Lioness Launch / New Silent Podcast series launched by Yellow Owl for South Africa’s deaf community

December 12, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Thuli Zikalala, founder, Yellow Owl (South Africa)

Lioness Launch

An exciting new silent podcast series for South Africa’s deaf community has just been launched by Yellow Owl in South Africa, the company founded by Thuli Zikalala, and a recent Silver Award Winner at the New Gen Digital Awards. The series, which premiered on 18 November 2021 is called 'Signs & Stories: the silent podcast' and it’s a visual podcast using South African Sign Language (SASL). This 10-episode podcast series captures the stories, experiences, culture and shared values within South Africa’s Deaf community.

Grow Your Own Resilience

December 12, 2021 Melanie Hawken

By Lionesses of Africa Operations Department

As we come to the end of yet another year ‘like no other’, it is only right that we look to the future with an understanding of what has passed. After all, none of us can claim not to have been infected by the events of the past two years, not only by the horror that was 2020, but then the realization in 2021 that Covid was here to stay, and either we adapted our businesses or we were finished. Sadly, no one cares why a company goes out of business, there are no excuses in the business afterlife - it is just closed, which in anyone’s books is pretty final.

A story about a Mozambican Pride

December 12, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Mayra Pereira

My name is Mayra Pereira and I am a Lioness since September 2019. I keep going back to the date I was preparing my presentation for the Lioness Lean In event in Maputo. For so long, I kept pushing out the date because I was afraid of public speaking, and still very hormonal from having my little Mia, just 4 four months before.

Sustainable Competitive Advantage in the Real Estate environment

December 12, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Pam Snyman

What does it mean to be a real estate company that maintains a sustainable competitive advantage? At REDZetc we endeavour to do the following: Add value for our clients, i.e by delivering ongoing superior performance ...easier said than done… What do we need to maintain that advantage? Constant positive change and adaptation. We need to be a Learning Organisation where continual learning takes place in order to gain sustainable excellence, i.e. be means of constant organisational learning.

Fitness Tips for The Holidays

December 12, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Emily Kandanga

The holidays are a festive time of year with seemingly endless opportunities to cheat on your diet and skip a workout. Weight gain is almost an assumed part of this season. But it doesn’t have to be that way. We have carefully crafted a few tips that you can use to stay on track with your fitness this holiday season!

Embrace The New Chapter

December 12, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Nontobeko Mbuyane

The past week was surely not an easy week for me, strangely nothing much happened but I completely broke down. I remember I even sobbed on the phone when my partner called. The most painful part is not even being able to be around to at least provide the emotional support I so much needed. It was after a few days when I regained my composure that I realized that indeed nothing new had happened on the day I broke down, but I have been carrying around so much emotional baggage that suddenly there was no room anymore, thus it all burst out.

Nkem Okocha, an award-winning entrepreneur changing lives through FinTech

December 5, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

Mamamoni, a Nigerian FinTech social enterprise empowering low-income women with skills and small loans

Nkem Okocha is a serial award-winning social entrepreneur and the founder of Mamamoni in Nigeria, a FinTech social enterprise that empowers low-income rural-and-urban slum women with free vocational and financial skills, and small loans. She is passionate about the change that is possible from investing in poor women in underserved communities. Nkem’s vision is guided by the saying that, "No woman chooses to be poor, but we can choose to help poor women by investing in them". Mamamoni has impacted over 10,000 low-income women in Nigeria, and she has won many awards, local and international, for her work with women. Nkem is a 2015 Tony Elumelu Foundation Alumna, 2016 outstanding LEAP Africa Social Innovator, Young African Leadership Initiative (YALI) alumna, GSBI® accelerator Alumna and a 2017 Mandela Washington Fellow, A 2020 Innovative Justice Accelerator fellow and She is passionate about Women Empowerment, Financial Inclusion, Technology and Entrepreneurship.

Bright Asiimwe Wandera, a serial retail and hospitality entrepreneur in Uganda

December 5, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Bright Asiimwe Wandera, founder and CEO, Plum Cafe and Restaurant (Uganda)

Startup Story

Bright Asiimwe Wandera is the founder and CEO of Plum Cafe and Restaurant in Uganda. She’s a serial entrepreneur with interests in retail chain and hospitality. She’s an alumnus of Africa Women Entrepreneurs Cooperative and Stanbic Bank Uganda Business Incubator. Bright runs two supermarkets and most recently a high-end restaurant with two branches. Bright founded Plum Cafe and Restaurant this year in February 2021 after testing a restaurant model in 2020 that was attached to one of her supermarkets.

Susan Nel, an entrepreneur in Namibia who turned her passion for photography into a successful business

December 5, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Susan Nel , founder, Susan Nel Photography (Namibia)

Startup Story

There is nothing quite as powerful as a great photographic image that captures life and work’s key moments, and in Namibia, Susan Nel and the photography business that carries her name, is doing just that. Whether it’s recording on camera a beautiful wedding, or creating a powerful image of a product that can spearhead a marketing campaign, Susan knows just how to get the right shot for the occasion.

Lioness Launch / Botswana’s agri-processing brand, Lemon & Vinegar, launches its new chutney product

December 5, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Launch

Lemon & Vinegar Pty Ltd, founded by entrepreneur Thato Angelina Gabaitse, is an agricultural production and processing company launched in 2014, in Botswana. The business has built a reputation for generating value by leveraging the creativity of partnering with local suppliers in its processes. The company produces a variety of products including beef biltong, fruit jam, and conveniently dried and packaged trail mix snacks. The latest product to be launched is a new Green Tomato Chutney - a must have for the fine dining experience and a great addition for the cheese board!

The Invisible Entrepreneur: From Mental Health to Mindset by Tabatha Barron

December 5, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Book Review

For Tabatha Barron, author of The Invisible Entrepreneur, she found it amazing how many women have various experiences of feeling invisible, that challenge their individual circumstances from childcare to employment to just being heard during medical visits, let alone becoming entrepreneurs. Her book gives voice to the stories of strong, courageous, impactful, resilient women and the skill sets they used to move through their entrepreneurial journeys, whilst taking care of their mental health and improving their mindsets.

‘Tuko Pamoja’ - “We are in this together” / ‘Ubuntu’ - "I am because we are”

December 5, 2021 Melanie Hawken

By Lionesses of Africa Operations Dept

The South African Scientific Community have done it again. They have found the next variation of Covid19. Following the Greek Alphabet in naming each new variant, the WHO jumped a couple of letters and named it Omicron.

The Best Gift of the Season…

December 4, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Ashika Pillay

So many mixed emotions, as I think back on 2021. Many ups and oh so many downs! Not a rollercoaster, more like an ocean with calm then chaos and everything in between! When I look back on this year, I think it has been deeply transformative for many of us, where we’ve met the edge of our comfort, often thrown into spaces we did not know we could endure.

Starting something

December 4, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Thembe Khumalo

I am a person who likes to start things - conversations (if I hear anyone in the supermarket speaking Ndebele I feel compelled to join in), friendships, projects, songs, businesses, stories…. I just love the energy that comes with new beginnings. The planning and preparations, putting tools, and people and ideas together, all give me a high that is unlike anything else I have experienced. And so of course, I tend to start a lot of things.

4 Legal documents every (properly adulting) adult should have sorted out

December 4, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Sinal Govender and Claire Keet

There are a lot of wonderful things that come with adulthood. The freedom of finally being able to drive. And vote. And become a director in a company. And change your name. By law, you are no longer considered a minor. With adulthood, however, comes a whole lot of responsibility - including making sure that you have your “ducks in a row”.

10 Lessons That I Have Learned In My Career

December 4, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Naike Moshi

If there's one thing we all have in common, it's that we all make mistakes along the way (and hopefully learn valuable lessons from them). But if you're smart, you'll learn as much as possible from the mistakes of others and spare yourself some of the grief. Some of these lessons can applied whether you are employed, self- employed or unemployed.

The Bliss Point of Entrepreneurship by Anna Pugačova

November 28, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Book Review

For all those who feel they have been struggling in their businesses for a long time and cannot see results, help could be at hand in the book, The Bliss Point of Entrepreneurship, from business and neuroscience coach and educator, Anna Pugačova. If you are looking to reclaim your entrepreneurial spark and start living the life you really want to live, this could be the book for you.

Lioness Launch / South Africa’s BWGL Group (Pty) Ltd, launches its new range of 100% Natural and Environmentally Friendly Cleaning Products

November 28, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Sibongile Mthimunye, founder, BWGL Group (Pty) Ltd (South Africa)

Lioness Launch

Both businesses and households know the importance of maintaining clean, safe and healthy environments for people to work and live in. That means ensuring they are cleaned regularly with effective products that are good at cleaning and disinfecting, and also kind to the environment. In South Africa, entrepreneur Sibongile Mthimunye, founder of BWGL Group (Pty) Ltd, is launching a range of powerful yet environmentally friendly cleaning products for every type of environment.

Mbaliyethu (Lisa) Mthethwa and Masibonge (Lona) Mnguni, award-winning South African agroprocessing entrepreneurs

November 28, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Startup Story

Frutee Belliez is a South African agroprocessing business founded by sisters Mbaliyethu(Lisa) Mthethwa and Masibonge (Lona) Mnguni. They have over 10 years’ experience as entrepreneurs, and their company focuses on processing fruits and vegetables and supplying them to industrial kitchens, as well as catering companies. They have won numerous awards with the most recent being Top Processor in KZN in the Department of Agriculture Female Farmer Entrepreneur Competition in 2018.

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25 leading African women entrepreneurs share practical strategies, real experiences and advice. Playbook link

Tech FoundHER AFRICA CHALLENGE

CELEBRATING 10 YEARS

LATEST PODCASTS

Lioness Radio Show Interview: Listen to Mr Jules Ngankam, Group Chief Executive Officer of the African Guarantee Fund, discussing the journey from Bias to Bankable - AGF’s Case for Financing Women Entrepreneurs.

Lioness Radio Show: Five Mozambican women entrepreneurs share their experiences of building successful green businesses and creating green jobs for local people. From an environmentally-friendly, high-impact skincare brand, to an innovative green transportation business transforming marine waste into bicycles, these Lionesses are making waves in Mozambique. Listen to their stories, learn from their experiences, and be inspired by their tenacity.

LIONESS WEEKENDER COVER STORIES

LIONESS WEEKENDER COVER STORY

Vanessa Mhlom, a South African wellness brand builder

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

Pleroma Patch, a South African innovative wellness brand creating plant-based patches to support sleep, recovery, and menstrual health.

Vanessa Mhlom is the founder and CEO of Pleroma Patch and is a 2025 Veuve Clicquot Bold Future Award finalist. Pleroma Patch is a modern wellness brand pioneering a simpler, smarter way to care for your body, through transdermal vitamin patches. Pleroma’s discreet, plant-based patches support sleep, recovery, and menstrual health. Driven by her belief that dignified self-care should be a right, not a luxury, she is developing the ‘Patch It Forward’ initiative, a give-back model that channels a portion of each purchase toward expanding access to wellness essentials like menstrual and sleep support for underserved women and girls.

Morongwe and Michelle Mokone, two social impact entrepreneurs building a high-growth, premium sustainable homeware business

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

Mo’s Crib, a premium sustainable homeware brand founded by sisters Morongwe and Michelle Mokone in Pretoria, South Africa. From humble beginnings making origami at local markets, the company has grown into one of Africa’s leading exporters of handcrafted décor. Using recycled PVC waterpipes and natural materials such as banana bark, cane, and sisal, Mo’s Crib creates globally sought-after baskets, planters, furniture, and ornaments. Today, the brand supplies major international retailers including Crate & Barrel, Target, and Woolworths Home. Committed to social impact, Mo’s Crib empowers over 85 artisans, creating jobs while advancing environmental sustainability and African design innovation. The business was launched in 2019 and today employs 280 people.

Dr. Phindi Cebekhulu-Msomi, an agripreneur focused on climate-smart solutions

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

Hazile Group, a South African agribusiness focused on sustainable food systems, renewable energy, and water stewardship

Dr. Phindi Cebekhulu-Msomi is a social entrepreneur and thought leader in climate resilience, and a 2025 Veuve Clicquot Bold Future Award finalist. She leads Hazile Group, a black woman-led enterprise driving climate-smart solutions in agriculture, energy, and water. The company’s core mission is to address food insecurity, water scarcity, and energy transition while uplifting marginalised communities. Hazile's focus on rural development, empowering farmers, and integrating climate-smart technologies directly supports several UN Sustainable Development Goals, notably zero hunger, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, and climate action. She also runs Acumind Consulting, guiding organisations toward inclusive, values-driven leadership and ESG strategies.

Retang Phaahla, a pioneer for South Africa’s indigenous teas

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

Setšong Tea Crafters, an agri-business specialising in the crafting of speciality indigenous teas from the natural flora found in South Africa’s rural Limpopo

A former quantity surveyor turned social entrepreneur, Retang Phaahla is the co-founder and CEO of Setšong Tea Crafters in South Africa, and the winner of the 2025 Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award. Her business celebrates indigenous tea knowledge while driving rural development. Based in Sekhukhune, Limpopo, the majority women-owned social enterprise collaborates with communities to produce a range of health-promoting teas (known for calming nerves, relieving tension, and supporting balanced blood pressure), and hosts cultural tours to promote eco-tourism and preserve heritage. Setšong’s business model has created sustainable income streams for rural women while reviving ancient botanical traditions. The business was launched in 2017 and has created 30 jobs for local people.

Dr Margaret Kemigisha, a publishing entrepreneur passionate about childrens’ literacy

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

Igaaza Creations, a Uganda-based social enterprise promoting literacy through children’s storybook publishing and capacity building

Dr Margaret Kemigisha is the founder and CEO of Igaaza Creations, a Uganda-based social enterprise that promotes literacy through the publishing of children’s storybooks, offers social research consulting, and builds capacity among fresh graduates. Her work bridges development and applied research, supporting governments, development organizations, and the private sector with evidence-based solutions and creative tools for impact.

IMAGE OF THE DAY. CELEBRATING WOMAN MADE IN AFRICA.

Image of the Day / Spez Catering

Special Occasion Cakes…If you are anything like the sweet treat-loving team at Lionesses of Africa, you will love a slice of the great cakes on offer from Spez Catering in Kenya, founded by Esmeralda De Souza-

Image of the Day / Atelier Taila Carrilho

Statement Accessories…We love the power of accessories to make strong fashion statements, and Taíla Carrilho, founder of Atelier Taila Carrilho in Mozambique creates the most exquisite, eye-cat

Image of the Day / Nokware Skincare

Sustainable skincare…We love to see natural cosmetics companies with a sustainable approach to business succeeding in Africa, and Nokware Skincare, founded by Tutuwa Ahwoi in Ghana is a great example. She f

Image of the Day / Hope Distillery

Boutique gin…If you are a gin lover, then check out Hope Distillery, a South African distillery in the heart of urban Cape Town. Established by Lucy Beard and her husband Leigh Lisk, Hope Distillery is a sma

Image of the Day / Aya K Design

Sophisticated sandal style…If you love design that combines traditional with modern style, then these sandals from Aya K Design, founded by Aya Keita in Cote d’Ivoire, are a must-buy. Aya is an entreprene

Image of the Day / House of Cinnamon

Animal print pumps…These eye-catching animal print pumps from House of Cinnamon in South Africa are a great addition to any stylish wardrobe. Founded by Frances Edwards, House of Cinnamon is a proudly Afro

STARTUP STORIES. MEET THE WOMEN WHO’VE LAUNCHED.

Featured

Dr Juanri Jonck and Bernadette Kruger, co-founders of a first-to-South African-market serum-only skincare range

Startup Story

Dr Juanri Jonck and Bernadette Kruger are co-founders of Twenty 4 Skin, a unique South African medical-grade skincare brand. Juanri is a medical doctor with a special interest in regenerative medicine, so you could say she is a holistic regenerative GP, and Bernadette is a somatologist. The brand focuses on hormone optimization, aesthetic medicine, as well as skincare formulations.

Gillian Holl, a South African architectural entrepreneur building a sustainability-focused business that responds to the needs of both clients and the environment

Startup Story

Gillian Holl, founder of VELD Architects in South Africa, has built a business renowned for creating spaces that serve not as statements but as sanctuaries. It’s an architecture deeply connected to the African landscape, fostering a sense of belonging and calm.

Júlia Silota, a Mozambican green business builder, focused on environmental waste management

Startup Story

Júlia Silota is the founder and CEO of J&G Environment Ltda, a Mozambican company operating in the environmental field, focused on the purchase and sale of solid waste, and providing solid waste collection services, solid waste management training, and environmental project evaluation. It was founded in August 2020 and began operations in 2023. It employs four people, two full-time and two part-time.

Claudia Machaieie, a Mozambican green business innovator transforming marine waste into reading glasses

Startup Story

Cláudia Machaieie is the founder of Sea Glasses in Mozambique. She is a 28-year-old with a degree in Marine Biology, a postgraduate degree in Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship, and is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Biology and Conservation Ecology. She has completed several technical courses in monitoring and project management. She began her activity as a volunteer and social activist at the age of 14 and is currently a founding volunteer of SOA Mozambique and a volunteer with Solo Adventures. She has worked in public (IIP), private (SEPPA, Centro Terra Viva), and international organizations (Girl Move Academy, UN - World Food Programme) developing activities in administration, monitoring, and management of humanitarian and environmental programs. Currently, she is the social responsibility coordinator at TOPACK Mozambique.

Matilde Mawelele Rungo, a Mozambican tech-preneur helping to drive digital transformation in the country

Startup Story

Matilde Mawelele Rungo is a digital transformation consultant, cybersecurity specialist, and founder of RealityTech Advisory in Mozambique, where she leads technology-driven projects for businesses and startups. She is also an evangelist and the creator of MTI – A Triad of Hope for Children, an initiative that integrates Evangelism, Technology, and Innovation to empower young people and communities. With a global vision, Matilde is committed to advancing individuals, organizations, and ecosystems through technology, faith, and meaningful social impact. The business was launched in 2024 and today has created jobs for 6 people.

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LIONESS BOOK REVIEWS

Featured

Built on Purpose: Discover Your Deep Inner Why and Manifest the Business of Your Dreams by Betsy Fore

Book Review

Successful entrepreneur Betsy Fore, in her new book Built on Purpose: Discover Your Deep Inner Why and Manifest the Business of Your Dreams, shows how, by practicing a manifesting mindset, you can discover your deepest purpose. She calls this an “inner why” and believes finding it can unlock your greatest potential as a creator, founder, and builder of great products.

The Magnetic Female Entrepreneur: The Art of Empowered Presence, Rising to New Levels of Impact and Influence, and Financial Success on Your Own Terms by Mary Grant

Book Review

The Magnetic Female Entrepreneur by Mary Grant is a transformative guide for high-achieving women entrepreneurs, business owners, and coaches who are ready to amplify their influence, impact, and income. Written by Mary Grant, a seasoned entrepreneur and innovation expert with over 30 years in the fashion industry, this book unpacks the art of empowered presence, bold confidence, and defining success on your own terms. Through insights, strategies, and a fresh perspective on success, the author empowers women to harness their unique strengths, navigate challenges, and rise to their next level with clarity and unstoppable momentum.

Women Entrepreneurs Rewired To Rise: Powerful Habits that Break Through Burnout, Silence Your Inner Critic, and Build a Thriving Business from the Inside Out by Fiona Soutter

Book Review

Women Entrepreneurs Rewired To Rise: Powerful Habits that Break Through Burnout, Silence Your Inner Critic, and Build a Thriving Business from the Inside Out by Fiona Soutter is not just another business book. Most focus on strategies and tactics. This one rewires the woman behind the business—so your growth is aligned, sustainable, and actually feels good.

Dream Big and Win: Translating Passion into Purpose and Creating a Billion-Dollar Business by Liz Elting

Book Review

In the book, Dream Big and Win: Translating Passion into Purpose and Creating a Billion-Dollar Business, author Liz Elting, one of the most celebrated and successful women in America, has created a guide for how to not only dream big, but also win―both in business and in life.

After the Idea: What It Really Takes to Create and Scale a Startup by Julia Austin

Book Review

In her new book, After the Idea: What It Really Takes to Create and Scale a Startup, entrepreneurship expert Julia Austin shares battle-tested strategies to help founders and startup joiners build their venture from the ground up.

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