AWIEF Selects 24 Women as Finalists for its 2020 Awards

The Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) has announced this year’s finalists for the 2020 AWIEF Awards. Twenty-four women were chosen as finalists for entrepreneurship accomplishments across eight categories. These top finalists were picked from multiple industries across Africa.

Established by the Africa Women’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum, a pan-African women’s economic empowerment organisation that actively promotes women’s innovation and entrepreneurship, the goal of the award is to celebrate women who have made a mark in entrepreneurship. The event will be held virtually for the first time ever.

The Theme of the Awards

The theme of the AWIEF Awards this year,’ Reimagining business and rebuilding better,’ was influenced by the Covid-19 pandemic as it recognises entrepreneurs that have found innovative ways of recovering and reimagining their business in the current economic environment.

The winners will be announced at the sixth Conference of the African Women’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum, which will be held virtually from 2-3 December 2020.

The virtual awards encourage inclusiveness as 1,300 pan-African, global participants and stakeholders interact through networking to create new business relationships. Via the virtual awards, sponsors, partner partners and speakers will also interact, helping them to extend their audience reach. In thought-provoking sessions, stakeholders will address the role of industry, leadership, technology, trade, entrepreneurship, women, and youth in the post-pandemic world.

Categories

The 2020 AWIEF Awards is supported by Nedbank, AGRA, APO Group and WESGRO.

The eight categories are as follows:

• Young Entrepreneur Award
• Tech Entrepreneur Award
• Social Entrepreneur Award
• Agri Entrepreneur Award
• Creative Industry Award
• Energy Entrepreneur Award
• Empowerment Award
• Lifetime Achievement Award

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Nominees per category

Young Entrepreneur Award: 

• Technoplus by managing partner, Sazia Souza from Mozambique
• Hannah Lavery led by founder, Hannah Lavery from SA
• KJK Online Communications created by CEO, Olajumoke Odumola from Nigeria
• Erith Health Services by chief pharmacist, Asomaniwaa Owusu-Ansah from Ghana

Tech Entrepreneur Award:

• Claudette Akinpaye from Rwanda is the founder and managing director of Agrizilla
• Marlize Holtzhausen, Founder and CEO of Response24 in SA
• Abimbola Adebakin from Nigeria, CEO of Advantage Health

Social Entrepreneur Award:

• Rita Stryker from Liberia as the CEO of Willette Safehouse
• Adenike Akinsemola from Nigeria, Founder and Director of The Green Institute
• Doris Mollel from Tanzania, Founder and Executive Director of Doris Mollel Foundation
• Mariam Mell’Osiime Mpaata from Kenya, Founder and CEO of Junior Stars Youth Development Programme

Agri Entrepreneur Award:

• Victoria Mwafulirwa from Malawi as the Managing Director of Homes Industries
• Jacqueline Mukashyaka from Rwanda, Chief Executive Officer of Champion Grocers
• Armelle Sidje Tamo from Cameroun, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Product Related to Agricultural Sector (PRA)

Creative Industry Award:

• Hannellie Coetzee from SA, a Visual Artist for Wild Wall Tiles
• Ayanfe Olarinde from Nigeria for Lulu Arts and UnEarthical
• Alice Muyambo from Zambia, a Visual Artist for Fortitude Arts Gallery

Energy Entrepreneur Award:

• Enoyonam Mosia from Sierra Leone, Co-founder of Easy Solar
• Amma Serwah Boateng from Ghana, Co-founder of Destra Energy Group

Empowerment Award:

• Porcho Marguerite Sogoba from Mali, CEO of MUSODEV
• Nasreen Aleey from Kenya, Founder and CEO of Afrikapu
• Qabale Duba from Kenya, Founder and CEO of Qabale Duba Foundation

Lifetime Achievement Award

• Robyn de Villiers from SA as Chairman and CEO of BCW Africa
• Daisy Molefhi from Botswana, Founder and Executive Director of ABM University College