Investment
WPEC Titans Tank 2020 Top 5 Winners The Women's Program Engagement Council (WPEC www.facebook.com/TWPEC) is a global initiative to build a database/network of Black women entrepreneurs/business owners, worldwide, based around the need to facilitate opportunities and deal making, co-investments and strategic partnerships to encourage inclusion and increased investment in women-led businesses to help create equitable access to investments for projects/platforms led by African American and African women. We are proud of all the Sisters who applied, because the beauty about "Titans Tank" is no one loses – it’s a “Win Win” for all! Our "Titans Tank" goal is to allow Black women entrepreneurs/ business owners the opportunity to gain access to global networks and critical funding for their start-up/existing businesses, however, we are not guaranteeing financial assistance to any of the Titans Tank Contestants (although we are seeking financial support/investors to be successful and share the proceeds), but we are committed to supporting, mentoring, and showing love to our Sisters, while giving them exposure through our network of global women and hopefully access to potential investors. That’s why WPEC is creating an infrastructure and putting processes in place to give our “Sisters a Hand-up, not a Hand-out!”
1. GRACE THOVHAKALE (TIGER BUILD) (SOUTH AFRICA) On graduating with a Diploma in Education from the University of Venda, she was employed as a teacher at Soutpanberg Primary School. She taught children for 5 years until she struck it out on her own and ventured into the cement business in 2009. Between 2009 and 2012 Grace managed to make significant inroads into the male-dominated industry and her name became synonymous with cement in Limpopo. Grace is a natural entrepreneur and leader and it comes as no surprise that her work experience
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is characterized by directorships in at several companies between 2012 and 2017. Grace has been executive director and manager in various industries including farming, logistics, tourism, and commodities. In 2018 Grace decided to once again venture into the cement business with the better understanding of this industry and its supporting value chain (e.g. logistics, mining, wholesale, and retail businesses). As a pioneer, she established her own cement brand (Tiger Build Cement) and registered the Tiger Build Group (Pty) Ltd. Grace is now the only female cement company owner in South Africa and is well-known in the industry for her tenacity, enterprise and resilience. Her brand, Tiger Build Cement, is sought-after throughout South Africa and in neighboring African countries.
2. JEANNE SHEILA (UWIBONA) (RWANDA) As a technical community base conflict expert, UWIBONA is specialized in promoting gender equity, addressing sexual and gender-based violence, through community-based conflict management techniques. UWIBONA is a devoted feminist who offers to vulnerable women, abused young girls and young mothers in her community, various skills development training such as becoming selfsufficient by making handcrafts, sowing, and farming their own kitchen garden. She helps women regain self-confidence for their own wellbeing and bright future purpose. Hence, UWIBONA is a bee farmer which is a small business that, she set up in May 2017, to help her assist the most vulnerable women living with HIV/AIDS and those with disability. UWIBONA99@GMAIL.COM
DAWN
www.africabusinessassociation.org
