the pride of Africa's women entrepreneurs
Lizelle Coombs
For many would-be entrepreneurs from disadvantaged backgrounds in South Africa, opportunities can be hard to come by, but one woman entrepreneur, Lizelle Coombs, through her group of companies is trying to change that through her approach to training and support services that give hope to these aspirations.
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- 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.
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Candice Johnson, founder of Miss Knitwear (South Africa)
In a world which is increasingly turning its attention to all things hand-crafted, and companies using ethically sourced materials that support local craftsmanship, Candice Johnson is one entrepreneur turning her passion for luxury, handcrafted knitwear, into a thriving business, aptly named Miss Knitwear.
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If you’re in the market for trendy, quality-assured clothing and accessory products for your children, be sure to look out for these amazing female entrepreneurs and their equally impressive clothing lines. With a unified ethos focused on bolstering African design, production and employment, you’re guaranteed to have your little one strutting around the playground in some pretty slick and ethical threads.
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Sibongile Sambo, Founder & CEO of SRS Aviation (South Africa)
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. This week, CNN’s African Start-Up featured this pioneering woman entrepreneur whose love for flying has paved the way to a successful private aviation business.
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We have all been there at some point in our entrepreneurial lives. That pivotal point when we need sound advice or reassurance from another woman entrepreneur who has been there, done it, got the T Shirt, and experienced all the business challenges and hurdles, emerging with the essential wisdom and experience we need to share. Learn, be inspired, and take comfort from those women who have blazed an entrepreneurial trail before you.
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Damilola Solesi, founder of SMIDS Animation Studios, Nigeria
You need to go after every opportunity....
- Damilola Solesi is founder, CEO and creative director of SMIDS Animation Studios Nigeria a company she founded in 2010. Smids animation studios is based in Lagos and creates 3D computer animation, 3D content production, motion graphics and visual effects. Damilola is also the pioneer of TechDivaz (now Women R.I.S.E), an initiative she started at the Co-Creation Hub. TechDivaz is a platform where women are inspired to expand their interests in technology through collaboration, networking, training, mentorship and funding to help them play a stronger role in growing the technology startup scene in Nigeria and Africa.
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Mireille Karera, founder of KORA Associates
Many entrepreneurs take a personal passion and turn it into a business. In the case of Mireille Karera, she had a passion to see people grow and progress in their lives in practical ways, and that led her to set up her company, KORA Associates, that encourages, coaches and advises individuals, businesses and communities in achieving their goals, visions and dreams.
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Lydie Hakizimana, co-founder and Managing Director of Drakkar Limited
- Lydie Hakizimana is co-founder and Managing Director of Drakkar Limited, a specialist reseller and distributor of educational textbooks. It all started back in 2006 when this avid bookworm decided to follow her passion and opened a small bookshop. Before long, her entrepreneurial instincts had her developing relationships with numerous publishing companies. Eventually, she struck a deal that was to be the making of her company with UK publisher, Pearson Education. Drakkar rapidly evolved into a leading educational textbooks reseller in Rwanda, becoming an important enabler of her country's vision for building a knowledge-based economy. 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.
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Megan MacDonald, founder of SASA Designs by the Deaf
For deaf women in Africa, life can be tough and the opportunities for employment and independence extremely limited. But one social entrepreneur, Megan MacDonald of SASA Designs by the Deaf, is making real and lasting change happen for these women by providing meaningful employment, training and a sense of community, plus the ability to support their children and their education.
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According to Janet L. Stephenson “Authenticity requires a certain measure of vulnerability, transparency, and integrity.” But, what does it mean to be your authentic self? And, why is this so important in the business world?
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Wendy Ackerman, co-founder and Executive Director of Pick n Pay
You are entitled to nothing.... expect to work hard....
- Wendy Ackerman is one of the founders and an Executive Director of Pick n Pay Stores. Together with husband Raymond Ackerman she helped build up one of South Africa’s pre-eminent FMCG retailers, consisting of over 450 stores including 121 supermarkets and 14 hypermarkets. Operations are in food, clothing, and general merchandise sectors as well as financial services. The company operates throughout South Africa, southern Africa and Australia and employs around 49,000 people. Today, much of Wendy's boundless energy is devoted to her family's philanthropic endeavours and her personal work for the underprivileged.
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As part of Lionesses of Africa's month-long celebration of social entrepreneurs who are making a real difference in Africa, we are profiling some of the women social entrepreneurs from the US who have stood out for us over the last year. Their passion for the continent, combined with their desire to solve some of the biggest challenges in Africa, can be seen in the real impact that these women social entrepreneurs are making. Often collaborating with inspirational women on the ground in countries across the African continent, they are creating new and exciting business opportunities for women artisans, stimulating micro-entrepreneurship ventures that empower women in local communities, and improving and uplifting people's lives. We salute all these inspirational social change-makers and the women they collaborate with!
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Gabriella von Ille, founder of Lifa Communications (South Africa)
No questions are stupid questions....
- Gabriella von Ille is the founder of Lifa Communications in South Africa, a boutique consultancy firm focused on Africa and Natural Resources. Lifa specializes in PR & Strategic Communication, Digital Design and Marketing & Branding. Gabriella has a double degree in Political Science and Communications from Sweden and the US.
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- Mame Khary Diene is the founder and CEO of the Bioessence Laboratories, a Senegalese natural beauty brand founded in Dakar in 2007. Bioessence Laboratories produces a range of "luxury" age-defying shea butter skin care products that are marketed around the world. Mame has a Masters of Information Systems degree from the University and was awarded a Cartier Women's Initiative Award in 2008; and the United Nations IFAD award for Diaspora Entrepreneurship in 2015.
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Kynaro Kinnear, founder of K2 PR and Events (South Africa)
You will find a way to be successful....
- Kynaro Kinnear is the founder of K2 PR and Events, an event management and PR company in Johannesburg, South Africa. Kynaro is passionate about helping people, and today her company is centred around helping people, whether it be to help plan a wedding or help an NGO to launch a campaign.
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- Akosua Afriyie-Kumi is a Ghanaian designer and founder of the Accra-based label AAKS who create uniquely hand-crafted bags in styles that maintain the spirit and durability of ancient traditions characterised by bright exuberant colours. Akosua started the company with the goal of introducing the world to her favourite weaving techniques done by the women of Ghana while also creating and igniting sustainable jobs within Africa.
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Susan Barnes, founder of Subz Pads (South Africa)
The Subz Pants and Pads - Project Dignity social entrepreneurship venture was born out of one woman’s desire to address a major problem amongst young rural girls in South Africa - the lack of access to sanitary pads, meaning loss of education and dignity. Susan Barnes is addressing this challenge head-on through her company, Subz Pants and Pads, manufacturing and distributing packs of sustainable, reusable panties and pads to girls.
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Olivia ‘Moy’ Fung, author and founder of You Inspire Me Women
In Success is a Journey for Startups, author Olivia ‘Moy’ Fung has taken her personal experiences of being an entrepreneur and created a practical self-analysis handbook. It helps any startup entrepreneur to identify underlying setbacks, realise their talents and passions, and learn how to monetize them to build a successful business. The book also provides a source of inspiration from someone who has been there, got the T-Shirt, overcome all the hurdles and obstacles in life and business, and emerged as an entrepreneurial success story.
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Ruth Mwanzia, founder of Koola Waters (Kenya)
The challenge of water scarcity and improving access to clean, safe drinking water in Africa is one that entrepreneur Ruth Mwanzia understood only too well growing up in Kenya. That experience was the inspiration behind her company, Koola Waters, a business venture which manufactures and distributes pure water to the country’s citizens.
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