Women are the bed rock of any society, they are the pillars who hold a structure together alongside a man. Saying one is better or more important than the other would be a huge mistake because both co-habitat to make the best and be the best and healthy competition hurts no one.
Being youthful has its perks and downsides. Being young and enterprising might not come easily to everybody, but as we strive to accomplish something with our lives daily as youth should count in molding our future and making us better individuals personally and to the society at large.
Below are youths who are movers and shakers as well as entrepreneurs creating awareness and being different in areas of their passions.
I am obligated to share this piece of write up because they have encouraged and awaken in me the passion to do more than I have limited myself to, I want to make waves and so do you all.
We are youths and are inspired to escape the norm of idleness by being different and by so doing creating opportunities for others like us
Nigerian Affiong Williams, Founder of Reel Fruit
Here is how Forbes Africa describes her:
Reel fruit founded in March 2014 is an emerging fruit processing company focused on packaging and branding and processing of locally, and quality fruit products. The first product is a range of dried fruit snacks and nuts. The products are currently stocked in over 80 stores in Nigeria
Reelfruit is an award winning brand winning both an international women in business competition in Netherlands, as well as an SME Exhibition (creative focus) in Lagos, Nigeria. Williams is trying to expand her nut business into the lucrative airline market. She is raising capital to build a factory on the outskirts of Lagos next year. I hope to be on the cover of Forbes Africa in five years’ time she says.
Banke Kuku: Founder/Creative Director, Banke Kuku Textiles
Banke’s entrepreneurial ability blossomed at a very tender age of 5 when she took the initiative to start kitting. Her continued fascination with fabrics led her to study an Art and Design foundation course and eventually Textile Design at Chelsea College of Art and Design. With a work experience in fashion houses such as Matches Fashion Store, Burberry, Tank Magazine, Designers Guild Interiors and Jasmine Di Milo (where I honed my skills in textiles for fashion), what she brings to the table through Banke Kuku Textiles (founded in 2011) is a fusion of traditional African and Western culture to create unique fabrics for fashion industries.
Bankole Cardoso: CEO, Easy Taxi Nigeria
Bankole has always taken a keen interest business concepts, which propelled him to study Accounting and Business/Management, a business-related degree at Boston College, USA. Through Easy Taxi Nigeria (founded in 2013), he developed the Easy Taxi app which is a technology-driven app that provides convenience for passengers in booking for taxis anywhere and anytime with the click of a button. Bankole has been featured in Forbes Magazine’s 30 Most Promising Young Entrepreneurs in Africa 2014 and CNN Africa Start-up, also in the same year.
Mosunmola Umoru: CEO, Honeysuckles PTL Ventures
Mosunmola needs no introduction in the Nigerian agricultural space. An agro-business entrepreneur who specializes in food production, farming, processing and distribution, Ms. Umoru is known by the moniker “Pretty Farmer” because her passion for agriculture through her company Honeysuckles PTL Ventures which she founded in 2004 wasn’t quite the norm of your average Nigerian female entrepreneur. A Fellow of Ashoka and Founder of a social enterprise ABIRA Agribusiness Support Initiative, Mosunmola has served on several Panels as an inspiration to women in various African countries.
Yasmin Belo-Osagie: Co-Founder, She Leads Africa
Yasmin co-founded She Leads Africa in 2014 with the intent to focus on providing funding and mentoring to empower the next generation of dynamic female entrepreneurs in several countries who are constantly faced with the challenge of accessing capital, as well as proper guidance. Through a well-structured concept, its first competitive event took place in 2014 and proved to be very inspiring to upcoming female entrepreneurs. Ms. Belo-Osagie, along with her business partner, Afua Osei (Ghana) where list by Forbes as one of The 20 Youngest Power Women in Africa 2014.
Adaora Mbelu: CEO, Innovation Factory Limited
Adaora is a young business development and PR guru who took a keen passion for entrepreneurship with the view to create viable business strategies for organizations to adopt. With her company Innovation Factory which she founded in 2011, she has been able to positively affect the business growth of her clients by developing successful branding strategies based on an extensive feasibility studies. Ms. Mbelu has received several recognition for her work, some of which include; Future Awards nomination for Entrepreneur of the Year (Media) 2012, Promising Young African Entrepreneur 2011 by MTV, FAB Magazine Nigeria’s ‘Top 30 Under 30’ 2012 among others.
