#17: Those who will shape 2016

March – May 2016 #17

50 INSPIRING PEOPLE WHO

WILL SHAPE 2016 ANGELLE KWEMO: MRS. AFRICA WWW.INSPIREAFRIKA.COM

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CONTENTS

6. INSPIR’NEWS 8. TRENDS

THEY BET ON TECH

15. FAVORITE

5. EDITOR’S NOTE

OUR PREFERRED SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS!

18.

INSPIR’INTERVIEW WE HEARD ABOUT THEM IN 2015 23. INSPIR’ORGANIZATION MOST ACTIVE ORGANIZATIONS OF 2015

26. DARE TO INSPIRE

30. CAREER SURE VALUES

THEY INSPIRED US AND CONTINUE TO DO SO

28. INSPIR’START-UP MOST PROMISING COMPANIES

34. INSPIR’ECO

36.

THOUGHTS OF...

ANGELLE KWEMO

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INSPIRE AFRIKA MAGAZINE / MARCH - MAY 2016

WHAT WILL 2016 LOOK LIKE?

42. FOCULTURE THEY USE THE CULTURAL SPECIFICITIES OF THE CONTINENT

44. 4 QUESTIONS TO CHRIS KWEKOWE

INSPIRE AFRIKA MAGAZINE #17 March - May 2016

REDACTION TEAM EDITOR IN CHIEF JOAN YOMBO DEPUTY CHIEF EDITOR LOUIS GILBERT BISSEK

STEP BY STEP

DESIGNER ALICE AMIEL

«Talent is universal, but opportunities are not». These words, articulated by Christopher Ategeka (page 15), probably best express one of the reasons why Inspire Afrika Magazine was born 4 years ago already1: we wanted to highlight the hidden talents of the African continent. We continue to carry out this task with enthusiasm, looking for those who will move the boundaries of tomorrow.

This issue, certainly a bit unusual, is no exception to the rule: it takes stock of an eventful year 2015, through the personalities who have contributed to this state of things and personalities who will impact year 2016. We show renowned figures, but we especially put forward those who should be known.

Making a ranking in the center of the publication is always an interesting stage in the life of a magazine. Why? Simply because it is considered that any information provider should, at one time or another, assess the situation. This becomes even more important in an era where we are all susceptible to an overload of generalized information. It is now essential to pause; to summarize what we will have to remember from last year.

We are taking this step today with humility, but also with pride to inspire young people by showing them the paths of their peers.

Our approach is based on 5 criteria’s: media presence online and offline in 2015, achievements in 2015, the consistency of the business/project, the development of the company between 2014 and 2015, and the male/female equality. We did not want to have a numbered ranking, but we wanted to highlight the profiles that have caught our attention in several areas: New Information and Communication technologies, social entrepreneurship, nonprofit organizations, leadership and culture. Thus, 5 profiles are presented in each category. In each section, we focus on one entrepreneur, through an article or an interview.

It seems that this New Year will be one of milestones. For us, the process began in late 2015, where for the first time in 3 years, we released our first printed issue (page 46). It is possible that after this ranking, the process continues through a few surprises that we have for you throughout the year.

EDITOR IN CHIEF- ENGLISH CHRYS NYETAM EDITORIAL FOR CULTURE SECTION SOILA KENYA TRANSLATIONS RAKY TOURÉ, ANITA BAKAL

RESPONSIBLE FOR PARTNERSHIPS AFRICA HYACINTHE ISSOMBO AMERICA ANITA BAKAL EUROPE FRANCESCA NGAHANE

CONTRIBUTED TO THIS ISSUE LUDOVIC NSANGOU, LEYLA ISMALY, MARIE SIMONE NGANE, REGIS STRAZEL, PEGUY JOPWOU

INSPIRE AFRIKA MAGAZINE IS EDITED BY ANINKA MEDIA GROUP GENERAL DIRECTOR CHRYS NYETAM SALES MANAGER ANITA BAKAL DIRECTOR OF PUBLICATION JOAN YOMBO PUBLIC RELATIONS IVAN NYETAM

Which milestones will you reach in 2016?

Happy reading, and happy new year!

Cover: Loïc Dablé Photo credits, Huza.org

Editor in Chief

¹ The first issue of Inspire Afrika magazine was released on February 5th 2012

Advertisement: Dju’Events / 06 83 61 87 82.

Partnerships / Media / Recruiting: inspireafrika@inspireafrika.com The non-accredited pictures are taken from Google Images and are in no way the property of Inspire Afrika Magazine.

All rights reserved to all countries. Reproduction prohibited for all articles written without agreement of the editor.

INSPIR’NEWS

1

Orange is strengthening its position on the continent – Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) The French operator will buy Tiago, the Congolese subsidiary of its Belgian equivalent Milicom. This acquisition was announced on February 8th, and will allow Orange to «significantly strengthen its presence in the DRC and to become one of the leading operators in the country.» The French firm did not hesitate to pay $ 160 million to realize this ambition since their arrival in 2012 on the Congolese market. In January, Orange has already purchased two subsidiaries of its counterpart Airtel: in Sierra Leone and in Burkina Faso.

2

The TV channel A+, is now available to the diaspora France After a successful launch in Africa last year A+, the TV channel dedicated to African content and owned by the group Canal is now available across the Atlantic.

Launched on February 9th in France, the TV channel will have a very rich content. To date, A+ by numbers is: 13 original French series, 4 reality TV show programs, 4 magazines and 2 live shows; it also has 1,000 hours of original content produced each year. The group says it wants to meet both the growing demand of the diaspora and the desire of African producers to see their programs valued beyond the continent.

3

The Tony Elumelu Foundation confirms its ambition to foster African Entrepreneurship Ivory Coast January 29th 2016. The Tony Elumelu foundation signed an agreement with the Ivorian Ministry of entrepreneurship and the promotion of SMEs, in order to provide expertise in promoting entrepreneurship in the country. This action resonates with the ambition of the foundation, which is to support and to promote the growing numbers of young entrepreneurs across the continent. The support of the foundation is crucial for the Phoenix Plan, the government program for SME development. In 2015, 17 Ivoirians were part of the first wave of 1,000 African entrepreneurs selected by the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme (TEEP).

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INSPIRE AFRIKA MAGAZINE / MARCH - MAY 2016

4 Viber & Western Union are getting together to facilitate cross boarder money transfer Western Union and Viber announced on February 4th that they signed an agreement which will surely delight many users of the instant messaging application. With the WU Connect platform, they can now send money to their relatives worldwide. The solution will be available in the US only at first: Viber users residing in the United States can send up to 499 Dollars with a possibility of withdrawal in more than 500,000 Western Union agencies and in over 200 countries.

5 Afro Emoji, the must have smartphone application We dreamed of it, Ayoola Daramola did it! This young Afro-American with origins in Nigeria created emoticons, fully adapted to the African reality.

Indeed, its application Afro Emoji offers African characters who express themselves through various African expressions, and represent the exuberance and lifestyle specific to the continent. Launched at the beginning of February, the application is getting some attention since it has already been downloaded almost 5000 times on Android.

6 TedxAccra : Let’s go for another round! – Ghana TED conferences are known for being creative spaces worldwide.

Ghana is no exception to the rule. From April 19th to April 23rd 2016, the Accra National Theatre will host the most passionate and inventive minds. Activists, writers, entrepreneurs, historians, scientists, artists, and specialists in New Technologies, are invited to think and discuss on the theme «Re-think» (rethink) precisely. Those who do not live in Ghana can always watch the conference via a live streaming link that will be released later on the TEDxAccra website.

INSPIRE AFRIKA MAGAZINE / MARCH - MAY 2016

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TRENDS // TOGO

SÉNAMÉ KOFFI ‘WE CAN REDEFINE SHARING ECONOMY’ Interview by Joan Yombo

Through his way of thinking Sénamé Koffi is a true UFO in the hightech African land-scape, he does nothing like the others. After pursuing studies in industrial design, history of art, architecture and anthropology, in 2010 he founded The African Architecture to “propose concrete solutions and make sure that modern Africa had its own ref-erence systems.”

Creator of concepts and a believer of “radical innovation” Sénamé dreams to democratize the NICTs on the continent by making technology accessible to local communities, that would not have the means to access it normally. He is slowly but surely managing to do so: in Lomé, his hometown, he created the WoeLab, a creative and collaborative Fab Lab1 that welcomes all type of profiles, - builders, joiners, students etc.

– but very few engineers or IT professionals. This creative emulation has given birth to the W. Afate, the first African 3D printer, made only with recycled electronic waste. It was also elected “best invention from a Fab Lab over the last ten years.”

Where does your interest in the digital world come from?

In 2012 I ventured -sort of accidentally- into anthropology as well as in the hackerspace in Paris. I saw that these spaces that praise autonomy, were linked to models of financing, events, concepts etc. They all adhere to principles that go against the centralized capitalist model. A sort of conjunction that I call the movement of the common.

In my opinion, the digital revolution put forward by «Ethical Hackers» allowed them to open a new chapter in the production philosophy, that can now grasp an aspect that it had always failed to theorize: the death of the industry. It is a perspective in which Africa has major cards to play.

You are part of the movement of makers. What is it and what are its achieve-ments on the continent?

For a lot of people the movement of makers is what emerged after Arduino2, some DIY drones and the 3D printer… If that is the case, the W. Afate is an icon in Africa.

The problem is that the movement is brought on and explained to Afri¹ Global Fab Awards, Barcelone, 2014

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INSPIRE AFRIKA MAGAZINE / MARCH - MAY 2016

cans by «new explorers» including all the misunderstandings that come with it, for instance a Tech exoti-cism. We come to organize a true folklore and shared celebration where we travel the continent in search of an isolated genius that searches the trash to build robots… And all those things are equal, nothing has value anymore.

The essence of the concept creation is a resistance to the market authority. Things cannot have the same meaning in the north and in the south. The western world has move towards humility for the reconstruction of social links, it has to find its way in the spirit of creation. The south, has to use it to set itself apart. The west has to come down while we have to rise and we will be able to meet as some point.

What are the “Africaine d’architecture” and the WoeLab ?

The “Africaine d’architecture” is a collaborative research platform for «an original explo-ration of architecture and African cities», registered in France under the association status law 1901. An alternate form of architecture is created and we try to implement to our own initiative when orders are made. For example, now, we are working on an orphanage project built completely in mud and Nubian domes techniques.

The “Africaine d’architecture” has elaborated and tested a sort of “urban utopia” where tomorrow’s society is built around innovative places with a use similar to a shelter of initiation in the traditional context.

WoeLab is the implementation of these kinds of spaces. It is a grassroots3 technological incubator, a sort of community center 2.0 whose goal is to impact its surrounding (1 km area around the lab) in all urban aspects: resources, mobility, waste, etc. The lab is not elitist and it works with the community. We try to transform the most interesting ideas from the collective into businesses. 11 start-ups have been prototypes and are now incubated at WoeLab. As a major catalyst of the Togolese Tech scene, the WoeLab often organizes events for startups. Can you tell us more?

We are sponsors and hosts of local editions for several international hackathons open to all: Global Urban Data Fast, NASA International ² Arduino is an open-source prototyping platform based on easy-to-use hardware and software

Space Apps Challenge, Arduino Day, Open Source & Circular Economy Day, FabJam, etc. We have created a 4 months ac-celerated training program to bring forward the best ideas in the market. Also, once every two months, we organize, a startup meetup where our 11 youngsters can evolve, but not only them. The biggest reunion of the year is the ArchiCamp. Three intense weeks to prototype Low High Tech solutions adapted to local realities.

If the space of the WoeLab matrix represents the initiation space in the traditional set-ting, events play the role of ritual moments in the villager rhythm. It is the occasion to achieve a symbiosis, to raise and connect the community’s knowledge.

Tell us more about W. Afate.

How was the idea born? What is the object de-signed for and for whom?

We were looking to create a machine in the Low High Tech spirit and the thought process naturally set us on the path of the most frugal material: the computer waste. It has a memory of its first usage that constitutes real savings for the creator.

Today, within the developer’s community, the 3D printer is met with the same fascination as the Altair 8800 was received by computer and electronics amateurs in the middle of the 70s.

We have made sure that our machine is in every hand. It is then up to the people to see what they will make of it. The trend has moved from our influence perimeter where programs are deployed (#3DprintAfrica) towards Internet cafes and high schools. This year, we aim to equip 10 schools where we already give technology classes, with printers (One 3dprinter Per School). A company was created, Woebots that has launched the sale of the product this year. We are also meeting the 2 members of the Woelab team with the 3D W. Afate printer

INSPIRE AFRIKA MAGAZINE / MARCH - MAY 2016

9

TRENDS // TOGO diaspora in March to talk and discuss it further.

Wow, we could also call you a “concept inventor.” You often talk about “objects diaspora.” What is it?

The object Diaspora is an expression that was suggested in a pitch on resiliency by Lionel Zinsou, during the National Diaspora day 2015 in Bordeaux.

Like men, objects come and go. The natural resources taken from the continent are coming back. I’ve seen the streets in France and it is not that easy, I thought that I didn’t belong there completely. A fridge on in the dumping ground of Agbogbloshie3 might be thinking the same…

It could end up holding a key position in a trendy New York house. This is object diaspora.

To go further, think about the fact that there is more material than men that travel to space and that the biggest electronic dumping ground is floating above our heads. Let’s also think about what lays in the bottom of the oceans and let’s remember that most of the objects don’t do their last travel in the way man considers it…

Woebots wants to revolutionize the concept of cradle-to-cradle by developing after-life solutions addressed directly to big makers. This year, the startup will integrate a French accelerator to challenge this hypothesis.

How are you financed ?

From the start, WoeLab, has vowed to a culture of independence, that shows a will to be closer to the “Ethical Hacker.” The logic of being helped out has created a very childish image for us, and has altered the entrepreneurship spirit a lot and corrupted the moral resources of the youth in our countries a lot. I am convinced that the rebirth of the continent will have to go through a transition period made of symbols that will shift this way of thinking. I see myself as an innovator: we wanted to build one of the first im-portant projects in Africa that will owe its own existence only to the power of its actors. This is radical innovation!

The economic model puts all its cards on the businesses that we create in the Lab, they are themselves completely bootstrapped and favoring lean approaches in their deployment.

However, I have had the real pleasure of being recently associated to a very interesting discussion on Private Equity. The capacity of this investment model to reinvent itself and to integrate African preoccupations, would make our position on financing evolve.

What do you think is missing in Togo for it to become one of the big technologic hubs in Africa?

Togo is a natural hub and a superb place for all people from different walks of life to meet. It has the ideal geographical position and shape.

I think that there is a tropism and that we have to think of a strategy adapted to the country. We used to represent it like the “Switzerland of Africa;” personally I’d rather see it like a Swiss knife. We have started the rise of a new trend in the Tech scene and put the country on the map, but we can’t say that things are taking the direction of an ecosystem. There cannot be a tech hub that the Togolese can benefit from without the fundamentals of every organic entity, the correlation, the giving back culture etc. Otherwise, we will not do better than others.

³ Former suburb in Accra (Ghana) know as a destination of electronic waste

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INSPIRE AFRIKA MAGAZINE / MARCH - MAY 2016

Unesco, Paris 2015 : Sénamé received the « Le Prix de l’Observateur Nexteplo » awarding the 10 best inventions that can change the world.

Photo credits: ©LDherines

Togo’s problem is its mentality. We have to civilize the minds.

At WoeLab we fight for the concept of inventor, but for Togo, I believe that there is something to do concerning Victor Agbegneno4 . We should send good signals and encourage numerous exiled talents to come back. It is well known for example that it is mostly Togolese developers that populate the scene in Dakar. A small digital trek would help in raising the general level and installing a new rigorous culture.

Having said all this, I have to remind people that I only manage a small space that is completely auto financed and whose ambition is to be a technological hub in a 1 km range.

What are the challenges in the digital world / and of NITCs in Africa today?

My gospel is that there is an opportunity with the digital boom and that Africa has to explore, as much as possible, the democratic facet of NITCs. Considering that new technologies can enhance the incredible creative potential of masses and allow clever visions to develop.

All the fantasy or the drama will have cities for theatres. However, it is startups that will create tomorrow’s cities. There is not one average African home without 4 or 5 businesses. The continent can innovate in that direction. Here, finally, the urban initiative is more linked to entrepreneurship than architecture or planning. We can redefine sharing economy.

What can we wish for you in 2016?

That the community develops a new 3D printer. Wish us good luck.

I am trying to finish a book that will be called «Innovate with the people; My fractal proposition in the possibility for undertaking in Africa.»

Let’s hope that it is good.

Inventor of PWCS (Polyvalent Wireless Communication Systems), a wireless telecommunication system

4

TRENDS

©Hetly Zantman

1 2

3 1. Ismaël Nzouetom - Cameroon

4 2. Rapelang Rabana South Africa

Ismaël Nzouetom is the founder of I-Dispo, a company that provides a personal electronic life assistant and concierge services named Sara.

In 2012, the start-up raised $ 1 million for the project, was elected «Best start in Europe» by the Founder Institute, and selected by Microsoft in its top 15 most promising companies in Europe. In 2015, Choiseul Institute ranks among the 100 African business leaders of tomorrow. After a partnership with MTN in Cameroon, I-Dispo would continue its expansion in Africa in 2016.

Rapelang Rabana co-founded Yeigo Communications in 2005. Yeigo has developed some of the first applications in the world for making phone calls, sending emails and messages for free over the Internet (VoIP). Since 2012, Rapelang has been at the helm of leadership at Rekindle Learning, a company that creates e-learning solutions for mobile devices. She made the cover of Forbes in 2013 and was named ‘Entrepreneur for the World’ by the World Entrepreneurship Program in 2014. In 2015, the World Economic Forum included her in the list of 15 women who are changing the world.

3. Shady Khaled - Egypt

4. Mark Essien - Nigeria

It is from the desire to help a friend who lost their sight in an accident that the idea of Mubser ​​ was born. Shady Khaled is the entrepreneur behind this invention that helps the blind and the visually impaired to move and identify day to day objects. The young man was a finalist of the Anzisha Prize in 2013 and was named among the 30 most promising entrepreneurs by Forbes in 2014. In 2015, he organized The Cloud Weekend, the largest Big Data event in Egypt. His desire is to make his country a hub for technology in the Maghreb and the Middle East.

Mark Essien created in 2013 Hotels.ng, the first hotel booking site in Nigeria. It provides online booking for hotels in the Nigeria for both business travelers and tourists. It currently has a list of more than 7,000 hotels in 21 regions of Nigeria. In 2015, Hotels.ng raised $ 1.2 million through the Omidyar Network and the Pan-African Fund EchoVC. The company plans to use the new funds to invest more in technology and in its continued expansion in Ghana and in Francophone Africa.

INSPIRE AFRIKA MAGAZINE / MARCH - MAY 2016

11

Smart building! Smart city! Smart AFRICA!

1

With a population estimated at 2.5 billion and growth perspective of 5.2% on average, the industrial revolution of Africa will also be digital and numerical.

With over 30 years of activity, ARC Informatique is a crucial stakeholder in project support, providing logistics to control, analyze and 2

optimize company set-ups in all fields . ARC group is present on five continents through branches and in Africa through local partners.

Aware that this infrastructural and technological leap cannot be made without real and practical competences, ARC Informatique is launching a free training program for all technical engineering Schools in Africa. Mainly made for specialized institutions, the goal of this program is to bring know-how on the continent. Imagine a smarter Universe where everything is managed by intelligent systems!

Grace SAMNICK is to thank for this program piloted at ARC, she talks about the question of development on the continent and introduces us to the program.

1. What does the infrastructure market represent in Africa?

3 GS. A report from the IMF estimates that about 100 billion$/year is needed in investments for infrastructure in Africa, extensions and maintenance combined. This report studies the delays in investment, the development and maintenance needs.

It demonstrates with strong accuracy that a solid infrastructural network needs to be established on the continent: Smart Africa!

2. What are the key fields for this market?

GS. The answer is not easy because it varies depending on the country. Globally, it concerns building management, production and distribution of energy, transportation, water and waste treatment as well as the ICT (Information and Communication technology) sector.

3. How does ARC Informatique contribute the market?

GS. ARC Informatique edits software providing an optimal control over your processes. It allows operators to know realtime monitoring and to take correct decisions.

These software are built by engineering companies or by system integrator who have been trained for this matter.

These software possess an important number of references in all domains / fields mainly in Europe but also in Africa (Morocco, Nigeria, Gabon, Mauritius, Kenya, Tanzania, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Angola, Republic of Congo, Egypt…).

1 2 3 4

4. Does ARC Informatique prefer projects promoting the training of the population on the ground and of local employees?

GS. This is where ARC Informatique process on the ground is interesting! We recently launched a program designed for institutions focusing on new technologies, in order to ensure the quality and the traceability of the production. We implemented 4 this in Tanzania with KIITEC by working with Jean-Pierre Acquadro (President of ADEI – Technical teaching for developing countries).

This program was designed for Africa and its goal is to recruit institutions (high school, technical institutes, engineering school, etc.) and to provide solutions to teachers such as software certificate they need to be independent.

By offering our product PcVue, we aim at creating a strong ecosystem with specific know-how. All in all we would like to develop talents.

To be the next institution to benefit from this program thank you for returning the application form by email to g.samnick@arcinfo.com or by fax to + 33 1 46 23 86 02.

Grace SAMNICK Export Logistic Department at ARC Informatique

In Sub-Saharan Africa in 2014 KENGEN KENYA, SONATRACH, ASECNA, ACTEMIUM Morocco, RENAULT Morocco VEOLIA, TOTAL Angola, Comilog (Mines),Casablanca Airport, SEEG (Gabon Water and Electricity Company),Sobraga (Brewery), Smag (Food Processing), Setrag (Railways) "Infrastructures in Afrika: challenges and future perspectives", High standard seminar organized by the FMI Institute in collaboration with the Multilateral African lnstitute, Tunis (Tunisia), February, 28th - March, st 2006 KILIMANDJARO INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS ELECTRONICS & COMPUTERS – web: http://www.kiitec.ac.tz/

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Application Form To benefit from this free program thank you for returning this document by email to g.samnick@arcinfo.com or by fax to + 33 1 46 23 86 02

Institution’s name: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Address:_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ : _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Fax:_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Zip code :

State :

Country :

Web: Facebook / Twitter: President:

Email:

Main contact:

:

Position:

Email:

@

@

Thank you for presenting in a few words your establishment

• The essential mission of this institution and what did you expect from this training program (dedicated only to your teachers): ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

• With what schools and firm do you maintain an administrative and academic partnership?

______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

• Numbers and types of equipment available: Example computer and PLC, software, Overhead projector...

______________________________________________________________________________ • Numbers of teachers to form on this program: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

• Department: (check boxes)  IT

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 Administrative techniques, sciences & economic

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Thanks for your participation!

ARC Informatique is a leading European software designer in Industrial information system with 30 years of experience, which provides control over your processes. We invest in new technologies and integrate them in our products to allow our clients to reduce production costs, optimized their energy consumption and optimized their equipment.

Thanks to PcVue Solutions, we offer a sustainable system to control, manage and analyze your equipment information. At the heart of this suit, we have the HMI/SCADA PcVue software.

Partnerships & Alliances5 Since its inception in 1981, ARC Informatique has developed commercial partnerships with many international companies operating in various fields, from industries to infrastructures. These partners trust the competence of our teams when we work with them.

Our PcVue Certified Partners Program has been conceived to provide solutions to engineering and system integrators companies, in order to provide training, support and license allowing them to manage the application.

Our development was made by respecting our industry standards, and by maintaining the user-friendliness of other desktop applications.

Our international sales force is made of a strong subsidiaries & reseller network around the world. By relying on our resources in Europe, we were able to achieve a global development. #FOLLOWUS#ARCInformatique#SMARTAFRICA#

Stay connected http://www.pcvuesolutions.com/ http://blog.pcvuesolutions.com/ https://www.youtube.com/user/PcVueTutorials 5

https://www.facebook.com/PcVueSCADASolutions https://twitter.com/PcVueSolutions https://www.linkedin.com/company/arc-informatique?trk=top_nav_home

SONATRACH, ASECNA, Actemiun Morocco, Veolia, TOTAL Angola, TIERI Ivory Coast, Abidjan’s Grands Moulins, Renault (Morocco), PRODERGIE Gabon, COSELEC Senegal, ECS Mauritius, HBS Morocco, KENGEN KENYA, ONEA BURKINA FASO, PLC SOUTH AFRICA, etc.

ARC Informatique - 2, Avenue de la cristallerie – 92310 Sèvres – France

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Advertorial

FAVORITE // UGANDA

D

o miracles exist? No one can really say. One thing is for sure, the story of Christopher Ategeka could lead any atheist to conversion. Christopher was orphaned at the age of 7 after losing both parents, who sadly succumbed to AIDS. The young man had to very quickly take care of his 4 stepbrothers (Christopher’s parents were separated at the time of the tragedy, ed.). It must be said that he had no choice: his grandmother was deaf and dumb, and his grandfather was absent for many years.

He remained the only one who could assume the role of head of the household. Thus began years of difficulties for a young boy who dreamed of only one thing: to go to school.

Nourished by this consuming passion, and it must be said, guided by a good star, Christopher managed to get a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of California Berkeley. He is now an entrepreneur, inventor and pilot in his spare time. He led a journey that commands respect.

FROM TRAGIC BEGINNINGS TO THE AMERICAN DREAM We are in Uganda in the 90s. Christopher, orphaned, wandered from village to village, and from family to family. Incidentally, he lost other family members, including one of his half-brothers who also succumbed to AIDS. He finds himself with an uncle who forces him to play a human scarecrow in his plantations. Christopher holds up, driven by the thirst for knowledge which never let him go: he was determined to occupy the benches of a school!

The opportunity will eventually present itself in 1996 at the age of 12. His grandmother succeeds in raising enough money to send him to school for 2 years.

Christopher excels there, and will be noticed by the association Yes UGANDA, which helps orphans in the country. After dropping out of school for lack of means, Christopher returns to life in the plantations.

But a member of the association having heard of him, searches for Christopher and eventually finds him.

Then, his story became a tale of modern times. After being spotted by the association, he benefited from the generosity of an American couple -Martha and Michael Helms-, who take a liking to him. They took care of the rest of his schooling in Kenya, and asked him to join them in the US. Thus, Christopher Ategeka landed at San Francisco airport on December 16, 2006, where he met for the first time, his guardian angels. Thereafter, he joins the Laney Community College in Oakland City, the hometown of his new family.

THE ORPHAN WHO WANTED TO CHANGE THE WORLD

By Joan Yombo Photos, Curtis Jeramy, MooD-ology Photography The result was phenomenal! Christopher graduated from the University of California; created several organizations; was ranked among the most promising entrepreneurs under 30 years old by Forbes; spoke to the United Nations and the White House, where he met President Obama; was an Echoing Green Fellow in 2013; received the Muhammed Ali Humanitarian Award in 2015 ... The list is endless!

CHANGING THE CONTINENT Christopher owes these awards to his personal experience, but also to that deep desire to change things, to prevent others from enduring what he endured.

«Once I earned my engineering degree, I wanted to build something that would help my community. But I did not know what. Then I stopped for a moment: both my parents died because they were unable to quickly access medical care ... That was the key. « This is how Rides for Lives was born, with the aim to facilitate access to medicines for people living in remote areas. At first, it was simple «village ambulances», which transport people living in the village to hospitals. Soon, Christopher realized that he should go further in order to save lives: «Once we introduce the patient to the hospital, he must

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FAVORITE // UGANDA wait many hours before being supported. This prompted me to improve our concept of ambulances. « Today, ambulances of Rides for Lives are equipped with a pharmacy and a medical laboratory. A doctor is available, ready to be consulted anytime.

But the young man did not stop there. A few years later, he created Privail and New Focus. The first is a technology that he invented with Anwaar Al-Zireeni, his bioengineering partner. Privail uses nanotechnology to make diagnoses. The peculiarity of this technology, or at least what Christopher aspires to, is to avail it to the general public: «See it as a pregnancy test. In a few years, everyone will be able to go to the pharmacy to get the product and perform a battery of tests.» The idea is to allow people to have the results of their medical examinations immediately.

The New Focus project has a more personal connotation: «I learned something from my background and my experience: talent is universal, but opportunities are not.» By creating New Focus, I wanted to redistribute opportunities to the vast majority of young Africans who are often talented, but hardly have a chance to express their talent. «

«I LEARNED SOMETHING FROM MY BACKGROUND AND MY EXPERIENCE: TALENT IS UNIVERSAL, BUT OPPORTUNITIES ARE NOT.» THE THORNY QUESTION OF FINANCING Christopher would like to extend the concept of Rides for Lives to all Africa, but it requires significant funds. The association relies on grants from private foundations, corporations or individuals who feel affected and concerned with its fight.

It is pointless to expect any help from the government, which, according to Christopher, is only interested in projects that already have a large presence, and which could help to enhance the political discourse. “We have existed only for 5 years, it seems that it does not make us big enough to expect a check from the government,» he said.

But he stressed that the problem is deeper: «Countries receive billions of dollars from the World Bank and international agencies to address various issues, including the healthcare system. They therefore do not appreciate someone showing them through simple innovation that, despite all the aid received, the basic problems are still unresolved. This might raise questions about how that money is managed and used. « But whether it is the government, private associations, or individuals, obtaining financing remains a perpetual challenge. The health issue in Africa is major, but it does not instinctively attract investors: «Suggesting innovation to solve health problems in Africa is not as sexy as creating a mobile application such as Snap-chat for example where everyone wants to put their money.»

The real work is to go and meet people who feel so deeply concerned about the fate of the people and the continent, and who want, above all, to help.

TO PERSEVERE No obstacle could overcome the tenacity of Christopher Ategeka. The young man was always very determined. When he was younger, he dreamed to go to school. Today he dreams of changing the continent.

And in this, he applies his own recommendations to himself, «Life is a dynamic cycle. The best experiences replace the bad ones, and so on.

Being capable to understand it, to integrate it, and to adapt to it is the very definition of the entrepreneur. « 16

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Despite a miserable childhood, Christopher was able to find his way and his purpose. Can we then qualify this as a miracle? The answer is perhaps in these words, pronounced to the TEDxSacramento conference in 2012: «I consider myself fortunate to have been affected by poverty, famine, war and disease; because these events have made me the person I am today.»

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1. Alain Nteff - Cameroon

2. Aleem Ahmed - Ethiopia

Alain Nteff, a computer science engineer, decided to fight mortality rate of newborns. In January 2015, he officially launched Gifted Mom, a digital platform allowing women in rural areas to benefit from prenatal and postnatal care. That same year, Alain Nteff received the African Startup Award at the New York Africa Forum and became a laureate of the Queen’s Young Leaders Awards which he received directly from the Queen of England. His goal is to help 5 million women across the continent by 2017.

Aleem Ahmed is one of the 2015 participants of the Echoing Green Fellowship Program. He is the founder of Love Grain, which connects Ethiopian gluten free product makers with the international market.

Aleem Ahmed promotes Teff grains cultivated exclusively in his country.

Love Grain also raises the profits of farmers and increases their yield.

The growing of Teff larger scales would allow a significant number of gluten free consumers to change the living conditions of thousands of Ethiopian farmers.

3. Misan Rewane - Nigeria

4. Awa Caba - Senegal

Harvard graduate, Misan Rewane founded two platforms; Design Education (ed-lab) and WAVE (West Africa Vocational Education). The first one helps entrepreneurs create innovative business models and the second one allows job seekers to gain the necessary skills for the job market. She participated in the Echoing Green Fellowship Program in 2014, and Forbes and Reuters cited her entrepreneurial background as an example in 2015. WAVE plans on training 25000 young people by 2019.

Awa Caba co-founded Jiguene Tech Hub, the first Senegalese social network, for women who are passionate about technology. She is also the cofounder of Sooretul, which means ‘not too far’ in Wolof. It is an e-platform that aims to increase the value of agriculture and the transformation of local products. At the beginning of the year, Sooretul signed a deal with the Senegalese National Society of Telecommunications to impact larger groups of people and continue growing.

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INSPIR’INTERVIEW // IVORY COAST

Friendly. That’s the word that matches the Café Dapper recently opened by Loïc DABLE who could be considered the most popular African chef in France. With good reason!

His approach to African gastronomy is so unique in that it brings out the flavors of the continent with unmatched genius. Always between two aircrafts, it is in preparation of one of his trips to Africa that he received us with the smile and enthusiasm of the African culture. Discover Loïc DABLÉ, the cook, and the entrepreneur.

Inspire Afrika Magazine: What prompted you to persevere and become a chef?

Loïc Dablé: Several things led me to persevere in the culinary arts. Firstly, the ambiance and the feeling I had when I was in the kitchen. In this industry, we must be both fast and precise to make dishes. I was fascinated by the transformation of the products. For example, the process of going from a raw carrot to making a soup. My intention was confirmed when I met Tanguy Le Gall who really taught me what it is to love to work. I discovered something and I was thrown into a very masculine and brutal universe: a universe where you have to be assertive, to be excellent, and to learn to use your imagination and creativity.

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I.A: How would you characterize African cuisine?

L.D: In a few words I would say that African cuisine is explosive, energetic, fresh and contemporary. African cuisine has a history. We, Africans, first started from the need to eat something refined and that will keep the body nourished. Then there was the desire to please people we host and the desire to celebrate important life’s events (a birth, a passage to adulthood ... etc.). There was finally a culinary rehabilitation outside the African territory: The diaspora has had to find ways to eat the same products it consumed in Africa, by importing them. Our kitchen has evolved and crossed the years without losing its identity.

Our kitchen is in constant motion. Today, there are young people who create activities, events as well as food trucks, and all this is changing African cuisine.

I.A: Does modernizing African cuisine mean assimilating it to Western cuisine or revising it for it to be «adopted» by others?

L.D: There are two types of cuisine: contemporary cuisine and modern cuisine. In my opinion, contemporary kitchen matches my vision of African cuisine. I rely on products, influences, knowledge, and I give a pan-African sense to what I do. ‘Modernizing’ is not the correct term.

We need to innovate to be at the service of African cuisine, especially by building on what has happened before. At Café Dapper, we try to know what Africans ate in a given region 50 or 70 years ago, and why they ate the way they did. It is from there that we create something. It is mainly for this reason that we do not use industrial condiments such as the Maggi cube because African cooks need to know that it is not

LOÏC DABLÉ «WE NEED TO INNOVATE TO SERVE THE AFRICAN CUISINE» Interview by Chrys Nyetam Photos, Huza.org

necessary. It is possible to create a broth starting from the bones of a fish, and get the same result with a similar shelf life and better taste.

Seasoning is not good for one’s health and in general, there was no 100 years ago.

I.A: What does the term «Afro-fusion» bring to your mind?

L.D: Afro-fusion ... We could also talk of interbreeding of an African product and the techniques and products of elsewhere. Afro-fusion consists of creating a balance between two worlds without one encroaching on the other. On a plate we must find the balance between a strawberry and a great Penja pepper. Everything is about balance between two exceptional products that are completely different.

I.A: In Africa, food is associated with women, yet there are a small number of women in the ‘Chef’ profession. Why? L.D: Before they were mainly recruiting men. Yet women have a different approach to this business. When the chef is a woman, there is another dynamic in the kitchen. What is unfortunate is the fact that in Africa, people believe that, «women are cooking at home, we - men - do it in a professional manner,» whereas they should be in greater numbers in restaurants to bring their strength to the table. However, I am confident that it will happen soon!

I.A: The ‘Café Dapper Loïc DABLÉ’ opened a few months ago.

Tell us, how did you get the bold idea to occupy the restaurant located in the Musée Dapper?

L.D: We thought it was necessary to have premium positioning. It was also essential to reposition African cuisine as Art. The location of the Café Dapper is ideal. In the library, you find the art of our ancestor’s and contemporary art. We sell the knowledge of the product to people.

There is no restaurant with a contemporary African identity, but it had to be done. Today, we can claim the origin of our products. The idea is not to highlight a chef but to bring our expertise to the products.

I.A: In addition to being a chef, you are also an entrepreneur.

You launched your apron line, and you are a culinary consultant. Let us focus on the latter activity: What do you do as a culinary consultant?

L.D: Culinary consulting is to support customers in Africa or elsewhere on the creation, management and monitoring of culinary concepts.

Someone who is in New York and wants to open an African Fast Food restaurant may be advised on the creation of their menu, the search for their location and the definition of their offer. Someone who wants to open a hotel in Conakry or Sao Tome will be advised not only on the creation of the menu, but also the recruitment of chefs, and the positioning in terms of gastronomy in order to be as efficient as possible.

We do a lot of chef training before or after the restaurant is opened, where we show them different skills such as how to present the dishes.

We also accompany them on profitability, for those who already have a menu, who are losing money and who want to try something else. So we help them restructure their menu. We adapt to the demand of our customers anywhere in the world.

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INSPIR’INTERVIEW // IVORY COAST I.A: Is it easy to carry the culinary consulting business in Africa?

L.D: Yes! We work with hotel chains and big or small restaurants. Our client can also be a small local café that does not have much money and wants to do something original on a culinary concept or local products. If the project is interesting, we work on it. The most important is to bring something to Africa by advancing African cuisine.

I.A: You will soon market African spices as well. Is this your way of claiming expertise on sauces with ingredients other than the ‘cube’?

L.D: : It’s a way to show that you can cook differently, but it is mostly a way to bring to life the manufacturers of spices. We highlight their expertise. We want to know what they have and especially how they sell it. Then we want to work together to highlight those products. This is not something obvious, because the sector is not yet structured. Initially our network helped us find producers. Today it is the producers who come to us directly to showcase their products.

I.A: You have a very busy schedule. In addition to your consulting activity, you will also be featured in the new season of

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‘StarChef’ ‘will soon be broadcasted on the television channel A +!

L.D: It’s all a question of organization. It is precisely in order to be structured that we created the Loïc Dablé group. In our team we have well-defined roles. Some are responsible for communications, others for creation, and others for vision. My partner – who is my wife – makes sure that my vision materializes, because she is the only one who can understand it. Therefore, she organizes activities in this direction. Without her, I don’t think I would have been able to develop the business.

«THE MOST IMPORTANT IS TO BRING SOMETHING TO AFRICA BY ADVANCING AFRICAN CUISINE» I.A: When can we expect a ‘Café Loïc Dablé’ in Africa?

L.D: In 2016, we will open a restaurant in Abidjan in the foundation headquarters of DON Veil, which works with contemporary art. The idea is to make it a gourmet restaurant. I can’t say more but it will be something very interesting in terms of food and space. See you there!

INSPIR’INTERVIEW

Arthur Zang – Cameroon Dear cardiologists, the medical product of the year comes from Africa!

After the Cardiopad with 6 electrodes that he made with the help of courses available on the internet, Arthur Zang put 300 Cardiopads on the market in January 2016. Assembled by hand with 12 electrodes, the new tablets allow for more specific electrocardiograms. Thanks to the various awards he received in 2015 - Rolex Awards, Paul Biya Excellence Award among others - and the financing of banks, users and the Cameroonian government, Arthur Zang is proof that there is a reward at the end of perseverance.

Jason Njoku – Nigeria With over 500,000 subscribers and over 10 million page views per month, Jason Njoku has made iRokoTV THE reference for Nigerian and Ghanaian movies online. After a partnership signed with Netflix in 2015 to support the African section of the latter, Mr. Njoku also wants to attract French-speaking African Internet users: in December 2015, iRokoTV signed a contract with Canal Plus Overseas in order to launch the first service video on demand for Android users. In 2016, Nigerian cinema will be accessible to a market of over 250 million people.

Vérone Mankou – Democratic Republic of Congo In 2011, Verone Mankou created the first African tablet; in 2012, the first African smartphone; in 2013 the Bantuhub, an incubator for tech entrepreneurs. In 2014, for the second time he was ranked among the most promising young leaders of the continent according to Forbes. In 2015, he installed the first smartphones and tablets assembly plant in Brazzaville. The winner of the «Excellence Award» of the «icons dinner « 2015 still wants to surprise us: In 2016 VMK - in partnership with Africa News – will launch another new smartphone.

Ade Hassan – Nigeria Skin Nubian is the new brand adored by women with black skin. Created

by Hassan Ade, a Nigerian in her thirties based in London, this new lingerie brand is especially designed for women of color who have difficulty finding “nude” underwear adapted to their skin color. The response of her target market was immediate: at its launch in 2014, over 25,000 people have embraced the concept on Instagram. And with reason: Hassan Ade wants black women to be represented in all forms and in all shades. The Nubians Skin pieces are available on Nordstrom and ASOS online stores distributing internationally.

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PARIS 23 FÉVRIER 2

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LES FEMMES, AV E N I R D U C O N T I N E N T A F R I C A I N La rédaction du Monde organise une journée de rencontres et de débats sur - et avec - des femmes africaines remarquables. Par leur talent, leur courage, leur vision, elles témoignent des défis pour mener la vie à laquelle elles aspirent, mais aussi des espoirs qu’elles représentent pour le continent.

Avec, notamment, Makhtar Diop, Salif Keita, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Ebele Okobi, Erik Orsenna, Magatte Wade.

Ouverture des inscriptions le 29 janvier

M U S É E D U Q U A I BR AN LY - 75007 PAR I S Avec le soutien de :

INSPIR’ORGANIZATION // NIGERIA

Yasmin Belo-Osagie & Afua Osei

Crédits photo, She Leads Africa

SHE LEADS AFRICA: GIVING THE POWER TO AFRICAN WOMEN

By Chrys Nyetam Entrepreneurship is fashionable, and even more among women. In 2013 the ‘Global Entrepreneurship Monitor’ revealed that 40.7% of women in Nigeria were young entrepreneurs who owned / managed a new business. However, entrepreneurship is still dominated by men, and women always have more challenges in accessing finances. It is precisely to help these young entrepreneurs that Yasmin Belo-Osagie and Afua Osei, two former consultants at McKinsey, created She Leads Africa (SLA) in 2014. The goal: Promote young women’s careers in Africa and give them more visibility. «Women need twice as much preparation when they go to a business meeting or a job interview. This is why we produce content showing them how to prepare for specific situations», says Yasmin. And they knew how to properly allocate roles between both of them: Afua is responsible for all activities on Internet, while Yasmin coordinates initiatives on the ground.

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INSPIR’ORGANIZATION // NIGERIA

Challenges & Difficulties Being social entrepreneurs, Yasmin and Afua meet challenges daily. Afua left her position as a McKinsey consultant to devote herself entirely to the association. Although studying law at the prestigious Harvard University takes a chunk of her time, Yasmin continues to dedicate all the hours she can to She Leads Africa. «We cannot have everything at the same time. School is certainly important for me, but She Leads Africa is my priority «, says Yasmin. But like all entrepreneurs, the main problem faced by the association is the availability of skilled labor: «The problem is that some people believe that because our action is focused on Africa, we should not have international standards, and therefore we must not be demanding. It’s frustrating,» explain Yasmin and Afua. Unlike other entrepreneurs who complain of not finding funding, Yasmin and Afua have another approach: «Funding is a problem but if the team is solid and the project is consistent, you will find the money» argues Yasmin. This is probably why the duo committed to strengthening the She Hive meetings: «We hope to go to even more cities in the next three years and we want to help women gain even more exposure, particularly in the media.”

We can only wish them the best of luck!

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©Huza.org

Two leaders, two actions on the ground. Primarily a pitch contest held once a year, the SLA entrepreneurship showcase. Selected from over 380 candidates from 25 countries, the 6 finalists are invited to Nigeria to present their project to a panel of judges comprising of CEO’s from renowned businesses in the country. In 2014, SLA managed to have Aliko Dangote among the judges!

Benefits include access to potential investors, media exposure, and a $10,000 check.

Participating in such competition takes courage, but that’s not all. According to Yasmin “candidates must also do some research. It’s always sad to have candidates who have an interesting project, but are not enough informed to know how to submit their financial projections.» Lack of education or lack of mentor? Several reasons can be found to explain that situation. But Afua and Yasmin want to go even further.

That is why throughout 2016, ‘She Leads Africa’ intends to offer coaching sessions and networking sessions for African women through their second initiative, She Hive.

For Yasmin, «the main idea is to create a network of women who can help each other by sharing their experiences. We also want to help women develop the best skills and knowledge.» The first edition of the year took place in January in Accra, Ghana. For five days, business leaders and entrepreneurs shared their experiences with an audience of young women who wanted to put the odds on their side. How to organize your time, or how to express yourself, were some of the issues that were addressed during those workshops.

Because the diaspora is an important part of the African population, She Hive does not only apply to women on the continent. During 2016, She Leads Africa will reach African women who want to develop their skills and are working towards coming to the motherland: «We also want to give all the necessary tools to those who want to return.

While it’s true that the difficulties encountered by women are universal, the return to Africa may prove to be a challenge in itself «, says Yasmin.

Pitch and coaching session contest

REGINA AGYARE – GHANA Regina Agyare is convinced that technology can change lives. So she created Soronko Foundation, an association which aims to present new technologies as a vehicle solution among the Ghanaian youth. The association has three main pillars: providing scientific skills to young Ghanaians, encouraging girls to take an interest in technology, and developing applications to improve the lives of people with disabilities. Workshops have already been planned throughout the year of 2016.

INSPIR’ORGANIZATION

MARIE CÉCILE ZINSOU – BENIN After receiving the Praenium Imperiale from Prince Hitachi’s hands in 2014, Marie Cécile Zinsou celebrated the tenth anniversary of the Zinsou Foundation in 2015. This ambassador of African art and culture has continued to innovate throughout the year with new exhibits and a new café in the museum of the Zinsou Foundation.

And that’s not all! Through the WAKPON app - available free on wakponapp. org - the Ouidah museum is now accessible to the world. A first for an African museum!

ANGE MUCO MUYUBIRA – BURUNDI Ange Muco Muyubira believes in crafts, as well as the power of mentoring and the insight of African women. After working for 9 years for major fashion brands such as Dior and Prada, she decided to return to Burundi to devote herself to the most vulnerable. She then started to look for people to work with. Once recruited, Angel Muyubira proposes four months of training in her incubator where the trainees will attend English language, health, business and design courses. At the end of the program, they are able to create and make jewelry. Established in 2012, Art Kaz’O’Zah now works with more than 100 artisans, 80% of which are women.

© P.K Opoku - Epic

CHRISTIAN KAMAYOU – CAMEROON Created in 2014, My African Startup aims to support young carriers of African projects to build the Africa of tomorrow. At the head of this project is Christian Kamayou, a Franco-Cameroonian graduate of the prestigious Business School HEC Paris. In 2015, My African Startup organized the African Rethink Award, a pitch competition that selected the 100 most innovative startups.

For 9 days, young African entrepreneurs - based on the mainland or in the Diaspora - met in Paris and discussed issues of concern for Africa in order to better plan for the future.

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DARE TO INSPIRE // SENEGAL

At 35 years old, Omar Victor Diop is one of the best photographers of his generation.

FOR IMMORTALITY

By Victor Omar Diop Photo credit, Huza.org

I am a 35 year old Senegalese, born in Dakar, where I grew up. After earning a Bachelor’s degree in Finance, I flew to Paris to continue my studies in the same field.

I am the youngest in a family of six. My parents, hard workers, educated their children with the awareness that as parents - who were at the time citizens of an emerging Senegal - they had a duty to make us worthy representatives of our people and our nation.

We have always been watered ‘things of the world «, classics or non-classics, African or western, so that we can be of all circles while remaining ourselves.

On my return from Paris with my degree, I joined a consulting firm and after a multinational that made me work all over Africa, and certainly contributed to make me realize the diversity and the richness of African urban societies. African urbanity: this concept appealed to me in a unique way, from issues relating to what defines the identity of consumer habits or the recognition of Africans and their contribution to how the world works. It is probably this interest that led me to buy a camera in 2010, first to fill my weekends, and then gradually to show my reality, through photos. Eventually I was showing a world that exists only in my imagination, fantast almost, where aesthetics further demonstrated the subjects that I immortalize in my studio.

Immortality, a word that has an important place in my practice of art. It is a human fantasy that aspires for us to live on even beyond our own life.... I look for it when I invite bloggers to my Studio of Vanities, so that their looks, their personalities and their aspirations live on beyond them. For me those portraits are a testimony given to future generations who will not have to wonder what being 30 years old in Dakar in 2013 meant. I also try to give immortality to the glorious African souls of the past, scattered throughout the kingdoms of Europe and Asia or the republics of America; In “Diaspora”, I lend

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my mortal coil in memory of illustrious Africans who have marked the world, and have fallen into oblivion. Their lives were mixtures of distraught glories and tragic regrets, much like that of African football stars outside of Africa, who harvest huddle laurels and banana skins, cheers and jeers.

People often ask me what the source of my inspiration is and I tirelessly answer that if I knew, I would be busy putting it in a bottle instead of drinking it myself. That said, I have a collection of “stars” that guide me through the painful path of creation: Mama Casset, Richard Avedon, Matisse Djibril Diop Mambéty, Jean-Paul Goude, Malick Sidibé, Annie Leibovitz ... the list is long! African artists of the 70s to the 90s who made their mark on the world through their creativity and ability to share their Africa in the form of poetry and sensitivity.

« PEOPLE OFTEN ASK ME WHAT THE SOURCE OF MY INSPIRATION IS AND I TIRELESSLY ANSWER THAT IF I KNEW, I WOULD BE BUSY PUTTING IT IN A BOTTLE INSTEAD OF DRINKING IT MYSELF. » I think that we can’t teach someone how to be an artist. The most we can do is to transmit techniques, support, and encourage them to be confident. This is precisely what is missing in our continent. I am convinced that with more private and public investment in the arts sector in Africa, we will eventually create a strong, sustainable movement of talented artists and achieve global visibility. I believe in the global scope of a well-thought artistic expression. I believe in the need to be exposed to new influences. This year, I’ll be in at an art residency in New York for a period of 4 months. I plan to produce a new work there.

©Lakin Ogunbanwo - New York Magazine

DARE TO INSPIRE

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Nigeria After Half of a yellow sun, which was awarded multiple prizes and turned into a movie in 2013 by Biyi Bandele (starring Chiwetel Ejiofor / 12 years a slave); her book Americanah (US National critics book 2015) is going to be made into a movie by Lupita Nyongo’o and Brad Pitt.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie defines herself as a happy African feminist.

Her speech “we should all be feminists” that was used by Beyoncé on the track Flawless, will be distributed at all Swedish high schools.

Chimamanda tells stories of day to day life. She wants both boys and girls to become aware of the role they can play in a fair world.

Gossy Ukanwoke - Nigeria

(c) Jessica Ellis, CNN

In 2010, Gossy Ukanwoke created the Student’s Circle Network, an educational social network. To fix the lack of certifications of Nigerian job seekers, he launched BAU online, the country’s first online university. Today, 8000 students from 60 countries are registered. Gossy Ukanwoke plans on opening a physical university, Beni American University, to allow more students to access wide educational content.

In 2015, he participated in Coca-Cola’s #IAmAReason campaign in Nigeria, where he gave reasons to believe in one self and in the future.

Samuel Mensah – Ghana The economist, Samuel Mensah used to be the director of the African branch of Intel Capital. He gave everything up in 2013 to launch the e-platform Kisua, which means “well dressed” in Swahili. Besides its eponymous brand, Kisua also provides a platform for African designers.

Samuel Mensah wants to shine a light on African creative industries.

He stated: “Africa has the biggest growth rate in terms of the youth population. It has huge potential and is a ticking timebomb.” In 2015, Kisua was ranked among the top emerging brands of the continent by Brand Africa.

Uche Pedro - Nigeria A graduate from the Canadian Richard Ivey School of Business, Uche Pedro, started her blog in 2006 using the secret identity Bella Naija (beautiful Nigerian), a blog on celebrity news and lifestyle in Nigeria.

Very rapidly, she reached a million visitors and decided to get remove her anonymity and blog using her real name. Back in Lagos, Uche, which has now turned her blog into a company continues receiving numerous prizes. She was invited to appear on Oprah’s show and is featured on Forbes’ 30 most promising African entrepreneurs list.

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INSPIR’START UP // NIGERIA

REELFRUIT:

EXPLORING ‘REEL’ ENTREPRENEURSHIP

By Soila Kenya In February 2012, MS AFFIONG WILLIAMS moved back from South Africa to Nigeria, her home country, to leap into agribusiness. She says she saw a gap in the market and decided to capitalise on the opportunity.

She founded Reelfruit, a fruit processing company introducing a new snack into the Nigerian market: healthy and delicious locally produced dried fruit to cater to the growing number of health conscious consumers. The company focuses on packaging, branding and processing these range of fruit and nut products that are currently stocked in over 80 stores in Nigeria.

She started off with an initial investment of $8,000 of her personal savings and loans from friends and family and was running the business from her home. This amount was to get all the regulatory requirements in order to retail the product in the country. The business now works in Lagos where she has a production site. This is where the fruits are sorted weighed and packaged in their different sizes into bright coloured wrapping. Reelfruit prides itself in selling natural products that are free of preservatives. Afterwards, the fruits are shipped off to stores where they can be purchased. They offer a range of 5 products which include mango, pineapple, cashew, banana and coconut with prices ranging from 150 to 400 naira ($0.75 to $2).

She has nicked a couple of awards. In September 2013, she placed first out of 700 applicants for business challenge by Bidnetwork (Netherlands) who were looking for the biggest women in business. A €5000 (about $5,500) prize was awarded to support the growth of Reelfruit. A few months later in December, she also placed first in a competition by Creative Focus Africa promoting Small and Middle Enterprises (SMEs) in Abuja, Nigeria. Her latest prize was received in December 2014 from Islamic Development Bank’s Inaugural IDB Business Plan Competition where she was selected as one of the top 10 finalists out of over 700 applicants. All the proceeds have been re-invested into the company and used to create more products.

With all profits being put into the business, Williams has big ambitions of growing and scaling up to be a large agribusiness. Challenges faced include structural issues in the country’s agricultural sector and an initial reluctance of the Nigerian market to the products but they are now accepting it and demanding more which is leading to exponential growth. It’s all about growth and this year, 2016, they are planning to build a processing factory outside Lagos to produce the snacks for export and local consumption and build on that over the next 5 years.

It is important to Williams that her business is benefitting the country by introducing novel products to the Nigerian market and being able to create a profitable and large business contributes towards creating jobs for the Nigerian populace. She is already embodying this with the 17 people she currently employs. Her ambition is to be on the cover of FORBES AFRICA in five years’ time.

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INSPIRE AFRIKA MAGAZINE / MARCH - MAY 2016

INSPIR’START UP

Joshua Muta - Kenya

Damiloda Teidi - Nigeria

Kejahunt, born out of the frustration that 3 college students encountered while hunting for a house. One of them was current CEO, Joshua Mutua who received the award for Housing and Urbanization at Connected East Africa 2015. The platform enables clients to house-hunt without troubling themselves with sometimes untrustworthy agents. One can specify their location budget and preferences and get a match. Since their launch in March 2014, Kejahunt has grown to have a client base of about 6,000 active users with a growth rate of 1,000 per month.

They also have an app on the Google Play store facilitating their activities and are looking to expand to other areas in Kenya in 2016.

Carpooling has never been easier with GoMyWay, a Nigerian start-up that is a ride-sharing marketplace connecting passengers with ride owners going along the same route and having empty seats to spare.

The project, which was launched in June 2015 also helps protect the environment by reducing carbon emissions as well as reducing traffic congestion in big cities. Public transport does not hold a candle to this cheaper brainchild by Damilola Teidi that calculates fees based on things such as fuel costs. Car owners also have a chance to gain extra cash through the passengers they take on. We look forward to their journey in 2016 as they have spread operations to South Africa, Kenya and Ghana.

Winfried Selby - Ghana

Fati Niang - Sénégal

Ghana Bamboo Bikes was started by Winnifred Selby who is a former Anzisha Prize and Cartier Womens’ Initiative Award winner. This was for her revolutionary idea of manufacturing bicycles out of bamboo.

She co-founded Ghana Bamboo Bikes Initiative in an effort to address unemployment and environment degradation through effective use of local resources. So far the company has created 30 jobs, employing 20 bike assemblers and 10 farmers. Over 1000 of these bikes have been sold to consumers in Ghana, Europe, and the United States. The project, now headed by Bernice Dapaah, is also sustainable and environmentally friendly as bamboo trees are grown to replace the ones used. They have been recognized by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and received support from the GEF Small Grants Programme, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme.

Blackspoon is disruptively taking over Paris’ culinary scene by providing African cuisine…On wheels! Fati Niang started her mobile restaurant business in 2013 to cater to the significant African immigrants in the food capital of the world. Her menu consists of Senegalese and Malian dishes. Even though, the French prefer softer, less spicy food and mobile restaurants are currently battling with the established bistros which hold traditional privilege, Niang has in two years served 15000 people and launched a mobile app, receiving a minimum of 150 clients per day. She has also won several contracts, most notably with La Foire de Paris and Stade de France. Niang also scooped the award for Best African Entrepreneur in France in 2014. In 2016, we look forward to Niang establishing her brand as the number one African food truck not only in Paris, but also in other parts of France and Europe as a whole.

INSPIRE AFRIKA MAGAZINE / MARCH - MAY 2016

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©Gary Stephens

‘THE FUTURE OF HUMANKIND IS AFRICAN.’

CAREER // IVORY COAST

SWAADY MARTIN THE WOMAN WHO WILL MAKE YOU LOVE « MADE IN AFRICA »

by Louis Gilbert BISSEK Swaady Martin is a crowned head. Not because of the imperial African made headdresses that she wears with dignity nor her unique first name, but simply because 2015 sealed her young firm as a major player of ‘Made in Africa.’

First, as she celebrated the third anniversary of her brand Yswara, she got into the tiny 10% - according to Forbes - of businesses that last that long. Secondly, because her peers in the entrepreneurship community paid tribute to her achievements, by rewarding Yswara with the ‘Brand Africa’ for the ‘Emerging African Brand’; she also belongs to ‘Top 100 African Economic Leaders for Tomorrow’1.

What did the businesswoman achieve? The incorporation of rich African flavors that we know and love into the global Luxury industry. For an industry that is not a fan of emerging markets, she has made them love it.

Yswara is the embodiment of an Afropolitan, born in Ivory Coast, with ancestry that spreads across the Ivorian, Guinean, American, German and French countries. In addition, she has lived in Liberia, Senegal and France, and her academic and professional duties brought her to U.K, Switzerland, U.S.A, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa, where she decided to settle because of her Love for Africa. ‘My heart is in the shape of Africa. I can’t live anywhere else.’ she says with a smile. She goes on to add ‘The future of Humankind is African.’ And we could not agree with her more.

TO CREATE A NEW VISION FOR AFRICA Swaady Martin has some kind of enchantment, as her words, her thought or her touch, seem to create miracles.

Swaady’s first achievement is her exceptional resume: She graduated from the Faculty of Business and Economics (HEC Lausanne); she also obtained an MBA jointly issued by New York University Stern School of Business, London School of Economics and Political Science and HEC Paris School of Management; she is ‘Archbishop Desmond Tutu Leadership Fellow2; and she started her career in 2001 as an internal auditor - at 24 years old - at General Electric.

There, she rose to a top executive position to become the Regional Sales Leader in charge of Sub-Saharan Africa at General Electric Transportation and Acting-CEO GE of South Africa Technologies, where she increased the sales revenue by 500%3 in 18 months.

But Swaady Martin eager for new challenges led her to quit her job and to pursue a childhood dream from age six: to become an entrepreneur.

Her second miracle would be to transform her passion into a successful business, and to create a new vision for Africa by promoting its skills.

In fact, Swaady Martin’s passion for tea, was really ignited by her mother. As far as she could remember, she has always dealt with those tastes. But to stop a brilliant career in the eighth biggest company in

According to the ‘Institut Choiseul’ The program was founded in 2003 by African Leadership Institute (AFLI) with the support of Oxford University - in order to achieve the most impact in Africa which aims to develop the next generation of leaders should be the highest priority 3 From $50 million to $300 million 1 2

Thé « Teranga » - Yswara INSPIRE AFRIKA MAGAZINE / MARCH - MAY 2016

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CAREER // IVORY COAST

the world4 to start from scratch based alone on that passion, can be perceived either as an insane or as a genius move.

But Swaady Martin did it.

When she founded the Swaady Group in December 2012, the woman in her thirties roared to the world her passion for the intangible cultural heritage of Africa. The goal of her empire is to reverse the African commodity trap by creating a socially-responsible group of brands processing locally African raw commodities into high-value products distributed globally. The mission is to unlock Africa’s potential to produce superior quality products that appeal to local and international markets while achieving societal impact and promoting African history, art and culture. The first product is the tea brand called Yswara, that its founder has marketed as a luxury brand.

Why did she create a luxury brand? Because this afro-optimistic individual advocates for the recognition of the refinement and the expertise associated with products ‘Made in Africa’ worldwide, saying that: ‘The Luxury industry conveys culture heritage, history and identity.’ This is a visionary approach; if we allow ourselves to pay attention to the economic potential of African cultural and creative industries5.

Consequently, at the launching of Yswara, one of the three (03) opening collection called ‘Kingdoms of Africa’ was a tribute to the pre-colonial kingdoms, with names of teas recalling African monarchs such as: ‘Shaka Zulu’, ‘Soundjata Keïta’, ‘King Lalibela’ and ‘Askia of Songhai’.

participating to the building of the Contemporary Africa.’

The Yswara experience is a real safari of taste through Africa. Moreover, Swaady Martin claims that: ‘ ‘Yswara beverages taps into the customers’ emotions, to bring them to a world of dreams.’

But Yswara is more than a brand, it’s the standard of quality and competitiveness that Swaady Martin wishes for Africa. And it works! Yswara blends are available in ten countries across Africa and sixty retails shops around the world. Yswara teas are the first African products ever sold in Selfridges stores throughout their century old existence and three (03) of the luxurious Four Seasons hotels also have them in their arsenal. On April 2016, Yswara will get its first tea house and two other retail shops in an historical building, The Cosmopolitan located in Mobonong, the brand-new posh neighborhood in Johannesburg.

The Yswara experience is the celebration of excellence ‘Made in Africa,’ because to Swaady Martin: ‘To be an African Entrepreneur requires all of us to have very high standards.’

But being an African entrepreneur also means to go through big challenges. Banks refusing to lend money to entrepreneurs who self-finance their business; difficulties exporting goods across Africa and finding a skilled workforce; are only a few of those. But Swaady Group continues expanding and keeps its expectations high.

‘TO BE AN AFRICAN ENTREPRENEUR REQUIRES ALL OF US TO HAVE VERY HIGH STANDARDS.’

An African Taste...

The third miracle of ‘Fairy Swaady’ would be to change your tasting into a unique sensorial and emotional experience.

Luxury and voluptuousness, this is what the Yswara experience looks like, with a bit of that ‘African Touch’ close to Swaady Martin’s heart.

The ‘African touch’. More than a formula, it is a principle in the founder’s mind. For her costumers, she finds teas from Rwanda, Malawi and Kenya, that she mingles with components from Nigeria, Egypt, Sudan and South Africa, in her 500m² factory in the ‘Cradle of Humankind6’, about 50km in the Northwest of Johannesburg. ‘It was important for us to implant our factory here, on the site known as the ‘Cradle of Humankind’. It’s a great symbol. From our roots, we are

According to the Interbrand 2015 ranking Read Inspire Afrika Magazine #15 issue: ‘African Cultural & Creative Industry’ on inspireafrika.com 4 5

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INSPIRE AFRIKA MAGAZINE / MARCH - MAY 2016

On February 14th, 2016 - on Valentine’s Day - Swaady Group has launched a new brand called AKRAFO or ‘Soul-Washer’ in partnership with Woolworths supermarkets in South Africa, which commercializes African bio and gourmet products. AKRAFO is one the five brands selected by Woolworths for their ‘Love Local’ campaign. It’s just the beginning of the love story between Swaady Group and its consumers...

6

was declared a World Heritage Site

CAREER

Fally Ipupa Democratic Republic of the Congo The Prince of Congolese Rumba entertained the continent with his 4th album released on March 2015 called ‘Libre Parcours’. 5000 copies were sold within an hour in Paris, and 15000 during the same week.

Fally was rewarded by the Ministry of African Integration of Ivory Coast and was nominated at the BET Awards for the second time in his career for the Best International Act: Africa. The singer also participated to the World’s Bank initiative #Music4Dev to end the extreme poverty by 2030, and he will soon release his single Bunda Nango.

Lupita Nyongo’o Kenya In 2015, the actress pleased her fans with the blockbuster ‘Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens’, generating more than $2.5 billion worldwide. In addition, The Harlem Arts Alliance announced that October 20th is now officially Lupita Nyong’o Day in Harlem. In Kenya, she joined the fight to save Africa’s elephants. This year, in the biographical drama ‘The Queen of Katwe’, she will play the mother of a Ugandan chess prodigy from the slums of Kampala, who chases her dream of becoming an international chess champion.

Samuel Eto’o Fils Cameroon The Pichichi is resourceful! Top scorer during his five-month stint at the Turkish Football League - until January 2016 - as the player/manager of the club Antalyaspor, 2015 Golden Foot Award - for his achievements both on and off the field -, and European Medal of Tolerance are only a few of the awards he has accumulated over the years. He also launched the Yellow WhistleBlower initiative and two programs in Africa with FIFA and the World Bank: 11 for Health and 11 against Ebola.

Ola Orekunrin Nigeria Ola was born to be a pioneer. One of the youngest medical doctors in the United Kingdom, she founded - in 2012 - the first air operated Emergency medical services in Nigeria and West Africa at large: Flying Doctors. Three years later, this helicopter pilot with specialized training in aviation medicine runs a company with 47 employees, 20 aircrafts, a 24/7 service. Flying doctors has airlifted more than 500 patients since 2012.

INSPIRE AFRIKA MAGAZINE / MARCH - MAY 2016

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INSPIR’ECO

2016, WHAT DO YOU HAVE IN STORE FOR US?

By Chrys Nyetam

Tony Elumelu

Crédit photo : theiconng.com

L’association Akon Lighting Africa œuvre à électrifier le continent.

Crédit photo : akonlightingafrica.com

The African economy has yet to prove itself. With a Gross Domestic Income which fell from 4.6% in 2014 to 4.2%1 in 2015, development in Africa has also slowed. Although governments are investing huge sums in forums designed to encourage investment in Africa, 2015 questioned the golden future promised to the continent.

Initiatives 2015 saw the announcement and the start of implementation of several initiatives that all have one purpose: encourage growth on the continent. With only 25%2 of its population having access to electricity, development in Africa will start with its electrification; something Americans understand.

After the initiative «Power Africa», ​​started by President Barack Obama and which has mobilized $7 billion3, R&B star Akon has also decided to focus on the continent. Unlike the leader of the free world, he opted for solar energy. In 2015, 100,000 street lights and more than 102,000 solar home kits4 have been installed in 14 countries. Akon Lighting Africa program also intends to open a training academy for African engineers specializing in the development of technology related to solar energy. The academy, which was supposed to open in Bamako last September, has still not emerged. Despite this, Akon intends to keep his promise and help change the lives of millions of Africans.

¹ World Bank Africa - Overview, September 2015 2 Tim Carrington, World Bank: Enterprise and Entrepreneurship: A key to the future of Africa

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INSPIRE AFRIKA MAGAZINE / MARCH - MAY 2016

He is not the only one. The Nigerian entrepreneur and philanthropist Tony Elumelu on the other hand wants to promote entrepreneurship to give a boost to the private sector. Announced in 2014 and materialized in January 2015, the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Program (TEEP), which selected 1,000 startups last year, aims to prevent unemployment. With projections of over 400 million5 young Africans aged from 15 to 24 years by 2050, unemployment is one of the main challenges that the continent will face. However, hope remains that the example of Tony Elumelu will be followed by other philanthropists and allow future generations to aspire to a decent job.

Lower investment Although the initiatives are increasingly realized, investments do not bode well. Private equity firms have invested 2.5 billion dollars in Africa in 20156. This sum may seem important, but it doesn’t even represent half of private investments in the previous year. In fact, private

USAid.org Akon Lighting Africa 5 World Bank 3 4

6 According to the African Private Equity and Venture Capital Association

INSPIR’ECO investments fell by 69% compared to 2014. The direct investment (FDI) meanwhile stood at $38 billion7 at the end of 2015, and experienced a decrease of 31.4% compared to 2014. These results cannot only be explained by the decline in investment in commodities. It is not fatalistic to think that either the investment returns of 2014 were not those expected by investors or, simply, investors no longer see Africa as the next China. So the question must be asked and must be answered: Do investors still believe in the future of Africa?

Business climate If it is difficult to answer this question, we can at least say that they have not completely lost hope and still believe in the African private sector. The equity markets are doing well for African businesses. While international markets suffer from lower oil prices, and national economies are struggling with the severe consequences, African companies have successfully raised 12.7 Billion dollars8 in the markets.

In other words, African firms trigger an assured interest, even if the environment is not always conducive to business. Indeed, in 2015,

Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank, said that corruption costs the continent $148 billion yearly. African governments must double their efforts to fight this scourge with disastrous consequences. The more prevalent corruption is in a country, the more it is perceived as risky by investors. Reducing corruption would then lead to attracting more investment.

However, do governments really desire the growth of African companies? The case of the fine charged to the phone company MTN Nigeria - who was ordered to pay $5.2 billion which was reduced to $3.4 billion – raises questions. We still speak of an African company that makes most of its revenue in Nigeria, with over 60 million subscribers in the country. Asking MTN to pay 73%9 of the revenue it realizes in Nigeria can be perceived as a sign that the environment is not always good for business.

Anyway, 2016 promises to be an interesting year, which will confirm or deny that the future of Africa is as bright as hoped.

Global Investment Trends Monitor According to PWC 9 MTN 7 8

2016 AFRICA INNOVATE CONFERENCE STARTUP SHOWCASE APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN! The Africa Business Club invites you to apply to showcase your start up and present at the 2016 Africa Innovate Conference.

12 startups will present their companies and ideas at the MIT Media Lab. During the conference, startup founders will have the chance to network with the MIT community, investors, and innovators focused on Africa.

APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED FROM FEBRUARY 2, 2016 – FEBRUARY 20, 2016.

TO SUBMIT YOUR STARTUP FOR SHOWCASE AT THE CONFERENCE, APPLY AT:

INSPIRE AFRIKA MAGAZINE / MARCH - MAY 2016

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‘SUCCESS IS MEASURED BY THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WE IMPACT.’

THOUGHTS OF // CAMEROON

ANGELLE KWEMO

By Louis Gilbert BISSEK Photo, Huza.org

Authentic.

68 inhabitants/km², far away from the gloss and the glitter. Did I say Authentic?

That word would summarize her the best. She is also open-minded, if you can catch her!

Let’s get in Kwemo’s mind through four (4) thoughts that she thinks could change Africa for the best. Discover her entire ideas in her book: ‘Against All Odds: How to stay on top of the game’.

In fact, Angelle Kwemo spends a lot of her time hopping from plane to plane. You’re more likely to meet her in VIP airport lounges in any city in the world, than downtown. Or you might see her in the meetings of the international economical, intellectual or political elite, to which she belongs.

Her network is full of global leaders with whom she deals with on a daily basis and advises on African and global issues. However, she stays true to herself. This deeply religious Afro-realist, who is obsessed by the will to have a meaningful life by giving back to her community as she considers herself being extremely blessed, thinks that ‘Success is measured by the number of people you impact.’

‘The audacity of being independent’ is another leitmotiv. After studying law, she started her career in a law firm in France. Then, she served as executive in one of the largest French investor firm in Africa, ‘Bolloré Africa Logistics’, until 1999, before quitting and flying to the U.S to start over. Six (6) years later, she was hired in the US Congress as legislative counsel, where she played a key role on implementing a pan African vision. She was deeply involved in helping to draft and pass legislations such as the AGOA1 and the African investment and Diaspora legislation, to mention a few. She also worked for the recognition of the strategic and economic importance of Africa to the US. In addition, she founded the Congressional African Staff Association (CASA) aiming at educating congressional staff on the positive progress of Africa. But after seven (7) years, she decided to quit and to advocate for U.S.A - Africa relations her own way. In 2012, she founded Believe in Africa2 and AStrategiK Group3.

With her natural and close-cropped haircut, this woman in her forties has a distinguished look. Kwemo believes that her contribution to the African development is insignificant. Could you believe that from one of the brains behind the 2014 U.S - Africa Summit?

But that is the way Angelle Kwemo is: deeply rooted in the very essence of things. By the way, guess where this ‘flying woman’ spent her Christmas holidays? In Bana, a tiny village in the west of Cameroon with its

¹ Africa Growth and opportunity Act 2 an African Diaspora initiative aiming to empower the African Diaspora, promote the role of the African private sector and help formulate African response to African issues.

’IT IS TIME FOR US TO BECOME MASTERS OF OUR OWN DESTINY.’ A proverb from Burkina-Faso tells that ‘The hand that gives is above the hand that takes’.

Africa was known for its humanitarian crisis; therefore, it was an aid recipient. However, it seems like this aid cannot bring the economic success we expect. Obviously, aid could not lead to development, unless it is used as an initiative to support Africa after a major disaster. For example, the Marshall Plan was an economic support to help rebuild western European economies after the end of World War II. Aid must be combined with robust investment tools.

I believe that African countries need more industrialization plans to get to that sustainable development. A combination of investment and reform plans is the key. Despite our multiple challenges, the rhetoric has changed. Africa, and especially Nigeria is a great trade and investment destination.

Many African countries are developing partnerships with western nations. The U.S remains Africa’s strongest partner. In recent years, mutually beneficial partnerships were established not just between our governments, but mostly between our private sector players. A new type of development promoting the private sector is about to start. We have good examples of successful partnerships like Power Africa Initiative that could be duplicated across sectors and across the continent, to address the badly needed energy, agriculture, and to foster health and infrastructure development. To advocate for people centered policies that will allow all citizens to prosper and enjoy the social dividend of African economic renaissance, we should support inclusive growth and innovation in all sectors of Africa’s economies, especially the ones promoting energy prosperity, agriculture, technology development and job creation.

Africa based consulting firm specializing in the provision of strategic advice to multi-dimensional entities, allowing them to effectively compete globally and at the same time building in-roads into Africa and other emerging markets.

3

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THOUGHTS OF // CAMEROON At a personal level, I always encourage all Africans, especially our youth, to become masters of their own destiny. Leadership is key for our success. It will help us break the glass ceiling and the self-limitation culture that our environment has created. If we unlock it, the skill will be limitless for our people. Note that Africa’s biggest asset is its population. We need to invest in our population, even one person at time.

The motivation behind the book, is to share my experience with aspiring leaders, with all the lessons I have learned. This is my humble contribution to mentoring the next generation of leaders. There are many Angelle Kwemo in the streets of Douala, Lagos, Abidjan (etc.) awaiting to be given the opportunity to deploy their talents. I hope this manual will be helpful. Success is measured not by the wealth you accumulate, but by the number of people we impact.

‘IT’S ABOUT SKILL SETS, NOT GENDER.’ African women are important assets. According to the U.N, they represent a little more than 50% of our population. Their intellectual, economic and social contribution is important. They also count for more than 50% of our workforce. Denying it and excluding women from the decision making process would be unproductive. In large market-oriented economies such as Nigeria or Rwanda, women occupy leadership positions in both public and private sectors. Even if Africa has taken the lead in the women empowerment issue by choosing female Head of States, or influential members of Parliaments - particularly in the political field - a lot of things remain to get them really involved; In particular, on the cultural stand point. In my daily work, I feel cursed because I’m a woman. But I’m not giving up. And I would like to inspire my fellow young ladies to do the same thing. The time for pity is over. It’s time for action. Take the lead! I really think that it’s about skill sets, not gender.

We live in a really competitive world.

woman’s determination to pursue her passion and aspirations, defying selflimitation and status quo. Angelle Kwemo, proud to be an African woman, 4 dreams, ignored the ridicule, and fought aggressively to seize followed her opportunities.

According to UNCTAD report, Africa currently accounts for about 2.65% of global trade. The share of intra-African trade in the global This storyhovering is for all people of race, 11%. color, and discrimination, but not for scene is not any better, around the light of heart. Witness how one person followed her vision, you will learn from her endurance, the challenges, and necessary persistence.

Throughout this handbook you will be given numerous life lessons based on an odyssey of risk and reward, those lessons are designed to help pave your own uncharted course.

Spine Width: 0.498in Cover Size: 19.75 x 9.5in

INSPIRE AFRIKA MAGAZINESpine / MARCH MAY 2016 Begins:-9.625in 124 pages

African countries have to create 122 million jobs by 2020, but are only expected to create 54 million jobs. We have an employment shortage close to 68 million people. To me, this is a state of emergency! Governments alone cannot fill those jobs. The private sector must step in. African nations should accelerate their reform process to create an enabling environment for the private sector to grow and to facilitate intra African relations. It is time for action!

K W E M O

38

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

‘GLOBAL TRADES ARE NO LONGER LED BY GOVERNMENTS AS THEY USED TO, THEY ARE NOW RUN BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR.’

B.

4

However, to secure Foreign Direct Investments in Africa, to sustain the positive impact of the African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA) and to enhance the private sector global competitiveness, it is important that African views be considered within the pending global and regional trade negotiations like: The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership or The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement. ‘

A N G E L L E

African nations have accelerated their reform process to harmonize their regulations, to build economic communities and regional blocs, and to facilitate intra-African economic relations. Since 2008, negoes from childhood graduation, working, gotiations initiatedHeronjourney a Tripartite Free environment, Trade Agreement (TFTA) entering the legal system, corporate to attaining respect in the policy between three major local African economic communities, bringing arena. The poignant stories of desire—learn how to never give up, follow passion, and recognize opportunity! together membersyourand partners states of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), The East African ComThis is a compilation of lessons derived from personal experiences, and munity (EAC) and the Southern African Development Commuthe valuable advice she received.

Life is like a game, having different levels to grow and evolve.

This manual will helpmillion you stay onpeople, top nity (SADC). Theyof championship aim at integrating 26 countries, 640 of your game and overcome life’s challenges at every stage of your career. and have a total GDP of $1.2 trillion. By analogy, if the TFTA was a country, it would be the thirteenth w w wlargest . a n g e l l eeconomy k w e m o . c oin m the world. So far, however, the proposed TFTA only covers trade of goods and services.

Merchandise trade within the tripartite region grew from $23 billion in

It is also a roadmap towards a Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA).

The African Union has committed itself to establish the CFTA by 2017, incorporating all the 54 African countries, representing over one (1) billion people and $3 trillion in GDP. In fact, if it is successfully conducted, the CFTA could stimulate intra-African trade by around 50% ($35 billion) by 2022.

Against All Odds

E L L E K W E M O ageous Cameroon born whose life story is a true ion for many aspiring who strive to fulfill their She has been praised for standing contributions arded for her continuous nity involvement. She uent ly publishe d and wed on leadership and economic development She is passionate about n impact on her generation ong advocate for Africa c development as well as nd youth empowerment.

‘INTRA AFRICAN TRADE CAN PLAY A BIG ROLE IN THE CONTINENT’S ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION Against Odds is the captivating story of one AS AAll WHOLE.’

2004 to $55 billion in 2012. An increase of commercial trade by 140% during this period, positively contributes to the ‘Africa rising’ story.

“Angelle Kwem written, easy t gems of wisdo and relevant to to realize the tial... both pe sionally. She h human quali race, ethnicit age. Though is written prim rican leaders, encourage all and colleague Thank you, A these preciou uncovered so amazing life’s growing, don’t

— Mrs. Pat

President Internatio

“With the rise rica, we must our young wo need role mo African wome This is what A resents. Her co book is very v

— Mariem

Blogger, A

THOUGHTS OF

Alain Mabanckou Republic of Congo

Catherine Mahugu Kenya

‘Once in my lifetime, I would like to see Africa led by our mothers, by women.’ said Alain Mabanckou - on January 18th - on French TV Canal+. Advocate for African Female Empowerment in the development process, he proclaims that he became a writer to revenge his mother who didn’t attend school. In 2015, he honored his mother with the prestigious prize of The Goncourt List: The polonese choice with his book Petit Piment, as he was appointed Visiting Professor at the Collège de France (Chair of Artistic Creation) for 2016.

When Catherine Mahugu co-founded Soko - an e-commerce platform which allows local artisans to sell handcrafted jewelry directly to the consumer - in 2009, her idea was simple and innovative: ‘Remove the middlemen and make sure that the majority of profits goes to the artisans.’ Mission accomplished for the firm that promotes more than 500 artisans - especially women – today. Soko has clients such as Nicole Kidman or Gisèle Bündchen, and collaborates with United Nations Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women(UNTF).

Thione Niang - Senegal

Anne Githuku-Shongwe South Africa

His campaign for the Presidential Candidate Barack Obama during the 2008 election made him famous worldwide. In 2015, the co-founder of the Akon Lighting Africa initiative was appointed by President Obama and The Energy Secretary as ambassador at the US Ministry of Energy representing minorities in energy. In his biography, released the same year - Memoirs of an Eternal Optimist - he teaches us a life-lesson: ‘In the moments when despair awaits, try to remember that you are acting not only for you, but also for your parents, friends and relatives, your city, your country.’

‘I want youngsters to be able to relate on how great their continent is through the games they play.’ In 2009, this thought drove this former International Development professional employed by the U.N to create Afroes, a firm that develops mobile phone games that engages and inspires social action among young people. With more than 500.000 users, Afroes - whose last game JobHunt, was released in 2015 - is raising awareness about climate change, or commitment to peace and tolerance among young people.

INSPIRE AFRIKA MAGAZINE / MARCH - MAY 2016

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NIGERIAN

FILM FESTIVAL nollywoodweek.com

Cinéma l’Arlequin Paris, France June 2nd-5th, 2016

Nollywood at its best.

FOCULTURE // GHANA

A GLAMOROUS, FASHIONABLE & FUN AFRICAN CITY

By Soila Kenya

The world mourned when Sarah Jessica Parker and her girlfriends took their last bow on ‘Sex and the City’ in 2004.

However, Nicole Amarteifio has brought them back to our screens in the form of ‘An African City’, a highly successful web series. Her desire to tell Africa’s story in a different, but very relevant light drove her to leave the US and return to her home country Ghana. Her life situation is similar to that of the five main characters, so called ‘Afropolitan Returnees’ back for various reasons: love, work, or family. They are all well off and well connected, clearly living lavish lives in Accra.

An African City season 2 cast Photo credit: An African City Saison 2, Bob Pixel Photography

The first noticeable thing about the story is the fashion. As the main character Nana Yaa and her girlfriends strut across the screen, their well put together costumes draw either your envy or desire to know how to get your hands on any of the numerous Ankara or Kente printed ensembles. Amarteifio revealed to CNN that Ghanaian designers loaned her the clothes to use during production. Her efforts were meant to uplift all African creators; fashion designers, musicians, interior designers and painters and she has achieved this beautifully throughout the series.

Hailed as Africa’s first web series, an episode runs for around 15 minutes, little bite sized portions that do not drag on forever. This is a welcome change from the usual Hollywood series we are used to that push the hour mark. Positive points that everyone has agreed on are the topics touched upon in the series such as the issue of affordable housing in the city, water and electricity rationing, love and the delicate subject of sex. Amarteifio admitted that she was sure Africans are finally ready to break free of their conservative bonds and “just be real”.

She may be right but of course the critics have jumped on the weaknesses of the show. Some claim that it portrays African women in a negative, promiscuous light, however Amarteifio is wholly unapologetic. She was inspired by the American show ‘Sex and the City’ and therefore all parallels drawn are intentional. There are others that say that the show does not resonate with most African women; to that Amarteifio boldly replies that we do not all need to have experienced something to enjoy it, especially in show business, she has chosen to

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tell a particular narrative on the African continent for the enjoyment of all.

An African City’s YouTube page, where the series is aired, has close to 40, 000 subscriptions and each episode has about 200,000 views, cumulating to about 2 million views in total. With the release of the second season since January, the hype on this controversial series has been rekindled. As season one was funded by Amarteifio’s savings and offered for free on YouTube, she is recouping losses by offering season 2 on their new VHX platform: www.anafricancity.vhx.tv. However, this is far from being their biggest success. Numerous companies have approached them; from TV channels like EbonyTV, IrokoTV and even BET to businesses seeking product placements.

As momentum is building, Amarteifio is already looking to the future.

She says it will not end with ‘An African City’. Her enthusiasm is understandable with the worldwide impact the series is having. People from all continents write to her expressing their joy for the eye-opening facts about Africa that were previously unavailable to them. She is bringing an end to the famine-ridden, war-torn, disease-prone Africa and ushering a new era. She hails her fellow Ghanaian sisters in the business like Shirley Frimpong-Manso, Juliete Asante, Leila Djansi and Lydia Forson saying they run the television industry in Ghana and it is a great achievement for women.

Amarteifio’s art form, though, is the one that has captured hearts and stirred emotions, bringing a new face to African TV. The sky is too close a limit for this TV guru and we cannot wait to see her move from the web to TV in the near future.

FOCULTURE

PATRICK NGOWI - TANZANIA Africa is famous for its scorching sun almost all year round. Patrick Ngowi took the chance of starting a company that pioneered the supply, installation and maintenance of solar systems in Tanzania’s Northern Circuit. They made more than $5 million in revenues in 2013 and KPMG East Africa recently valued the company at $15 million. Helvetic Solar is also expanding into the South African region and Ngowi is gearing up to take the company to Dar es Salaam’s capital markets. He is also a philanthropist who provides lighting to rural Tanzania and hopes to reach 10,000 rural African women by 2017 and 100,000 by 2025.

IDRISS NGUEPNANG CAMEROON ‘Eat and Enjoy’ is the translation of Tchop et Yamo, which is the name of the first fast food chain in Cameroon. Founder and CEO, Idriss Nguepnang, has popularized the beignet-haricot-bouillie (dough balls filled with meat and beans) which was formerly just a street side meal. The company -often hailed as Cameroon’s McDonald’s- which started in 2012 can be found in the Capital city Yaoundé, but also in Douala. However, due to its popularity, future plans for the next 8 years include opening a new branch every 3 months thus making a total of 32 shops with 20 employees each. This will result in the creation of more than 500 jobs over the next decade.

BELIKISS ADEBIVI - NIGERIA Wecyclers is a Lagos-based organization facilitating waste collection in low-income communities through recycling. In partnership with Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), collection is carried out using delivery tricycles known as Wecyclers. The waste is then sorted and delivered to local recycling plants. So far, Wecyclers has more than 3,400 partner households, has created 50 jobs and collected 525 tons of waste. Plans for the future include hiring up to 500,000 workers and expanding to other Nigerian states and African countries like Ghana, Senegal and Cameroon.

SENAI WOLDERUFAEL - ETHIOPIA Senai Wolderufael left his job at Ethiopian Airlines to become Ethiopia’s answer to exports. He started Feed Green Ethiopia in Addis Ababa in 2012 in order to supply traditional foods and spices to Ethiopians living in the diaspora. With his business partner Eyob Weldegabriel, they export Ethiopian spice blends to their countrymen living in the US and Europe.

Among the new things they are poised to do is adding Ethiopian coffee to their product line. They also intend to expand even further to exporting dry goods from countries such as Ghana and Nigeria. Feed Green Ethiopia is interested in women empowerment as they employ mainly women.

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4 QUESTIONS TO // NIGERIA

CHRIS KWEKOWE Interview by Ludovic Nsangou Photo credit, Anzisha Prize

The professional and personal story of this Nigerian of 22 years has been featured on CNN, BBC and many other news agencies across Africa and the world. Chris Kwekowe is the 2015 Anzisha’s Prize of the young entrepreneur winner. He co-founded a start-up that stands as one of Africa’s big hopes toward curbing unemployment. The platform is named slatecube, and it helps job seekers develop “world-class industry-relevant skills and gain hands-on work experience”. He agreed to answer to 4 Questions about his pathway.

Inspire Afrika Magazine: Hi Chris, can you tell us more about slatecube?

Chris Kwekowe: Slatecube allows students to study at their convenience, build Cool stuff based on their chosen field of learning, work with real organizations to acquire industry-relevant skills and finally create social impact. Our programs are built in partnership with topnotch professionals, leading schools, and world-class Organizations such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), EDX, Butterfly Academy (Arts), Udemy, CISCO, African Leadership Academy and many others across the globe, and are endorsed by the notable Parastatals such as the United States Consulate. We have had remarkable success in West and Central Africa, as well as established life-long strategic partnerships with companies and organizations both regionally, in the US, and in Europe. In just one (1) year, 80% of our virtual interns have ended up with Jobs, while 10 % have started up successful business ventures through our Disciplined Entrepreneurship Curriculum and Global Entrepreneurship Bootcamp built in partnership with MIT Sloan School of Management.We have helped startups save over $100,000 on skilled labor hiring and recruitment costs while also having access to world-class talents at much cheaper rates. Rural dwellers also have access to these up-skilling programs and world-class education for free during our Up-skill Regional meet ups. Female engagement with problem solving, entrepreneurship, and access to jobs have risen by more than 65% in all our meet ups across Nigeria. We are based here in Lagos and are currently looking to expand the reach of our programs and operations across the State, hence this email to the Lagos State Government.

IAM: It’s proven that professional experience is mainly acquired by working on the field, and you organize online internships, isn’t there a little contradiction?

CK: It is also proven that virtual activities through well structured computer programs can simulate real world scenarios with a 99.9% accuracy.

Besides, with our primary market research, we discovered that most interns spend the bulk of their time serving coffee and doing things that have no direct impact in helping them build experience.

Slatecube’s Virtual Internship Program pairs high-performing users with specific skill-sets virtually with on-site staff to work on projects that help them build experience. They work on real world projects and real staff, but through a computer. This saves on transportation, cuts out irrelevant tasks, and improves productivity.

IAM: Is slatecube a profitable business? If not yet, how do you intend to make it cost-effective? And how will you make it known?

CK: Yes, it is. For the most part, if a business focuses on creating impact, they make the most revenue.

IAM: Do you have some practical advice for all the young people that you actually inspire?

CK: Take some time away from the noise. School is great, but personal education is priceless. And finally, the person that has the most to do with what happens to you is you! God bless you as you take up challenges and break new grounds.

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4 QUESTIONS TO

©Anzisha Prize

Benedicte Mundele Kuvuna Democratic Republic of Congo Young and dynamic, this 22-year-old Congolese is head of “Surprise Tropicale” (Tropical Surprise), a fruit juice company that uses 100% natural products. Her entrepreneurial vision as well as her efforts led her to become a finalist of the Anzisha Prize 2014, and to be selected by the World Economic Forum as one of the “Young Women Resolving African Problems Through Entrepreneurship”. Africa consumes many manufactured and imported products. With projects such as Benedicte’s, we can envision an Africa in which bio and local products are promoted and consumed for a healthier lifestyle.

Mubarak Muyika - Kenya It takes a lot of courage to refuse a scholarship from the world’s most prestigious university: Harvard. However, this is exactly what this young 20-year-old prodigy did in order to create his web design company called Hype Century Technologies. He later sold it and create a computer company based in the USA, Zagace. This last venture gave him a multi-millionaire status. He was later named one of the 30 most promising entrepreneurs in Africa by Forbes Magazine in 2015.

©greenchar.co.ke

Tom Osborne - Kenya This eco-entrepreneur created Greenchar, a company that provides energy solutions thanks to charcoal partly fabricated from recyclable waste. The 18 years old Kenyan is amongst the 42 entrepreneurs chosen for the Echoing Green Fellowship in 2014. He was the youngest person to receive this donation in 27 years. His project is already a huge success in Kenya and could soon be exported to other African countries. He is definitely one to watch in 2016.

At 23, this young Moroccan is part of the 100 most influential travel bloggers. Entrepreneur in the New Information and Communications Technology field, she is the founder of Voyaj, a platform that allows worldwide globe-trotters to connect. As an ambassador for Morocco at the American State Department, Yasmine has received many awards and one from the Association for African Studies of New Hampshire University. Her network is definitely a trampoline for African tourism.

©huffingtonpost.com

Yasmine El Bagarri - Morocco

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INSPIR’TALKS #4 / RECAP

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It was on November 10th 2015 : Inspire Afrika Magazine organized its 4th Inspir’Talk focusing on African fashion industry. The event was the occasion to launch the first printed issue of the Magazine, which was distributed in France, in Cameroon and in the US. Flashback on the best moments.

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1- Bernard Kouao and Simon Louvel (Galeries Lafayette) 2- Katia Bumba (Kate Bee) 3- Laura Eboa Songue (Africa France Foundation) and Scheena Donia (Image and Communication consultant) 4- Maureen Ayité (NanaWax’s CEO) 5- Nelly Wandji (Moonlook’s CEO) 6- Francesca Ngahane (IA Magazine) 7- Creative workshop, Maison Udjuwa 8- Claire Yverneau (Champagne Nicolas Feuillate) and Louis Gilbert Bissek (Inspire Afrika Magazine) 9- Chrys Nyetam (Inspire Afrika Magazine), Ouendeno Moriba (Moriba) and Louis Gilbert Bissek (Inspire Afrika Magazine) 10- Benjamin Ngongang (Oser l’Afrique) 11- Inspir’Talks #4’s partners 12- Pascale Guasp (ELSS Collection) 13- Barbara and Siti (Maison Udjuwa) 14- The ‘Inspir’Talks #4’s XXL Gift bag 15- Distribution of our first printed issue to the participants 16- Joan Yombo (Inspire Afrika Magazine) 17- Anouche Babayan (Association Led by Her), Julie Abissegue (Inspire Afrika Magazine) and Claire Mays (Association Led by Her) 18- Marie Simone Ngane (Inspire Afrika Magazine) 19- Diane Audrey Ngako (Visiter l’Afrique / Le Monde Afrique) and a guest 20 - Grâce Samnick and Philippe de Bailliencourt (Arc Informatique) INSPIRE AFRIKA MAGAZINE / MARCH - MAY 2016

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