PAWEN (Pan-African Women’s Empowerment Network) proudly announces the successful completion of its first edition of the Girlpreneur Africa Program (GAP), an innovative entrepreneurship development initiative designed to empower 450 female university students from 19 countries. The program’s primary goal is to nurture a new generation of value creators and solution providers, who will build sustainable and profitable businesses, thereby tackling the pressing issue of youth unemployment in sub-Saharan Africa.
Girlpreneur Africa Program is an initiative of PAWEN designed to address the alarming rates of youth unemployment in Africa, particularly among women. With the unemployment rates in sub-Saharan Africa, and women’s rates even higher than men’s, the program aims to equip young female final-year students in universities across Africa, with the skills, knowledge, and mindset needed to succeed as entrepreneurs. For over six months, participants engaged in a rigorous virtual boot camp that combined academic learning with practical, hands-on training. The program was divided into two phases:
Phase 1 (12 weeks) where the participants received intensive entrepreneurial education, mentoring from successful student entrepreneurs, and coaching from experienced business owners. This phase focused on helping participants refine their business plans and models.
For Phase 2, the top 8 finalists were selected for the final business pitch competition, presenting their ideas to a panel of judges which included Ms. Ann Ichungwa, Founder and Executive Director of AK Strategy and Consulting; Napa Onwusah, Managing Partner at Placidcode; Mrs. Ngozichukwuka Onwuchuluba, Managing Consultant at Nucleon and Consults and Rehema Bashir, Financial Inclusion Champion, Zumra Finance, with the top 3 emerging as winners.
Celebrating Our Winners
● First Place: Mwanamomo Mpamba, founder of OBMA Miller, a maize milling business based in Kabwe, Zambia. Mwanamomo, an undergraduate entrepreneur, is passionate about revolutionizing the maize milling industry in Zambia.
● Second Place: Rahinatu Ibrahim, a student at the University of Professional Studies Accra and founder of Fabricplast. Rahinatu’s mission is to repurpose single-use plastic waste into eco-friendly products.
● Third Place: Mmapitsi Meltacia, founder of MMT Beauty Salon, the first and only comprehensive beauty service provider in the remote community of Steiloop village in
Limpopo, South Africa.
The top three winners will receive extensive business support from the PAWEN team to help gain visibility for their brands and provide resources for business scalability. PAWEN’s Founder, Oluwaseyi Kenhide-Peters, expressed pride in the growth and achievements of the participants and reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to tackling unemployment in sub-Saharan Africa through entrepreneurial empowerment.
About PAWEN
PAWEN is a technology-driven and innovative capability development social enterprise committed to addressing gender inequality by educating and empowering African women. Our vision is a world where every African woman is inspired and empowered to maximize her potential. We build ecosystems that equip women with the competence, confidence, and connections necessary to lead and succeed in business and careers. Our programs and
ever-growing online community provide continuous learning and sharing opportunities, fostering an environment where African women can thrive.
For media and partnership inquiries, please contact:
Folashade Moses,
[Communications and Advocacy Lead,
+2349037309272
Website: https://pawen.org/
