‘They assume the man next to me is the owner’: four women doing business in Africa in their own way
From feeding schoolchildren to recycling tyres, these entrepreneurs are challenging stereotypes while solving social and environmental problems
TL;DR
- Africa has a high proportion of female entrepreneurs, yet many struggle with financing.
- Ifedolapo Runsewe in Nigeria established Freee Recycle to transform waste tires into industrial products, facing gender bias in finance.
- Kyokushaba Shine in Uganda founded Winta Engineering Solutions, offering solar-powered irrigation to smallholder farmers, with a workforce that is 80% women.
- Wawira Njiru in Kenya leads Food4Education, which provides daily meals to over 700,000 schoolchildren using sustainable practices and sourcing from local farmers.
- Chifuno Stevens in Malawi started the Chifuno Changa Green Initiative (CCGI) to produce eco-friendly charcoal briquettes from peanut shells, creating jobs for local women and reducing deforestation.
- All four entrepreneurs faced challenges related to accessing capital and overcoming societal perceptions about women in business.
- Their businesses not only aim for financial sustainability but also contribute to environmental conservation and socio-economic empowerment.
- The women entrepreneurs are committed to proving their business acumen and creating lasting positive change.