Initiative THE INTERNATIONAL PLATFORM DEDICATED TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT OF LEADING AND HIGH POTENTIAL AFRICAN WOMEN
EDITO Hello friends, I have a confession to make: I have been trying to learn how to do magic all my life. The suffering in Africa? I wanted to wave a wand and make it disappear. The lack of opportunities faced by young people; the obstacles put in the way of women? I wanted to wave a wand and cause our common humanity to be recognized. The deforestation and destruction of our fragile habitats? I wanted to wave a wand and birth a new beginning. So you can only imagine the joy I felt at the just concluded 2019 WIA Summit. The event, which called together women from across Africa, felt like a gathering at Hogwarts. Here we had women entrepreneurs who are actively rewriting the stories of their individual countries through « We have to stop their businesses, their social projects, and their governance-enhancing movements. If individually, thinking ‘charity’ they were strong; collectively, they were a force of nature. And the summit connected them to allies when we talk about from around the world - women and men from women of Africa » 27 countries outside of Africa, giving them more opportunities to do even greater things. Frédéric Oudéa, CEO of the Société Générale Group, tapped into the energy in the room when he charged the women to dream big. And African Aude de Thuin, WIA Founder women entrepreneurs like Swaady Martin embra- and Chair of the Board ced the challenge, speaking about the need to imbue the spirit of Africa, especially the notion of human connectedness which we call Ubuntu, into our businesses and our institutions. And one of the youngest people in the room, Alaa Salah, the lady liberty of Sudan, encouraged all women to not just be visible and vocal but to also join movements so that our values shape our reality. Madiba Nelson Mandela said it always seems impossible until it is done. The morning after the Women in Africa's 2019 Summit, I realised that he was right. Women in Africa are doing remarkable, transformational things. In the coming pages, we share the programs we have developed to support them and to equip them with the tools they need. We hope you join us. These women with their energy, sense of kinship and practical solutions show what is possible in Africa. The 2020 Summit Dates are out - they are June 25 and 26. The place is the same: Marrakech, Morocco. But don't wait till the Summit. Connect with us now and let's co-create bold, relevant approaches to drive real impact on the ground. From the field, Hafsat Abiola President 3
WIA INITIATIVE THE INTERNATIONAL PLATEFORM OF LEADING AND HIGH POTENTIAL AFRICAN WOMEN WIA A ClUB FOr OUr INTErNATIONAl WIA GlOBAl lEADEArS MEETING TO SHOW ANNUAl ClUB TO MEET, WOrk prOGrESSES OvEr SUMMIT WIA AND ExCHANGE THE yEAr AND lINk plAN THE FUTUr THE App TO CONNECT THE WIA COMMUNITy AN IMPACTFUL INITIATIVE WIA WIA WIA54 WIA EDUCATION AGrI- FOr MENTOrING WIA CODE ENTrEprENEUrS CUlTUrE WIA WIA WIAHUB yOUNG FOr BUSINESS lEADErS INClUSION ACCElErATOr prOGrAMME 4
Mission Statement Major Accomplishments in 3 years Women in Africa Initiative is a foundation ApplICATIONS 3 200 and a club for African and international rECEIvED leaders. The Foundation works all year long on suppor- 3 BOOTCAMPS ting African women in various activities that contribute to strengthen them economically in a series of sectors including entrepreneurship, agriculture, education. 15 MBAs The WIA Club is an international platform dedicated to the economic development and support of leading and high potential 200 SPEAKERS women. Each year, Women In Africa Initiative brings together its members, partners and patrons 4 SUMMITS for a two-day- summit in Morocco – an occasion for everyone to meet and network ! AMBASSADOrS 34 ON THE CONTINENT An impactful initiative AFTEr-WOrk 15 SESSIONS WIA is result-oriented and develops impactful projects that deliver powerful tools and training COUNTrIES sessions to African women in entrepreneurship, 84 rEprESENTED education, agriculture, mentoring, etc. 2 000 MEMBERS A pan-african and international initiative to: develop a strong network of qualified contacts 70 000 FOLLOWERS and industry stakeholders sharing WIA values continentally and internationally; offer webinars, relevant workshops and inspi- INTErNATIONAl prESS COvErAGE 30 ring speaches throughout the year; IN MOrE THAN 30 MEDIA INClUDING CNN, BBC, FOrBES AFrIqUE, engage and work on specific issues during Tv5 MONDE, lES ÉCHOS, ETC.) the WIA gatherings, summit and throught WIA link; ENTrEprENEUrS EMpOWErED 125 SINCE 2017 gain visibility and communicate around commitments for African women; be involved in profound economic, social A SErIES OF prOJECTS FOr and cultural change. WOMEN ON THE CONTINENT ! 5
A network of 34 Ambassadors on the continent 6
Hafsat Abiola: president of Women In Africa Hafsat Abiola is the president of Motivated by women’s strength, Women In Africa. She served as a Hafsat believes that the challenges member of the Ogun State cabi- facing the continent of Africa net where she pioneered the offer opportunities for women’s use of mobile phones to deliver leadership to emerge. cash grants to poor pregnant She is one global councillors women to ensure their access of the World Future Council ; a to health centres for antenatal recipient of several international to post-natal care and worked awards, including the vital on programmes to ensure inclu- voices' public Service Award, sive growth to address high youth Goi peace Foundation Award, and unemployment. the World Economic Forum's young Global leadership community. Through her non-profit, the kudirat Initiative for Democracy (kIND), she has worked to Her work is a tribute to her parents who promote a groundswell of exemplary women lost their lives while leading the democracy leaders and build pathways to public service movement that brought an end to military rule for them. in Nigeria in the 1990s. 7
All year long, through its foundation, WIA works on developing impactful projects. WIA54 ENTREPRENEURS CLUB MOrE THAN 3200 PROGRAMME FIlES rECEIvED WIA 54 Vivian Nwakah Nigeria MEDSAF 125 Through the WIA 54 project, WIA Founda- Health tion, in collaboration with roland Berger GOLD AWARD STArTUpS identifies and singles out innovative women PROMOTION 2017 ACCOMpANIED entrepreneurs from 54 African Countries ! In 2019, 1800 applications were received, and 54 winners were invited for a week in Marrakesh, to participate in a boot camp session along with the annual summit ! 10 15 MBA scholarships are granted to ExpErTS ANIMATE laureates, as well as training sessions and BOOTCAMp visibility ! « Africa is the only Basant Motawi 5 region in the world Egypt ASpIrE CONSUlTANTS where more women Women’s rights rOlAND BErGEr than men choose an ON THE SElECTION GOLD AWARD PROMOTION 2018 entrepreneurial career. Opening a field of possibilities to the feminine dynamic will MOrE THAN have a certain impact 15 on the future of the EvAlUATION CrITErIA INClUDING: African continent » - OFFEr - BUSINESS MODEl - INNOvATION lEvEl Ley Zoussi - TEAM republic of Congo Frédéric Oudéa, - IMpACT COMplETE FArMEr CEO of Société Générale - SCAlABIlITy Agriculture WIA Annual Summit, - STrENGHTS GOLD AWARD Marrakech 2019 - MATUrITy lEvEl PROMOTION 2019 9
4 missions to support entrepreneurship in Africa 1. NETWOrkING Enable high-potential entrepreneurs to WIA 54 on stage! : An entire afternoon meet personally with leading pan-African dedicated to women entrepreneurship and global leaders, investors and decision- during the Annual Summit: makers. Integrate the leading women entre preneurs panels on the continent into an international club keynote Access to the WIA link platform revelation award Develop a sense of community by offering follow up activities after each programme Optional : Film-testimonials broadcast on a Tv channel (depending on the level of Allow synergies between entrepreneurs commitment of our patrons). on the continent. 3. SUppOrT 2. vISIBIlITy A coaching program ahead of the Annual WIA Startup Exhibition : A space to present Summit for all laureates. WIA 54 laureates during the Women in A platform dedicated to the training Africa Annual Summit in Marrakech ; Excep- of entrepreneurs. tional exposure for financing and partner- A partnership with Honoris Universities ship opportunities. to offer MBA and other programmes. WIA media : Exclusive visibility through WIA Communication tools 4. WIA ENTrEprENEUrS’ ClUB WIA Mag DATA CENTEr Newsletter and Social networks A study on the theme Women - Entrepre- neurs - Africa is being done each year Women In Africa press partnerships with roland Berger. « These young women entrepreneurs represent the future of not only their countries but the future of Africa and the world. They are changing the perception of business in Africa. » Ann Walker Marchant, WIA54 Godmother, founder of The Walker Marchant Group in Washington D.C. and a former White House Special assistant to Bill Clinton. WIA Annual Summit, Marrakech 2019 10
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