What was the original idea behind the AWIEF? And how has its structure evolved?
AWIEF was created in 2015. Initially, the idea was to bring together women entrepreneurs for a conference to highlight inspiring female stories and serve as role models for young people who aspire to be entrepreneurs. We started in Lagos, Nigeria. Given the success of that first edition, we repeated it the following year in South Africa. I realized that these conferences were of interest to many young women who don't normally have the opportunity to meet and interact with female entrepreneurial role models.
AWIEF thus became a platform for bringing women together, providing them with quality content and discussing the issues and challenges involved in starting, developing and sustaining a business. How to be educated? Acquire business skills? That's the first pillar. The second is how to access financial capital to get started. The third pillar is how to scale up your business. How do you assess the market for your product or service? The fourth pillar is to create a network to learn from your peers, to get involved and to motivate yourself? To these four pillars, we must add advocacy for the development of policies in favor of women entrepreneurship. Since 2017, we have become a pan-African organization to provide answers to the challenges we have identified.
What programs has AWIEF set up to promote women's entrepreneurship?
We are currently working with USAID and the African Development Bank (ADB), as well as the European Union, which is funding a program for women in tourism and hospitality, among others. Our partners are diverse and range from institutions such as Nedbank and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) to companies such as Victoria's Secret that are committed to women's issues. Our programs provide ready-to-use funding and support women with the training, mentoring and networks they need. As a result, the Forum has become a place where we bring together the entire entrepreneurial ecosystem. Participants come to find ideas, business opportunities, expand their network and find synergies.
Why did you choose Kigali for this ninth edition?
Firstly, we chose Rwanda because it's an East African country and this region is now a benchmark in terms of dynamism. Secondly, Kigali is a model for women's empowerment, a source of growth and gender equality in leadership and business. Finally, the Rwandan capital has a quality infrastructure to host this type of event. And there are no visa fees.
The theme of this year's event is “Leveraging the Power of the Digital Economy: Innovate, Redefine, Empower.” Why was this theme chosen?
It's about leveraging the digital economy to innovate and rethink business. Digital is a driver of change and a thriving business. This was the case before the COVID-19 crisis, but since then it has become more pervasive. Women entrepreneurs need to take advantage of the opportunities created by digital technology. On the African continent, for example, 70% of agriculture is in the hands of women. So, in rural communities they do subsistence agriculture, but they are not benefiting very much from their labor because most of the benefits are at the higher end of the value chain. By using technology, they can increase their income. The same goes for training, health and education. We want women to be able to take advantage of these opportunities.
What practical solutions can digital technology offer?
Take the issue of payment systems. If you want to do e-commerce on the continent, you need an efficient and functional payment system. Flutterwave, a solution for integrating and dematerializing payment methods created by two Nigerians who are participating in the event, is creating opportunities in this area. These are African solutions for African problems. Fintech is booming in Africa.
One final question: what challenges remain in terms of women's leadership and empowerment?
When we talk about access to finance, there is a divide of over $60 billion between women and men. Things are changing, but it's still not enough. There is also a digital divide that needs to be closed. Women do not have access to the same education and skills as their male counterparts. So, we have to keep pushing for change. I believe it is in Africa's interest. When women are supported and empowered, it affects the whole family and community. And better policies are taken when women are involved.