the pride of Africa's women entrepreneurs
By Bridget Edwards
Mental health awareness has become a vitally important topic today especially since the ever-increasing statistics are alarming. Mental health applies to all of us because it’s a natural part of everyday life. It’s not something to feel ashamed, guilty or uncomfortable about, nor should this topic be something that carries discrimination, stigma or taboo. Mental health is a fact of life that really needs awareness, conversation and active engagement.
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Adele Dejak, founder of Adele Dejak (Kenya)
Adele Dejak, founder of Adele Dejak (Kenya)
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Geraldine Eve Kasambara, founder of 143 Communications (Zimbabwe)
Geraldine Eve Kasambara, founder of 143 Communications (Zimbabwe)
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Event Report — Mozambique
Mozambique is a country with a rapidly growing Lionesses of Africa community of women entrepreneurs. So it was good to be back amongst some of the finest women business and brand builders on 26 July for the latest Lioness Lean In event in Maputo. As always, the atmosphere was buzzing, business relationship building was brisk, and inspiration was in the air - a typical Maputo Lioness Lean In event.
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Jacqueline Rogers, founder of My Pregnancy Journey (South Africa)
Lioness Launch
This month sees successful South African serial entrepreneur, Jacqueline Rogers, launching a new educational pregnancy app and mobile solution, My Pregnancy Journey, for Africa’s women.
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Carrol Boyes
100 Lionesses
This past week saw the passing of Carrol Boyes, an iconic South African designer who built a truly unique global brand and business with an African heart. Her brand and the products she and her team created were quirky, distinctive and unmistakeable. Carrol was a true Lioness of Africa, an entrepreneur who believed in and always supported gender empowerment, both within and outside her company. She constantly invested in her staff to both develop them as creative individuals, and also to ensure the future growth of the business and its efforts to support community upliftment.
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Teresa Lubano, founder of The Nanjala Company (Kenya)
Awards and Accolades
The inaugural Kenya E-Commerce Awards 2019 took place this month amidst much fanfare, with successful local companies being recognized for their excellence and innovation in online business platforms and models. Teresa Lubano, founder of The Nanjala Company, an online specialist store for gifts centered on potted plants and accessories, scooped the E-Commerce Female Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
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Ronel Jooste
Essential Read
Financial fitness is a critical building block to achieve overall wellbeing. If you perceive finances to be tedious or complicated, this book will change your perception. In her new book, Financially Fit and Wealthy, author, financial consultant, and speaker, Ronel Jooste, will take you on a step-by-step journey towards improving your financial fitness.
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Nonny Penelope Wright, founder of Lopey Inc. and Sereledi Dairy Brand (Botswana)
Startup Story
Botswana has a great agriculture heritage, but the exciting opportunities for young entrepreneurs in country are to be found in taking that heritage and creating innovative value-add businesses. For one young woman entrepreneur in Maun, Nonny Penelope Wright, founder of the Sereledi dairy brand, this was the inspiration for the creation of her agri business, Lopey Inc.
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by Saajidah Esat
In the daily rush of our lives, we can forget about the things that seem little, but are actually the big things, that make for a high quality and good life. These things don’t need money, or complex systems and processes to make them work. They just need some awareness, time and the willingness to put in the effort.
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Krystal Bella Shabani, founder of Krysbel Designs (Burundi)
Startup Story by Martine Irakoze
My goal in writing this first article in what will become a series of Startup Story features for Lionesses of Africa is to shine a light on Burundian female entrepreneurs who are moving things in their country. My first interviewee is Krystal Bella Shabani, an ambitious Burundian young woman who is revolutionizing the fashion industry in the country.
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Frances Edwards, founder of House of Cinnamon (South Africa)
Frances Edwards, founder of House of Cinnamon (South Africa)
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Abigail Urey-Miller, co-founder & CEO of Edgail Recycling Inc. (Liberia)
Abigail Urey-Miller, co-founder & CEO of Edgail Recycling Inc. (Liberia)
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Cecilia Kapasula, founder of Home Of Sweet Savannah (South Africa)
The big global trend right now for incorporating the beautiful, bold and luxurious textiles created in Africa into home and office decor, is growing rapidly. Harnessing the power of that trend is South African decor entrepreneur, Cecilia Kapasula, founder of Home Of Sweet Savannah, a growing decor brand that is proving a hit with interior designers and home owners alike.
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Joy Ezeka, founder of Zuri and Imani (South Africa)
LIONESS LAUNCH
Zuri and Imani, founded by textile designer entrepreneur, Joy Ezeka, has built a reputation for its uniquely beautiful cotton coat designs, produced using its own studio designed textiles. This month sees the brand launching its brand new collection of the LeManteau coats which made it so popular with its customers. The new collection celebrates the best of its original print designs and colour ranges, but in new and exciting silhouettes to suit any wearer.
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L-R: Anita Quansah and Femi Olayebi
AWARDS & ACCOLADES
The prestigious Fashion’s Finest Africa Awards 2019 have just taken place, and two leading women entrepreneurs from the Lionesses of Africa community have scooped the top two awards. Bag Designer of the Year 2019 went to Femi Olayebi, founder of Femi Handbags and Accessories of the Year 2019 went to Anita Quansah, founder of Anita Quansah London.
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So many entrepreneurs struggle to unlock their content ideas and to create powerful content that will help to sell their products and services to their customers. But now, content creation expert, Meera Kothand, author of the book The One Hour Content Plan, has the solution for all those solopreneurs out there who nee to get their content working harder for them.
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Share your vision and go public….
Phindile Ndlovu, founder of Bhekizenzo Foundation (South Africa)
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Abidjan’s entrepreneurial landscape is going through some exciting changes right now and that means good news for women entrepreneurs in the city. At the latest Lioness Lean In event held on 26 July, in partnership with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, over 100 women entrepreneurs got the opportunity to meet, network and share their businesses experiences in order to grow.
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The French liquor giant Pernod Ricard, which manufactures some of the world’s most popular liquor brands such as such as Absolut Vodka, Chivas, and Jameson, has acquired a majority stake in South African distillery Inverroche, founded by the pioneering entrepreneur Lorna Scott.
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