AWIEF Awards gets hotter

Leading Pan African entrepreneurship and innovation non-profit, the Africa Women Innovation and

Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) (www.AWIEForum.org), has announced the top finalists in its annual awards to celebrate women business leaders and entrepreneurs in Africa.

Twenty-four outstanding women founders and entrepreneurs were selected by an independent panel of judges as top finalists for the 2021 AWIEF Awards across eight different categories.

The twenty-four represent women-owned businesses operating in 11 African countries: Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

The winners will be announced at a ceremony and gala dinner on December 3, 2021 following on from the 2021 AWIEF Conference.

AWIEF hosts the 7th edition of its prestigious and benchmarking annual AWIEF Conference this year with the theme, Advancing Inclusive, Resilient And Sustainable Growth In A Post-COVID-19 African Economy, as a hybrid (virtual and in-person) event on December 2 – 3, 2021.

The venue for the in-person ceremony is the Marriot Hotel Melrose Arch, Johannesburg, South Africa.

“AWIEF remains steadfast in its efforts to promote and support women entrepreneurship development and innovation in Africa. With the AWIEF Awards, we identify and shine the spotlight on inspirational women entrepreneurs and innovators driving growth for Africa,” Irene Ochem, AWIEF Founder and Chief Executive Officer, said.

“It was an absolute delight to judge the AWIEF Awards once again this year. The standard and quality of the nominations and businesses continue to be high. The judging panel had a hard time choosing the top finalists from the numerous inspirational and outstanding women entrepreneurs who, through their businesses, are creating opportunities and positively impacting lives and communities,” Birgitta Cederstrom, Business Development Director for Middle East and Africa, Frost & Sullivan, said.

Below are the finalists in alphabetical order.

YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR AWARD

Phyllis Addo, Co-Director, Rhema Engineering Solutions (Ghana)

Tao Boyle, Co-Founder and COO, FoondaMate (South Africa)

Alexandria Procter, Co-Founder and CEO, DigsConnect.com (South Africa)

TECH ENTREPRENEUR AWARD

Ivy Barley, Co-Founder, Developers in Vogue Foundation (Ghana)

Evelyn Kaiingu, CEO, Lupiya (Zambia)

Kathryn Malherbe, CEO, Medsol AI Solutions (South Africa)

SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR AWARD

Gudula Naiga Basaza, Managing Director, Gudie Leisure Farm (Uganda)

Zandile Mkhwanazi and Tinyiko Simbine, Co-Founders, GirlCode (South Africa)

Angela Juliana Odero, Managing Director, Rio Fish Ltd (Kenya)

AGRI ENTREPRENEUR AWARD

Hadia M. Gondji, Founder and Managing Director, Hadiya Seed Production and Agro Industry Plc (Ethiopia)

Jo-Andra Cloete Greegory, CEO, Our Poultry Place (South Africa)

Fortunatha Mmari, Co-Founder and Managing Director, AFCO Investment Co. Ltd (Tanzania)

CREATIVE INDUSTRY AWARD

Cynthia Asije, Creative Director, The Adirelounge (Nigeria)

Nadia Takyiwaa-Mensah, Founder and CEO, Sai Wine Café (Ghana)

Susan Wanjiru, Founder and Creative Lead, Lockhem Kids Entertainment (Kenya)

ENERGY ENTREPRENEUR AWARD

Ifeoma Malo, CEO, Clean Technology Hub (Nigeria)

Tumi Mphahlele, Founder and Director, Amperion Energy (South Africa)

Josephine Takundwa, CEO, Earthlink Technologies (Zimbabwe)

EMPOWERMENT AWARD

Jackie Bomboma, Founder and CEO, Young Strong Mothers Foundation (Tanzania)

Djénéba Gory, Co-founder and COO, Suadela (Mali)

Gehad Hamdy, Founder and Manager, Speak Up (Egypt)

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Margaret Hirsch, Co-founder and Executive Director, Hirsch's Homestores (South Africa)

Tabitha Karanja, Founder and CEO, Keroche Breweries (Kenya)

Lucia Quachey, Founder and President, Ghana Association of Women Entrepreneurs (Ghana)

And to register to attend the AWIEF 2021 Conference and the AWIEF Awards either virtually or in-person, please visit https://bit.ly/3bwSMyz