successful in the long term. They just feel that they need to know a minister or the son of the minister to be successful in a country.”

- Lydie Hakizimana is co-founder and Managing Director of Drakkar Limited, a specialist reseller and distributor of educational textbooks in Rwanda. Today, Lydie manages 45 employees and thirty part-time distributors covering the five provinces of Rwanda. Lydie has also added exclusive distributor deals with Longman, Heinemann and Penguin to her Pearson contract.

Togo entrepreneur, Emefa Kpegba, speaks to LoA about her recent award wins for her crowdfunding solution

November 26, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Emefa Kpegba, founder and CEO of e-Technopole — **Emefa Kpegba**, founder and CEO of e-Technopole

The 2015 AppsAfrica Innovation Awards have just taken place in South Africa and the winner of this year’s Women in Tech Innovation Award is Emefa Kpegba, the founder and CEO of e-Technopole from Togo. Emefa’s OMobile Funding platform, which is a crowdfunding and microfinance platform for local technology innovators, won the award against stiff competition.

Young aspirant entrepreneurs gather in Johannesburg to be inspired and motivated to follow their business dreams

November 25, 2015 Melanie Hawken

ACTIVATE! is a network of young leaders equipped to drive change for the public good across South Africa. Connecting youth who have the skills, sense of self and spark to address tough challenges and initiate innovative and creative solutions that can reshape the country’s society. On Saturday 21 November, the ACTIVATE Switch initiative organised a reunion of some of its Johannesburg-based activators for an update event and brunch, held in the historical surroundings of the Women’s Jail on Constitutional Hill in the City. The aim was to provide a platform for each of the young activators to update one another on their current initiatives, their ideas for entrepreneurial ventures, and their progress to date.

Emefa Kpegba, founder of OMobileFunding in Togo, wins 2015 AppsAfrica.com 'Women In Tech' Innovation Award

November 25, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Cape Town, South Africa was the host venue for the announcement of the much anticipated AppsAfrica.com Innovation Awards 2015 on 16 November, supported by Uber, Mobile Monday South Africa, Appsworld and Picup. The awards are a celebration of African mobile and tech ecosystem innovation, and the winner of this year’s prestigious Women in Tech Award was Emefa Kpegba, founder of OMobileFunding in Togo.

New Gemboree end of year campaign launched

November 25, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Janet Pulford, founder of Gemboree — **Janet Pulford**, founder of Gemboree

South African gem-based accessory company, Gemboree, has just launched its new online newsletter and its end of year sales campaign, with some great new discounts for online shoppers. Gemboree has built a reputation for hand-crafting exquisite accessories from a range of beautiful semi-precious stones.

Ugandan woman-owned advertising agency, Kinaya, scoops prestigious award for its latest campaign

November 25, 2015 Melanie Hawken

The prestigious AfriCannes awards take place each year as part of the annual TBWA Africa conference, an event aimed at celebrating the best creative advertising work to come out that year. The highly talented, woman-owned and run Kampala-based advertising agency in Uganda, Kinaya, scooped its first award.

AAKS in Ghana launches its new handbag collection and its new online store

November 25, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Akosua Afriyie-Kumi, founder of AAKS, Ghana — **Akosua Afriyie-Kumi,** founder of AAKS, Ghana

One of our favourite Afroluxe handbag designers, Akosua Afriyie-Kumi, founder of Ghanaian brand A A K S, has just launched her much-anticipated Spring/Summer 2016 collection, and its great new online store - www.aaksonline.com - and both were well worth the wait! The new online store has been beautifully designed and is as eye-catching as all the AAKS handbag designs are. The beautiful and refreshing new collection itself reunites Akosua’s impeccable eye for detail, with superb craftsmanship and a raw visceral energy of new shapes.

Want to outperform the competition? Use the Flower!

November 25, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Every business has a central challenge. With my first business it was this: We were distributors for several famous software companies, reselling their products in South Africa through a network of partners that included IBM, Unisys, NCR, Accenture, DiData, etc, often as part of large systems solutions.

Young South African entrepreneur wins business plan competition for her mobile X-Ray services business

November 25, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Budding South African entrepreneur, Lebohang Selloane, has been named the winner of the 2015 Business Partners /SME Toolkit Global Entrepreneurship Week's Business Plan Competition for Aspiring Young Entrepreneurs at an awards ceremony held in Johannesburg, South Africa on 17 November 2015. She received an additional R10,000 mentorship support voucher, R20,000 cash prize and a smart tablet.

Quote of the Day by Sibongile Sambo

November 25, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Sibongile Sambo, founder and Chief Executive Officer of SRS Aviation Ltd.

"Nobody will see you if you are sitting in your own corner. You have to go out there, you have to be visible, to do something to be able to get even more support and assistance,"

- 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. Launched in 2004, SRS is an integrated provider of private aviation services offering South African and international clients professional and personalized flight options including VIP Charter, tourist charter and helicopter services, to destinations around the world. Today, the company also provides maintenance, sales and fleet management services to private jet owners.

PODCAST: LoA had a great time talking chocolate with the co-founder of Chocolate Mamas Gourmet Tanzanian Chocolate Company, Jaki Kweka

November 23, 2015 Melanie Hawken

With the launch of the Choose Artisan campaign recently, the spotlight has been firmly shining on Africa’s amazing women artisans, particularly those producing world-class, luxury products. One such woman artisan attracting global attention right now is the talented Jaki Kweka, Director and Co-Founder of Chocolate Mamas Gourmet Tanzanian Chocolate Co. which is the country’s first and only indigenous producer of fine chocolate.

Essential Read: Lifestyle Entrepreneurship by Evelyn Ivy

November 22, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Evelyn Ivy, author and founder of Lifestylecpa.com — **Evelyn Ivy**, author and founder of Lifestylecpa.com

In her new book Lifestyle Entrepreneurship, Evelyn Ivy gives a CPA’s perspective on why having money in the bank does not necessarily mean that all is well with your business, or that you are on the way to financial freedom. “Lifestyle Entrepreneurship” explains how to plan and build a business, and how through the use of a variety of accounting processes and metrics, you can make the correct financial decisions to attain your dream of financial freedom.

PODCAST: LoA chats to the uniquely talented leather accessory designer, Pam Samasuwo-Nyawiri of Vanhu Vamwe, who has just returned from a life-changing trip to Ecuador

November 21, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Pam Samasuwo-Nyawiri, founder of Vanhu Vamwe — **Pam Samasuwo-Nyawiri**, founder of Vanhu Vamwe

On 28 October in Berlin, social enterprise Abury, and creator of the first global contest in search of the best accessories design talent worldwide, the ABURY Design Experience, unveiled the first collection of handmade handbags made by artisans in Ecuador and designed by the winner of the 2015 contest, Zimbabwean designer, Pam Samasuwo-Nyawiri, founder of Vanhu Vamwe.

PODCAST: LoA speaks to the Queen of Afroluxe, Swaady Martin, founder of Yswara, the luxury African tea and teatime accessories brand, about taking her brand experience to the next level

November 21, 2015 Melanie Hawken

The Yswara luxury African tea and teatime accessories brand is a real celebration of the continent, with its essence created from the ingredients and narratives that are so unique to Africa. It is this essence that makes the Yswara brand so unique.

Entrepreneur Advice from Susan Mashibe: What I learnt from Marissa Mayer

November 20, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Susan Mashibe, founder and executive director of VIA Aviation — **Susan Mashibe**, founder and executive director of VIA Aviation

Susan was lucky enough to be mentored by Marissa Mayer the current CEO of Yahoo - what did she learn?....

“What Marissa taught me is to hire smart people who get things done. I saw how important it was to have a healthy team, but to be willing to dismiss bad apples before they contaminate the team. You also have to nurture your team well.”

- Susan Mashibe is founder and executive director of VIA Aviation, an international fixed-base aircraft services operation and the first company of its kind in Tanzania. Susan is also the first woman in Tanzania to hold both a FAA certified commercial pilot and an aircraft maintenance engineering qualification.