Botswana leads Africa with the highest concentration of women business owners. We sat down with AWEC Alumna Mpolokang Gaolaolwe to discuss her entrepreneurial journey and growing up in the Southern African country.

This year, The African Women Entrepreneurship Cooperative turns five, and as the 5th cohort dive into their first month of programming, we look back on a vital component to the organization’s long-term sustainability; partnerships!

AWEC Alumna, Sibusiswe Chitewe spoke to us about how lessons from the program prepared her for an opportunity with the continent’s eastern and southern trading bloc.

It is no secret that Africa’s excessive dependency on raw material exports and imported consumer goods has a debilitating impact on its economies. AWEC Alumna Uzoamaka Izukanne Igweike spoke to us about establishing a business to address this challenge.

After applying to the program and waiting anxiously for the news, 200 women received the invitation for a coveted spot in AWEC’s flagship program. Here’s a brief snapshot about these exceptional African women business owners from across the continent and the diaspora.

A special message from Karen Sippel, co-founder of AWEC

From 3rd - 6th of May, The African Women Entrepreneurship Cooperative (AWEC) successfully hosted its third annual Virtual General Assembly to mark the end of the program year and celebrate the year-long achievements for AWEC’s Cohort 4 Fellows.

What’s the most effective way to generate good ideas? If you think you’re not an “Idea Person”, don’t be alarmed - we are sharing 4 simple techniques to help break conventional thinking and make that light bulb appear!

What’s the secret to running a successful global brand? With more than 40-decades of experience, Shelly Lazarus, considered one of the most influential women in marketing and advertising, shares some wisdom on what it takes to lead!

As AWEC approaches our 5 year anniversary and in honor of International Women’s Day 2022, we are thrilled to announce #ShePowersAfrica, a matching gift challenge campaign that will enable us to increase both the depth and breadth of our impact.

Entrepreneurs can all agree that when you first start out, you're bound to make some rookie mistakes; it's all part of the journey. If you’re lucky, most of these mistakes are easy to fix and learn from. But, in hindsight, let's be honest, there are some things you're better off avoiding all together.

Kudzayi Nheweyembwa, General Manager, Hilton Garden Inn in Zambia, described his unexpected journey as an AWEC mentor for three years.

When female entrepreneurs don’t promote their businesses, their work often silently goes unnoticed which can lead to fewer opportunities for partnerships and investor backing. Read on for advice on how to make a strong first impression.

The end of year holiday season can easily become overwhelming for anyone, let alone for women running their own businesses and balancing family life. This is why, AWEC mentor, Fabiola Riobe, is sharing her top tips on self-care for women in business.

From IT consultant to music teacher; Kunbi Osinoiki speaks of her entrepreneurial journey and what it’s meant for her to have a network of like-minded women entrepreneurs to share the joys and the pitfalls.

Gratitude helps you realise what is important to your business. Making your team, suppliers and customers feel happy and appreciated will pay more dividends than any marketing gimmick that you may be advised to try.

It takes a lot of confidence to start a business. But what do you do when you have to shut it down and begin the process all over again? This is the story of Amina Ighoud who shares her startup experience, the challenges faced, and how she overcame them.

In Part 2 of our series on business finance, we discuss some of the most common business mistakes we’ve identified that can negatively impact financial performance and how best to rectify them.

Changing careers can be tough and nerve racking. It is likely to bring with it a new routine, which may affect your work/life balance, and what’s more you'll probably be entering an unfamiliar space and will have to build new relationships and a good professional reputation —sometimes from scratch.

These two ladies are a great example of how to turn a pandemic into a milestone for your business. You need to think big, say yes to opportunities, consult mentors and keep learning skills and knowledge that may come in handy for your growth.