SUMMARY INSPIR’ ASSOCIATION 3 O.S.E.R. L’Afrique
INSPIR’ INTERVIEW 5 Fatima Bocoum
FOCULTURE 9 Mutilations Génitales Féminines
INSPIR’ START-UP 11 Nathalie Moth
INSPIR’ POLITICS’ 19 Laetitia Y. Sagno
INSPIR’ CAREER 23 Hapsatou Sy 4 QUESTIONS TO 25 Sandra Ntsonde
INSPIRE AFRIKA Engaging Women! 90 years... After 90 years of struggle for justice and equality of rights, women all around the world celebrate once again their history, their day. Once a year we are given the opportunity to evaluate our status when it comes to equal rights of the sexes. Of course, we still have a long road to travel. In many countries women are still treated horribly…mutilated, raped and beaten. In some, they still don’t have the right to vote. Here at Inspire Afrika, we want to stick to our “Afro-optimism”. This issue celebrates the progress women have accomplished so far specifically, African women. According to International Organizations, the rate of literacy amongst young women between ages 15 and 24 in sub Saharan Africa was 67,2% in 2010 against 53,6% in 2008. This evolution illustrates one of women’s victories in the educational realm. The “weaker sex” (apparently not as “weak as it is said to be) represents a rate for entrepreneurship that is evolving in Africa. Rwanda, a country that is quite close to leveling men and women equality, has 48, 8% of women elected within its parliament. This goes to show the determination of women to achieve fixed goals in terms of equality in opportunities. Laetitia Sagno on page 19 is a prime example of this. Long gone are the days when a woman’s value was only measured by her physique. African women of the 21st century are taking over the international and public scene with the same confidence and competences as men. Beautiful, strong and dynamic, they are taking more and more initiatives. But most importantly, they are innovative. With Hapsatou Sy (p.21), we witness the possibility to live out our dreams. On page 11, Natalie Moth shows us the secrets to building up a company on the Internet. Fatima Bocoum explains to us how her multicultural background played a determining role in her initiative to create the brand BOCOUM. Diversity and innovative spirit are the underlining themes of our homage to women this month. It’s time to discover the power of women! Enjoy
Joan INSPIRE AFRIKA – MARCH 2012
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INSPIR’ ASSOCIATION
O.S.E.R. L’AFRIQUE “The African youth will make its voice heard” Marilia Mayaki.
Today, African youth are an important percentage of students that pursue their higher education abroad, meaning outside of their home countries. For this reason the Unicef considers them as the most mobile students in the world. This mobility has “forced” to a certain extent western countries to welcome more and more students from African countries. African youths in turn have learnt to adapt and open up to their new
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environment. Today, they are qualified and competent and they often take on a more unified path with the goal of setting an example for those who want to contribute to the development of Africa. It is with this perspective that the organization “OSER l’Afrique” (Africa Dares) was created in 2010, during the 50th anniversary celebration of the independence of African Nations.
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INSPIR’ ASSOCIATION Openness, Solidarity, Exemplary nature and Respect are the four words which characterize the association. Its main objective is “to make the African youth aware of the fact that the development of the continent cannot rely on a wait-and-see logic ". After the youth Forum for Africa held in 2010, the OSER team returns this time with a booklet entitled “Writings of the youth for Africa ". Introduced by Cyrille Nkoutchou and Postfaced by Marguerite Barankitse, the booklet summarizes entrepreneurship in 4 acts: embody, draw together, innovate and shine. The booklet features “success stories", testimonials, but also elderly opinions. Every column contains a section entitled "my commitment” in which the reader is called to write down his goals, the actions to be undertaken and the deadline to realize these various goals. But the group does not plan on stopping there. All year round, workshops will be put in place for African youth and aim at applying the various proposals put forward in the booklet. Furthermore, the website will soon offer a virtual platform, which will allow the youth to discuss numerous subjects.
OSER l’Afrique is indeed committed to talk about the troubles faced by the African youth. When asked about the importance of the International Woman Day, Communication manager for the organization, Marilia Mayaki doubts “the real impact of this event for the cause of women ". Nevertheless, she wishes that young African women “acquire the conviction and desire to possess the tools and necessary means to their self-fulfillment ". OSER l’Afrique is an initiative from African youth by African youth for African youth, which sees the emergence of the continent through solidarity. If you also, wish to “DARE” (OSER) do not hesitate to join them. Consult the booklet at the following address: http://www.oserlafrique.com/
Karl N.
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INSPIR’ INTERVIEW
African of the world : Fatima Bocoum. While some hesitate to dash into entrepreneurship, others do not wait to finish their studies and become business moguls. With an associate degree in Business and Art, Fatima Bocoum is studying for a Bachelor in Business Administration with a focus in Marketing, Management and International Business at Mercer University (Atlanta, GA). From a family of 3 children, Fatima became a dynamic young woman very early on. At only 17,
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she already combined student life and real work responsibilities. She was the TV host of Video Hit on the Africable channel. Africa plays an important role in her life because to her « it is important to make known African Art worldwide”. Inspired by meeting with Showbiz stars such as Nas or Nadia Buari, Fatima is an observer and draws inspiration from her surroundings. Today, she is the founder and CEO of a brand, Bocoum. Here’s our exclusive interview.
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INSPIR’ INTERVIEW Inspire Afrika: Fatima, you are a Malian, born in China and you grew up in Lybia. How do you live out this mix of cultures? Fatima Bocoum: For me it is natural. I have never had to ask questions. Each year I would go back to Mali for summer holidays; so even though my family and I were living almost everywhere in the world, we always went back to our roots. I have never asked myself “where am I from?” for instance. For me it was clear: I am Malian. And it was really enriching because it helped me to be open minded. Being in contact with different cultures has influenced who I am and what I am doing today.
IA: You started working at a very young age as a TV host for Africable. Tell us more. What have you learnt? Fatima: It’s at this period that I realized that you have to work hard if you want to be successful in your life. It was my last year of High school. I had to get my degree at the end of the year and I needed not only to work, but to work harder. The show was on TV every day. As a result, I had to record a show everyday. I had set my priorities. I didn’t waste my time hanging out with my friends. I had to work until midnight and then go back home to do homework. My life was the sum of school and work because my priorities were set.
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During your entrepreneurial ventures, have you been faced with the issuse such as birthright or rather not being taken seriously because you were so young? Fatima: Yes but I took it pretty well. It is true that sometimes I felt like people didn’t take me seriously when I would say “I am an entrepreneur” at a young age. It is during conversations that people realized that even though I was young, I was mature enough. It is sometimes necessary to bang your fist on the table and say “Listen, this is what I want to accomplish and I will not give up on it.” It is even harder because I am young and also a woman. I believe it is harder but necessary for a woman to make herself heard.
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INSPIR’ INTERVIEW IA: So tell us about Bocoum: the brand and the team behind it all. Fatima: Bocoum was launched in September 2011. It is a brand influenced by all the things I witnessed around the world even if I that wasn’t obvious in my first collection. What I am trying to do with Bocoum is to go beyond just creating clothes. I really want to be able to touch women’s lives emotionally through my collection. Fashion is a passion but also an emotional connection that I have with those women who wear my clothes. The team is a group of four working with other people such as contractors and public relations companies. We all live in different place in the world: Europe, Africa and America.
IA: Doesn’t distance make things complicated? Fatima: Not at all because with Internet and telephone we speak to each other every day and we work perfectly together. We understand each other and we are on the same wavelength. It is important for an entrepreneur to have the dream team. The dream team consists of the good people who are motivated, who understand the entrepreneur’s vision and who sometimes want to succeed more than the entrepreneur. The last criteria is important because the team has to motivate the entrepreneur when he is not on top of his or her game. Moreover it is important to be able to count on the team especially within a small company. It is not always easy. Sometimes things do not pan out as we like, that is when motivation is crucial. IA: Do you have any projects in Mali? Fatima: I really want to develop my business in Mali by creating jobs over there. I think that there is a lot of talent not only in my country but in Africa in general. I believe
that it is important to understand that even if we cannot go back home, we have to be able to work with our people in order to help our countries and our continent. I would like people to realize that there is vast talent in Africa but the people with those talents sadly cannot make themselves known because of certain conditions. IA: What’s your advice to tomorrow’s young entrepreneurs? Fatima: You should never give up on your dreams. Sometimes we have to make choices that will bring us to places we don’t want to be. But it is important to visualize what you want your life to be. As soon as you have that image, you have to gain the necessary tools to create it. And even when things go wrong, you should never give up. You just have to never give up. I repeat it because I go through it every single day and it is important to keep moving forward. Sometimes you have to take a break to think, but you have to get back on your feet and keep working on your dreams
C.E.N
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FOCULTURE WHEN TRADITION & CULTURE CROSS THE LINE: FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATIONS In the movie Desert Flower, a young girl from a Nomad Somalian family is forced to undergo female genital mutilation. Female Genital Mutilation is a horrid tradition which involves partial or total removal of external female genitalia with the goal of “desexualizing” the young girl. She is then forced at the age of 13 to marry a man old enough to be her grandfather. With so many forced traditions, the young girl daringly escapes from her village. In the movie we see her cross an entire desert and after countless difficulties she winds up in London, where she is discovered by a photographer who propels her into the modeling industry. She uses her beauty and talent to denounce the wrong doings of her own people and stand up to make a change. The story is touching, almost too idealistic and unrealistic; after all how does a little African girl escape a desert and end up in London treading the hottest runways…But what if I told you that her name is Waris Dirie. She is the person whose life inspired the movie. She is one lucky girl among millions who endure Female Genital Mutilation, to have escaped the grasp of this inhumane tradition, live to tell the tale and become a worldwide humanitarian success story. Female genital mutilation (FGM) even though not often spoken of is practiced in many Muslim as well as Christian countries around the world today. It is a tradition traced back to ancient Egypt and practiced today prominently in Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Mali and East Africa. It consists of various forms of mutilation of the female genital: clitiridestomy (the partial or total removal of the clitoris); Excision which is the same but with removal of the labia minora with or without the labia majora; Inflibulation (narrowing the vaginal opening by creating a covering seal by repositioning the inner or outer labia). Finally any other harmful procedures to the female genitalia with no medical purposes are considered as FGM.
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FOCULTURE Why is this atrocity still happening today? The power of tradition in this issue is undeniable especially one ingrained so deeply in the mindsets of people. For the practitioners of FGM, it is a way to keep the young girl from becoming sexually active before marriage; it is also a sanctified condition because a “circumcised” girl is pure and marriageable. It is a mix of cultural, religious, and social factors within communities that exert this pressure to conform and perpetuates the tradition. It is considered a social norm, a necessary part of raising a girl “right”, simply by discouraging her from premarital sex. Practitioners believe it has religious support but no religious script prescribes the practice. In most of the countries where it is practiced, the local community leaders, religious gurus, circumcisers and the “wise” elderly are the ones who push this tradition onto the youth. Stopping this practice will come from changing an entire mindset built generations ago; It will be about reaching those community leaders, the religious gurus, the elderly to show them the physical and psychological harm they are inflicting on these young girls, generally ‘circumcised” between the ages 3 and fifteen The story of Waris Dirie proves that the girls victim of this practice do not want to conform with tradition. Very few are as brave as Waris. About 140 million girls and women worldwide are living with the consequences of FGM. In Africa,
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about 92 million girls’ age 10 years and above are estimated to have undergone FGM. The procedure often causes severe bleeding, urination problems and cysts, some die due to infection after the procedure. It can cause infertility and risks for complications in childbirth are increased and may include newborn deaths. In 2002, Waris founded her own organization, named Desert Flower Foundation based in Vienna, Austria to further her campaign against FGM. A problem being faced today by those who want to fight FGM is the fact that the horrible tradition is “moving with the times”, as there is an increasing trend of medically trained professionals who perform FGM. This goes to show how powerfully ingrained the tradition is, from ancient Egypt to today , it is perpetuating and showing itself to be frightenly adaptable in the face of counter attacks. We can all act by getting informed about the state of the issue and also by sharing the information so there is a creation of awareness, visit the Desert Flower foundation at http://www.desertfoundation.org to keep up to date and donate if possible to fight against FGM.
Amma O.
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INSPIR’ START-UP NATHALIE MOTH,: THE ADVENTURE OF AN ONLINE START-UP
Today, creating a company on Internet is the fastest way to get your name out there. But what is really happening when you venture into the great www. We asked the ravishing Nathalie Moth, creator of the Brand Eshe and Jalia. With a good mood, she tells us about her path and explains the steps to take when creating an online StartUp.
INSPIR’ START-UP Hi Natalie! Can you please start by introducing yourself? My Name is Natalie Moth, I am 23 and Cameroonian. My educational background has just no link with what I do now with Eshe & Jalia or fashion (people still smile when I say that). I am a finance student and before that I studied ecometry, which is even further from what I do now (laughs)!
Tell us about E&J, what made you think about that project? Eshe And Jalia was born the moment I realized I had nothing to loose if I went for it. It’s a
project that we (the team) have been very attached to for about two years now and it’s getting better and better. Mostly because African fashion is very much on the for front at the moment. We wanted to find a balance between what we really liked and today’s trends. The selling point of our brand is the material, the African prints that we mix and match. Being able to freely associate different materials without limiting ourselves to a stereotype and remaining accessible is really important to us.
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INSPIR’ START-UP What does « ESHE & JALIA » mean and why did you chose this type of names? These are African names that we chose because they were the least associated to out dated traditions. Eshe, represents the introverted and guarded woman whereas Jalia is the confident woman, who takes initiatives. The truth is every woman has a bit of Eshe and Jalia within them. We wanted to represent women who embrace their differences and are bold enough to wear both traditional prints as well as print for basic attire such as jackets or shorts for instance. The idea behind the brand is the promotion of Africa but in a much more open-minded way that we are used to seeing. We wanted to get rid of the traditional African “boubou” simplistic image. So, even through the name we tried to remain modern, play on our double cultural influence in order to establish a unique brand.
What do you think of African fashion in the industry at the moment? It’s important to know that African fashion has been growing for quite a while now, contrary to what people think. However, this is more evident in countries such as Nigeria, Kenya or South Africa where fashion is a real institution. Before the current “boom” of African fashion, it was only visible on runways or in the work of just certain designers. Because of this it was inaccessible to the masses; there are no shops that distribute specifically that type of fashion. However, that is changing radically today. This new buzz around African fashion is perfect for us and all new brands like us in terms of sales. I think this new state of African fashion is here to stay, if we avoid the traditional clichés and modernize our image of fashion.
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INSPIR’ START-UP What is the work model at ESHE & JALIA? We work around four main poles: first the creation and production pole which I am responsible for. I collaborate with a Cameroonian friend as well as a Gabonese intern. Then there is the visual/marketing pole, which is brand image managing, image production, managing our relationship with major players of the industry and strategy. Finally, there is the administrative pole which is more complex with a lot of paper work and a lot of multi-tasking! And of course, we have the financial pole which is even harder work! (Laughs)
What are the designers who inspire you quite particularly ? Oulà ! There are many! Let’s say that most of them are either Nigerian or Kenyan.I particularly think about Jewel By Lisa, Maki OH or Duro Olowu1.
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Nigerian Designer
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INSPIR’ START-UP
Our readers would love to hear your advice about creating a start up. What is the first step, the pre-requisite to start a website and what are the aspects to manage before hand? Firstly, it is much cheaper to create a start up online. We were able to save money in terms of management of stocks or location for example. Consequently, it is easily managed by students who do not necessarily have the time to deal with school as well as follow up on a company.
Did you consult a business plan or are there any other ways to start? Yes it is always necessary to go through a business plan. But honestly the first business plan for E&J was very scholarly. I sent it to my father who helped finance the first collection and it didn’t have much detail. It was very much based on family support. The second business plan on the other hand was more formal and professional. We included predictions, a strategic analyses and a SWOT of our activities so we could answer all the major questions we were potentially going to be asked, especially about the distribution channels we intended to use.
The website must be legalized of course, how is that done concretely? The creation of the website must be done as if it were an actual living product. We deposited the name of the company at INPI for copyright. It cost 200 Euros, which is quite cheap, especially when we are paying for brand protection by the INPI. I would advise those who want to venture into this to always have an accountant with them from the very beginning. Also a lawyer is quite useful if possible.
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INSPIR’ START-UP As a company under construction, you must have asked for loans. What was the procedure in approaching banks?
Firstly, create an account in the company’s name. You have to be very credible for the bank to consider creating an account for you. Banks are not very confident when it comes to students. You then have to prove to the bank your credibility and justify the means by which you will be paying your suppliers, employees…etc. You also have to show that you are ready for anything that could happen and they in turn have to trust your project. For loans it is rather easy to manage, especially for textile suppliers. For these loans you can go up to 3 to 6 months for reimbursement. To launch a clothing line for example it is better to have the supplier sign a letter for the loan to detail the payment
plan.
These
operations
between the company and its supplier’s takes place in every bank so it is important to be credible wherever you may decide to take the loan.
How do you manage online payments? We chose the simplest interface, which is PayPal. The clients create a PayPal account and the payments go directly to the PayPal account of E&J.
What are the traps when setting up such a company and what are the difficulties to be expected? There are so many! At first it’s easy to think that everything will go smoothly but that’s very idealistic. You have to consider road blocks. My first fright came when we launched the first
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INSPIR’ START-UP collection. I was supposed to receive the pieces for a shoot for the launch but the day before the launch nothing had come through. I absolutely had to get the prototypes and parts of the production on that day. I was almost in tears…luckily we were able to move things to the next day. In the same week, the day of the shoot for the look book, the hairdresser and the photographer cancelled at the same time! We had to do the shoots ourselves. My little sister did the makeup and hairstyles and the results were proof that she’s quite talented (laughs). It is important to surround yourself with versatile friends with competences because they become so useful in such situations. Most importantly, learn to roll with the punshes and don’t give in to panic!
How do you see the brand in 10 years? In ten years, I see us heading towards Africa. The aim is to be well established there and have a few shops in Europe as well. We want to be seen in a positive light and be welcomed by those who love African fashion.
Joan Y.
http://www.esheandjalia.com
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INSPIR’ POLITIC’
Laetitia Y. SAGNO, An exceptional political woman.
A few years ago; it was not unusual to believe that if we were born and live outside of our home continent, we cannot be attached to it. It was then difficult for African youths of the Diaspora to actively participate in the development of their country. However, that was before. With an increase in the number of countries giving the right to vote to the diaspora, African politics have taken on an international dimension and demands a bigger presence of political parties outside of the countries. The opportunities of this internationalization have permitted youths such as Laetitia
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Sagno to fulfill their desire to participate in their country’s development. Born in France, Laetitia grew up in Paris with her parents from whom she received her Guinean heritage. She went back home to Guinea at the age of 13 and returned to France at 18 to study Law. Today, at 30, she is the head of Exterior Relations of the French section of the Guinean Union of Republican Forces party. Slowly and skillfully, she is living out her political career, following the steps of other great ladies such as Ellen Sirleaf Johnson. Interview…
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INSPIR’ POLITIC’ Inspire Afrika: Why did you choose to do a Master in political science with a concentration in Institutional Relations? Laetitia Sagno: I always wanted my actions to fit into the public sphere. I’m young and I aspire to serve people at a high level. I didn’t know what to choose between Public law and International Relations so I choose to study Institutional Relations instead. The most important thing for me was to see the immediate impact of my actions and to have the ability to evaluate their efficiency. After that, I completed my curriculum with an MBA in Corporate Communication Management in order to have global visibility on different issues. IA: How did you get involved with the political party Union des Forces Républicaines in 2006? Laetitia: I explored the political landscape. I decided to take a closer look at the reality of the political situation in my home country, the Republic of Guinea. I quickly realized that the Union of Republican Forces (URF) was the party I wanted to be part of because it distinguished itself through its structure, its
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organization and its pragmatic and realistic vision of Guinea’s development. In addition to this, the URF also has a unique composition: it is the only transnational political party in Guinea, which is a rarity in our continent. The leader, Sidya Toure and its members are the perfect illustration of this national diversity. It is therefore within the French representation of the URF that I decided to get involved. I followed the typical pattern of a simple activist, before joining the office in 2009 as the External Relations director of the party. IA: What does your role as the director of external relations of the French section consist of? Laetitia: In the headlines, my role is to promote the party, its values and its leader to three different audiences which are the medias, French political parties and Guinean political parties based in France. Each mission has three components: find speech opportunities for the party’s leader when he is in France, create synergies in order to debate with other political parties on ideas and projects on development, and finally educate the Guinean Diaspora on the public life of our country.
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INSPIR’ POLITIC’ IA: It is said that you want to build a communication consulting firm for African politicians. How is that project coming along? Laetitia: The project is on the track! It is a communication consulting structure for decision makers and politicians present in Africa. It is a short term project that I want to grow through preparation, by providing my services for free and acquiring experience while building my network. What is important to me is to be able to know when it will be my time, the time when I will have the deep conviction that I am the right person, at the right moment, at the right place.
IA: What political role should women play in Africa in general and more specifically in Guinea? Laetitia: I am not sure that we should specify a woman’s political role depending on the fact that she is in Guinea or Malawi. It seems more relevant to state what we expect from a political woman in general, even if I agree that actions that need to be undertaken are influenced by the sociopolitical context of the country where each women lives. In my opinion, she has to act at three levels: influence, unite and educate. Women have to learn how to use their natural influential power by advising their peers, including the men around them. They also need to use their capacity to bring people together for the right causes in order to lead the “right fight”. They can be the source of ideas to decision makers. Finally, it is women who bear the responsibility of transmitting strong values to their children who will be tomorrow’s leaders.
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INSPIR’ POLITIC’ IA: You are a prime example of women taking up a role in African politics, what is your message to those who want to become the political actresses of tomorrow? Laetitia: Women have been involved in politics for a very long time. Today, their actions have simply become more noticeable. I am still far from being on top but I base my actions on continuity and looking up to women who have already taken the path I’m on and continue to make a difference. What I can share of my young experience is that what makes the difference is commitment: be present on the ground, identify needs and bring the solutions. Be inspired by those who have succeeded, whose lives have benefited a whole community. There are no small beginnings or no small fights. There are only concrete actions, which transform and improve the daily life of a neighbor, a region, a nation, and a generation. Doing politics for me implies having a certain state of mind, arrangement and availability to want to be useful and to serve your community. It requires measuring responsibilities but also sacrifices. Asking the question “what problem do I want to solve” is the start of doing politics. IA: How do you see the role of women in African politics evolving fifty years from now? Laetitia: I see them more influential, successful not only in Africa but also outside the continent, like the recognition of the work done by great ladies such as Marguerite Barankitse, Ellen Sirleaf Johnson or Leymah Gbowee. I believe the whole African civil society should gain political maturity in order to allow women to express themselves freely. However, I am aware that nobody will give us that right easily: we will therefore seek it! Karl N.
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INSPIR’ CAREER Hapsatou SY: The beauty and brain behind ethnicia The concept of standing there and looking pretty is long outdated thanks to women like Hapsatou Sy. Far from being just a pretty face, at the age of 30, Hapsatou is a soul entrepreneur. Adventurous, she considers obstacles as character builders. It is with this perspective that she created Ethnicia: an on the demand beauty salon where the precise requirements of each client are at the heart of it all. Ethnicia’s continual growth since 2005 has made it the place to be for all things beauty related in Paris. Here’s an insight on Hapsatou’s admirable career path. Born of a Senegalese Father and a Mauritanian mother, Hapsatou grew up in France in the little town of Chaville. She started working at an early age and the strength of her character was evident. She already knew she wanted to become an entrepreneur and was ready to do whatever it took to get there. After a professional secretarial baccalaureate, she decided to change her path and a few years later obtained a BTS (French diploma) in International Trade. An internship in New York City at the end of her studies will set the Ethnicia project in stone. Ethnicia is simply born from Hapsatou’s desire to combine the two cultures that she grew up with “I needed to create a place where everyone could come together, whether they are black, white or mixed race.” Ethnicia does not take sides. The client is the source of inspiration and is treated as an individual.
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INSPIR’ CAREER The company is today a reference in the beauty industry; however things were not always this easy for Hapsatou. In 2009, she signed a lease with the company GENERALI to move to the Opera neighborhood in Paris. Unfortunately her relationship with the company went downhill and she found herself under unjustified financial pressures. She ended up winning the case against the company as GENERALI was ordered to pay the damages and interests they cost Ethnicia “It was very hard psychologically and financially but I knew I had nothing to loose.” Her passion and will to succeed enabled her to overcome the hardships of an entrepreneur; she admits that the road of an entrepreneur is not an easy one. Hapsatou humbly recognizes that her success is also in a big way due to her parents and teachers who always pushed her to pursue her education. When asked if she had any projects for Africa, we learnt that she is returning to Luanda (Capital of Angola) where she is planning on implanting her franchise “I truly believe in Africa and I think remarkable things will be happening there in the coming years.” For her, students who return to their home countries to help the continent towards further development are to be applauded “For years Africa has been robbed of its potential and “brain” power. However, we can only make it through education of the youth so those who return home have taken great initiative.” As a woman she believes in the African woman’s power to engage in the business realm “The African woman is extremely strong. She is the most admirable entrepreneur.” She believes the African woman will lead the continent towards success. Her ability to for example to feed her family and organize herself through the “tontines” system without much income is quite admirable, she is very capable. If there was a secret potion to success, Hapsatou suggests adding by all means faith as the number one ingredient “you have to believe in yourself. Nothing is impossible.” And her determination paid of. Aside from the reputation she created for herself through Ethnicia, in 2007 she won second place for innovational trade at an event organized by Unibail Rodamco. However, entrepreneurship is only the beginning for her. Since the March 8, 2011, she launched a competition called « 100 women competition » in which she gives women the opportunity to change their lives by becoming managers of a beauty section of Ethnicia. She works towards putting women on the for front, she encourages entrepreneurial thinking and values her passion. She dreams of taking Ethnicia to a new level of better values, where people appreciate each other. “I hope that in 10 years time Ethnicia will be a “beautiful” company”. Joan Y.
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4 QUESTIONS A INVEST AFRICA IS BORN ! To
gather investors and entrepreneurs on the same platform is the challenge that Sandra Ntsonde, manager of Invest Africa has taken on. Launched on the 17th February of this year, this platform’s goal is to enable several African entrepreneurs to increase their capital in order to enlarge their activities. Confident and always wearing a smile, Sandra has agreed to share more with us.
Inspire Afrika: What is the purpose of Invest Africa and what actions have you led so far? Sandra Ntsonde: Invest Africa is a microinvestment platform created in order to help African entrepreneurs expand their businesses. Invest Africa was started to solve the “missing middle” problem in developing countries: In fact, even when entrepreneurs sometimes receive start-up capital through micro-credit ($0 - $5000), there is no financing available for small and medium companies in need of investments to develop their activities. Therefore Invest Africa offers a platform where everybody can invest as little as $25 in a selected business. Invest Africa also offers a coaching program that provides investors with the opportunity to give consulting and advisory services to our entrepreneurs.
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4 QUESTIONS A IA: How do you select the different companies you work with? Sandra: Invest Africa has developed partnerships with local Non-Governmental Organizations or microfinance institutions. Our Field Partners identify and select businesses, process the money transfers and implement a monitoring and reporting system for each business. Additionally, each business must have a track record of 2 or 3 years of positive cash flow or has to be a successful microloan client with good payment record. To be eligible each business must be able to present a project for which they need funding for and show that this project will generate profits and create job opportunities.
IA: What are the targeted business sectors? Sandra: We target all the sectors because the principal objective is to create job opportunities. However businesses we invest in have to be environmentally and socially responsible. The sectors we are hoping to work in include agriculture, alternative energy, and tourism. We are also exploring private-sector solutions to Africa's most pressing health problems.
IA: What are Invest Africa’s future projects? Sandra: We officially launched the website in February 2012. Currently, the online investors can help finance an agro-processing plant in Ghana and a yam business in Benin. We hope we can propose projects in East and Southern Africa soon. In addition to this, we plan on creating a non-profit organization to handle coaching, education and fellowship programs. Invest Africa would become a hybrid company combining business’ benefits and provide better life conditions for Africans through the non-profit organization.
Valérie F.
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THANKS This edition would not have been possible without the assistance of :
Jacques Jonathan Nyemb
Yves Bell
Joelle Itoua-Ngaporo
Gael Fotso Emilie Sarah
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