Wrapping Up Our 2023 Impact
We're well into 2024, but we couldn't launch the new year without reflecting on AWEC's impact in 2023. We ushered in new initiatives, launched exciting campaigns and reports, unpacked pertinent issues facing African women in business, celebrated the successes of our alumnae and fellows, and worked together to troubleshoot business challenges.
ANNUAL REPORT
A Collection of Stories of
Resilience, Growth & Collaboration
The 2022-2023 Annual Report was released in late 2023 to much acclaim. It showcased the context, characters, conflict, and continuance of the AWEC story.
In April, AWEC hosted its first in-person General Assembly in 3 years in Nairobi, Kenya. Bringing together more than 300+ African women business owners from over 30 countries across the continent, business leaders, experts, and executives from both public and private sectors, it was an empowering and motivational event that celebrated the achievements and transformation of phenomenal women entrepreneurs.
Asante sana Kenya!
Bringing all five cohorts together for the first time in person was a heartfelt reunion and showed the sisterhood that the women had built up for the past six years.
Attendees participated in facilitated workshops, masterclasses, panel discussions, and group activities that held a safe space environment for out-of-the-box brainstorming and bold thinking. Topics like Innovating Your Business Model to Domesticate Your Supply Chain, Designing Sustainability As a Core Business Deliverable (ESG), and Understanding the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) were covered.
THE GIVING FACTOR
In November we launched our giving campaign and highlighted some of our incredible alumnae who regularly give back to AWEC.
The End-of-Year giving initiative stands as a testament to the profound impact AWEC has made on its alumnae, fostering a sense of community and a steadfast commitment to ensuring the program's enduring success.
Our alumnae love to pay it forward, and the AWEC End-of-Year Giving Campaign was an occasion for our remarkable community to reflect on their AWEC experiences and contribute to a cause that has profoundly impacted them.
AWEC SPOTLIGHTS
We're committed to showcasing some of AWEC's stellar entrepreneurs. It's about celebrating the accomplishments our fellows and alumnae have achieved through the distinct impact AWEC has had on their businesses. Here's a recap of some of the success stories we featured last year.
ADELINE SEDE KAMGA
- Cohort 5 Alumna from Cameroon
- FabAfriq Media Group founder
- Hired 8 new employees since she joined AWEC
- Experienced 42% growth in revenue to $185,000 USD
Well done Adeline!
OLAJUMOKE OKEOLA
- Cohort 3 Alumna from Nigeria
- Owner of Dine Wise Café
- Won a $5,000 USD grant from Slow Food International
Congratulations Olajumoke!
ROSEMARY KIMUNYA
- Cohort 5 Alumna from Kenya
- Kenya Flower Festival founder
- Finalist for the Green Business Award in the GIZ African Woman in Agribusiness
Keep blossoming Rosemary!
INSIDE AWEC
SHE MAKES AFRICA CENTRE STAGE
Conceived by the AWEC Alumnae Board (AAB), She Makes Africa Center Stage is a platform for the alumnae to share their stories. We sat down with AAB Vice-Chair and Cohort 3 alumna, Kunbi Osinoiki, to get the exclusive on this community-building initiative.
African women entrepreneurs personify the spirit of community in all aspects of their lives. It's the heartbeat of the African continent. Community-building initiatives in business can be life-changing. They facilitate growth and empowerment through collective action.
This virtual, TedX-style series quickly became a fan favorite in the alumnae network and proved how the power of community is a secret weapon for an African women entrepreneur.
For those outside the AWEC network and inspired by She Makes Africa Centre Stage, take a leaf out of the playbook and kickstart your own collective. Or join an existing one! Here are some handy tips to help you get started:
- Select a suitable platform. Facebook and LinkedIn groups are excellent places to start.
- Reach out to a fellow entrepreneur to begin building a cohort with clear objectives and goals.
- Continually adapt as the group grows, seeking feedback and embracing diversity of ideas.
- Discuss the latest trends in your industry.
- Share news of government schemes that could impact your businesses.
- Practice your elevator pitches with each other!
BUSINESS CLINIC PRO
In February, July, and November we rounded up hundreds of brilliant minds and top experts to diagnose and treat some of our alumnae's biggest business challenges. Our alumnae engaged in meaningful conversations with different industry experts, discussing various challenges, from financial management to marketing to business strategy, and collaboratively worked toward potential solutions.
By the end of each session, participants gained:
- Clarity and direction on crucial aspects of their businesses
- Valuable insights to support their enterprises' goals and aspirations
- Opportunities to establish new connections with fellow alumnae
LAUNCHING AWEC TV
As we kicked gears into recruitment season, we launched AWEC TV, a YouTube channel dedicated to bringing you stories about our incredible #AWECSisterhood. From the continent, for the continent.
Enjoy AWEC TV’s pilot programs, Alumna One-On-One to catch up with our alumnae, Maryam Darwich and Uzoamaka Izukanne, as they speak candidly with each other about how they came to join AWEC. Check out Fellow One-On-One with current Cohort 6 Fellows, Jacqueline Tamri and Karuna Veerapen, discussing how AWEC has boosted their personal and professional growth.
Establishing Thought Leadership For Women-Owned SMEs in Africa
Every entrepreneur knows that a one-size-fits-all approach can't be applied in business. Global macroeconomic trends and environmental influences can't simply be copied and pasted into the African context. Yet the cultural, political, and economic diversity of the 54 nations in Africa isn't considered enough in the microanalysis of business in the continent. As a result, the reporting of doing business in Africa is often underreported and misrepresented.
In seven years, AWEC has accumulated a large bank of data and has an unparalleled plug into the pan-African SME network which has allowed us to establish a strong thought leadership presence of business and entrepreneurship in Africa.
AGAINST ALL ODDS:
THE AWEC WHITE PAPER
Defying the odds is often paramount to the success of a business. The women in our community know this all too well. Operating in the current economic climate, they deal with supply-chain issues, rising costs of materials, employee retention insecurity, and even war.
The inaugural white paper report, Navigating Economic Downturn: How African Women Entrepreneurs Can Thrive in the Midst of Inflation & Recession, contains firsthand accounts from AWEC alumnae running their businesses in turbulent times. It offers data-powered analysis from experts such as the Governance & Conflict Prevention director of the African Union Commission. It includes various toolkits for businesses in Africa to apply. Facing a myriad of daily challenges in the current economic climate, such as supply-chain bottlenecks, rising costs of materials, employee retention insecurity, and even operating in active conflict zones and war, the white paper is packed with real-life, applicable strategic advice.
MENTAL WELLNESS INITIATIVES
For entrepreneurs who wear many hats in their personal and professional lives - employer, community leader, parent, partner, sibling, friend - there is a tendency to take care of everything and everyone else without paying enough attention to one’s own mental and emotional wellness. A business cannot flourish if its founder does not prioritize their own well-being.
Therefore, AWEC believes that women entrepreneurs must invest in maintaining a healthy lifestyle and reducing the effects of stress that can arise from the competing pressures of balancing work and life as an entrepreneur.
A catalyst for mental health advancement
AWEC teamed up with Cohort 4 alumna and neuro-psychiatrist, Dr. Maymunah Yusuf Kadiri, to launch mental wellness initiatives for the Fellows. Dr May, as she is affectionately known, advocates for mental health and is committed to overcoming societal stigma and addressing crucial mental health needs. She emphasizes, "It's essential to reduce the stigma around mental health and make services accessible to all."
Following the sessions with "The Celebrity Shrink", the Fellows gained practical tools to protect their energy and boost their productivity.
“This session has opened my eyes. I have been drained emotionally over the past two months over things I can let go.” -Cohort 6 Fellow
“Thank you for this female safe space where we are learning how we can best be ourselves and manage our schedules properly. No more stress because of this insightful presentation.” -Cohort 6 Fellow
“It was a good wake up call and I can now really reflect and prioritize and strategize accordingly.” -Cohort 6 Fellow
WELCOME COHORT 6
After an intense application process and a period of anticipation, 200 African women received the highly sought-after invitation to join the AWEC Program on a year-long journey of growth and success.
AWEC Stories of Impact and Contributions to the Continent
In 2023, we showcased stories and conversations from program fellows, alumnae, and the wider community to highlight how they are contributing to Africa's growth. Meet some of the women (em)powering Africa.
HOW
Lebohang Dhludhlu
AWEC Cohort 5 Alumna | South Africa | Farming & Agriculture
Nkanyezi Farming
Lebohang secured funding from the government to commercialize her business, with plans to expand her team and continue making a positive difference in people's lives. Taking on the advice of her AWEC Program Advisor, Lebohang secured a major deal with two prominent retail markets for her poultry business.
SHE
Lola Olusola
AWEC Cohort 2 Alumna | Nigeria | Oil & Gas
Horizon Shores Nigeria Limited
“I remember the Live Sessions were particularly insightful because each of the sessions expanded my worldview and stretched her mind beyond its limits. The assignments, on the other hand, played a significant role in shaping my goals and vision while sharpening my business insights and analytical skills. They also instilled consistency and resilience in my approach to problem-solving.”
POWERS
Sofia Beck-Petersen
AWEC Mentor
Her advice to entrepreneurs:
"A strong network is essential for growth and success in business. It provides a wealth of inspiration, knowledge, and new opportunities that can lead to tangible value both professionally and personally. Entrepreneurs should prioritize building and nurturing their networks as a vital component of achieving their goals and ambitions."
AFRICA
Doris Ahiati
AWEC Mentor
Doris shares her top three strategies for running a successful business:
1. Invest in building your knowledge and skills to identify opportunities before others do.
2. Focus on solving real problems for your target audience by using design thinking tools and seeking professional advice from qualified experts.
3. To ensure the longevity of your business, it's essential to self-disrupt by regularly gauging and staying informed about market trends, customer feedback, and evolving developments.
VIRTUAL LEADERSHIP SUMMIT
Once Upon a Business Story ... Telling Your Story
In October, our Cohort 6 Fellows converged around their devices to attend the Virtual Leadership Summit. Purely online, the three-day conference was packed to the brim with inspiring keynote addresses, life-changing learnings from industry experts, AWEC alumnae, and of course, a few, fun bonding activities peppered in too. The Fellows had the opportunity to learn from global leaders who guided them in understanding the importance of telling their business story and the art of crafting the perfect narrative.
The Speaker lineup included:
The Fellows seized the opportunity to build relationships with a "Zoomie" (our fun, play on the words of Zoom + roommate)...
...and share their business story with an audience of hundreds in the #TellingMyStory campaign.
The summit came to a close with the MVP Award Ceremony, hosted by our Program Advisors
In April, AWEC hosted its first in-person General Assembly in 3 years in Nairobi, Kenya. Bringing together more than 300+ African women business owners from over 30 countries across the continent, business leaders, experts, and executives from both public and private sectors, it was an empowering and motivational event that celebrated the achievements and transformation of phenomenal women entrepreneurs.
Asante sana Kenya!
Bringing all five cohorts together for the first time in person was a heartfelt reunion and showed the sisterhood that the women had built up for the past six years.
Attendees participated in facilitated workshops, masterclasses, panel discussions, and group activities that held a safe space environment for out-of-the-box brainstorming and bold thinking. Topics like Innovating Your Business Model to Domesticate Your Supply Chain, Designing Sustainability As a Core Business Deliverable (ESG), and Understanding the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) were covered.
Thank you to all our partners, alumnae, fellows, and followers for making 2023 memorable. Here's to an even more impactful 2024!
To stay up to date on AWEC news, follow us on social media @WeAreAWEC
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