How do you create social impact in your daily business operations? Explore the concept of accelerating impact - businesses can create community change while driving personal and economic growth. It introduces AWEC's Community Champions Initiative (CCI), which empowers women entrepreneurs to uplift their communities through mentorship and training. It highlights how using your business to entrench yourself in the community enhances its well-being and success. This article offers actionable strategies for integrating social responsibility into your business model for sustainable success.

Are your finances helping your business soar, or holding you back? This month, Dr. Okoye breaks down the essential financial tools every entrepreneur needs to stay on top of their game. Discover how to confidently manage your numbers, protect your cash flow (because cash is queen!), and make smarter decisions to ensure your business thrives. Ready to take control? Dive in now!

Oluyemi Adetiba-Orija has transformed her mission into a force for change. Beyond her legal practice, Oluyemi runs a philanthropic initiative dedicated to providing free legal aid and advocating for human rights in Nigeria. Her story shows how social action has broken down barriers to justice and created more opportunities for her business. READ MORE to discover how to pursue profit and purpose in your business.

Unlock the secrets to business transformation with insights from two Nigerian entrepreneurs who turned their challenges into triumphs through AWEC Business Clinics. Engineer Enita Okonkwo and Rebecca Omofuriota reveal how they tackled major hurdles—securing retail distribution and overcoming industry biases—with actionable advice and peer support. Discover how Enita's strategic move boosted her book sales and how Rebecca streamlined her operations to overcome burnout. AWEC Business Clinics blend expert insights with peer collaboration. Read more to discover a blueprint you can use in your own business community and drive your business forward.

The AWEC Alumnae Network (AAN) Thought Leadership Initiative, launched five months ago, successfully empowered alumnae across nine countries and five cohorts to enhance their online presence and business impact through strategic thought leadership. Alumnae from diverse industries experienced significant personal and professional growth, including increased visibility, expanded networks, and new business opportunities. Through structured support and mentorship, alumnae like Hussaina P. Nuhu-Ajala, Priscah Mufunde, and Eme Tony-Uzoebo have achieved speaking engagements and industry recognition, solidifying their roles as influential thought leaders. Looking ahead, AWEC remains committed to nurturing women entrepreneurs and fostering a community where expertise and innovation thrive.

We're proud to welcome 200 exceptional women entrepreneurs from 33 countries into our program, selected from over 3,400 applicants. Their businesses span various key industries.

AWEC equips these women with essential skills and networks, focusing on social impact and growth. Congratulations, Cohort 7! The future of Africa is in your hands.

Hear more from AWEC Senior Program Advisor, Magdalene Uzoechi, who shares inspiring success stories and insights on AWEC’s transformative impact over the past six years. Watch the video to discover how small ventures have become thriving enterprises!

“Win-win partnerships are built on mutual success. Before partnering, assess your intellectual property and protect it legally. Documenting the partnership thoroughly and establishing clear guidelines ensures transparency and accountability. Partnership agreements should evolve alongside the partnership's growth. Consider the impact of AI on existing partnerships. Approach collaborations confidently, emphasizing your unique value offering.”

A catalyst for business growth is collaboration – a powerful accelerant for impact. AWEC promotes collaboration among its sisterhood to boost business growth and promote socio-economic development in Africa. Through collective action, our entrepreneurs pool their expertise and resources to rise above challenges and outdo the competition.

Over the past few months, AWEC has been hosting a series of local, in-person events for our alumnae to gather and discuss the challenges inflation is posing within their specific countries. We sat down with the organizer of our AWEC Live series, AWEC Alumnae Network Director Akinola Odunlade, to discuss his views on the current economic situation facing many countries across the continent of Africa, with a specific focus on his home country of Nigeria

In a world grappling with the economic challenges brought about by soaring global inflation, AWEC convened an in-person alumnae meet-up that marked a pivotal moment for entrepreneurs seeking tangible solutions in these challenging times. Recognizing the power of face-to-face interactions, the event brought together local alumnae, staff members, and Live Session leader Kola Osinowo, CEO of Baobab+ Nigeria, to discuss and share experiences on navigating economic uncertainties.

We're well into 2024, but we couldn't launch the new year without reflecting on AWEC's impact in 2023. We ushered in new initiatives, launched exciting campaigns and reports, unpacked pertinent issues facing African women in business, celebrated the successes of our alumnae and fellows, and worked together to troubleshoot business challenges. Let’s take a look back at all the pieces that made AWEC in 2023.

As we kick off December with the release of the Annual Report, Stories of Resilience, Growth and Collaboration, we’re launching AWEC TV: our new and improved YouTube channel dedicated to bringing you stories about our incredible #AWECSisterhood, from the continent, for the continent. Enjoy AWEC TV’s pilot programs, Alumna One-On-One and Fellow One-On-One to catch up with our alumnae, Maryam Darwich and Uzoamaka Izukanne, and current Cohort 6 Fellows, Jacqueline Tamri and Karuna Veerapen, as they speak candidly with each other about their application experience and how AWEC has boosted their personal and professional growth.

The End-of-Year giving initiative stands as a testament to the profound impact AWEC has made on its alumnae, fostering a sense of community and a steadfast commitment to ensuring the program's enduring success.

For entrepreneurs who wear many hats in their personal and professional lives - employer, community leader, parent, partner, sibling, friend - there is a tendency to take care of everything and everyone else without paying enough attention to one’s own mental and emotional wellness. A business cannot flourish if its founder does not prioritize their own well-being. Therefore, AWEC believes that women entrepreneurs must invest in maintaining a healthy lifestyle and reducing the effects of stress that can arise from the competing pressures of balancing work and life as an entrepreneur.

Dr. May is committed to overcoming societal stigma and addressing crucial mental health needs. She emphasizes, "It's essential to reduce the stigma around mental health and make services accessible to all."

Why do we give? Giving back to those who’ve lifted us up, to our communities, is the heart of the African spirit. For our giving campaign, we had a candid conversation with some of our alumnae, Generose, Kimani, and Uzo to find out why they give.

Defying the odds is often paramount to the success of a business. The women in our community know this all too well. Operating in the current economic climate, they deal with supply-chain issues, rising costs of materials, employee retention insecurity, and a myriad of other daily challenges.

In our recently-published white paper report, entrepreneurs like Cecilia Nchangnwi give us an inside look at what it's like to run a business whilst battling inflation in the middle of the war in northern Cameroon.

The report is full of firsthand accounts like Cecilia's, as well as data-powered analysis from experts. The Director of Governance & Conflict Prevention at the African Union Commission, Patience Chiradza, offers strategies for women entrepreneurs navigating businesses in conflict zones.

Meet AWEC Alumna Wami Kunda, a passionate daycare owner who defied expectations and clinched a coveted tech grant! Her journey is a testament to the triumphant combination of determination, innovation and the unwavering AWEC spirit.

“I came across a Chinese flower festival online and it got me thinking – being a major flower exporter, does Kenya have its own version of this? It was just a passing thought, but little did I know, it was the beginning of something big. That tiny seed of an idea started sprouting, and soon, I found myself nurturing my own vision for a unique flower festival.”

We wanted a little in-house TEDx where you could mount the stage for a week and talk about whatever it is you were passionate about. Since it's not possible for everybody to be in one room at the same time, we thought, let's just do this through a series of posts on the social platforms that people can engage with when they're able- to give people an opportunity to learn from one another, to be encouraged and inspired by one another's stories.