Ayanfeoluwa Olarinde, Others Celebrated at the AWIEF 2020 Virtual Conference and Awards

The 6th edition of the benchmarking Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) conference and awards held on December 2 and 3, 2020 hosted more than 60 African and global thought leaders across business and politics who shared insight and thought leadership.

The conference theme this year was “Reimagining business and rebuilding better.”

The two-day event aimed to explore post-pandemic recovery for the African markets, and to address women’s economic empowerment; share entrepreneurship trends; connect and network with trailblazers from all over Africa and beyond.

AWIEF 2020 prestigious keynote speakers included the Mayor of City of Atlanta, Keisha Lance Bottoms, U.S. Ambassador to South Africa, H. E. Lana Marks, and the Secretary General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, H. E. Wamkele Mene.

According to Mayor Bottoms, “Atlanta’s Women’s Entrepreneurship Initiative (WEI) and Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) are connecting to strengthen the ties between Atlanta and the African continent”. “Africa holds a very special place in the heart of Atlanta.

The global health crisis has put a lens of uncertainty on our world, we are treading uncharted territory across the globe.

The definition of balance in our lives has been stretched for everyone, especially for women who lead our communities. Programs like WEI and AWIEF serve to level the playing field while bringing more women leaders to the table and helping to foster diverse business communities.”

The AWIEF 2020 Awards, held on December 3, honoured and celebrated the achievements of women entrepreneurs and innovators across the African continent.

Eight women founders and entrepreneurs emerged winners across eight different categories, out of the twenty-four selected as finalists from across the continent, including Botswana, Cameroun, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, and Tanzania.

• YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR AWARD: Hannah Lavery, Founder Hannah Lavery (South Africa)
• AGRI ENTREPRENEUR AWARD: Victoria Mwafulirwa, Managing Director, Homes Industries (Malawi)
• TECH ENTREPRENEUR AWARD: Marlize Holtzhausen, Founder and CEO, Response24 (South Africa)
• CREATIVE INDUSTRY AWARD: Ayanfeoluwa Olarinde, Lulu Arts and UnEarthical (Nigeria)
• EMPOWERMENT AWARD: Porcho Marguerite Sogoba, CEO, MUSODEV (Mali)
• ENERGY ENTREPRENEUR AWARD: Amma Serwah Boateng, Co-founder, Destra Energy Group (Ghana)
• SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR AWARD: Rita Stryker, CEO, Willette Safehouse (Liberia)
• LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Daisy Mmabatho Molefhi, Founder and Vice Chancellor, ABM University College (Botswana)

AWIEF 2020 Awards also featured the 2020 APO Group African Women in Media Award with Zimbabwean journalist Debra Matabvu emerging as the winner.

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