2018 AWIEF AWARD WINNERS

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2018 AWIEF AWARD WINNERS

YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR AWARD

Nomso Faith Kana

FOUNDER

South Africa

Miss Nomso Kanaisa Nuclear is a scientist by trade and working as an entrepreneur in the
ICT and broadband infrastructure sector. She founded a broadband infrastructure services
company that will erupt a passive fibre optic products plant and build connectivity networks
that will enable 5G,internet of things and artificial inteligence to thrive in the SADC.

TECH ENTREPRENEUR AWARD

Beth Koigi

CO-FOUNDER

Kenya

SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR AWARD

Lorna Rutto

FOUNDER

Kenya

Lorna Rutto is a multi-passionate social entrepreneur with a vision to have a Green Africa free from poverty. She is a world economic forum young global leader and the Founder and CEO of EcoPost, a Social Enterprise that has created thousands of sustainable jobs for people in the marginalised communities while conserving the environment.
Lorna has been a recipient of various local and international awards for providing exceptional and exemplary community service through her social enterprise.
Lorna was featured on the elite Forbes List among the 20 Youngest Power Women in Africa and nominated among the Africa’s top women achievers.

GLOBAL BRAND AWARD

Bethlehem Tilahun-Alemu

FOUNDER

Ethiopia

What is soleRebels? GREAT question : we like to say that soleRebels is handcrafted LOVE
for your feet and LOVE is how we got started . We wanted to find a way to share our LOVE
for the amazing artisan heritages of Ethiopia with the world!

AGRI ENTREPRENEUR AWARD

Jane Maigua

MANAGING DIRECTOR
Kenya

Jane Maigua is the Managing Director of Exotic EPZ Ltd, a nuts & oils processing company based in Nairobi. Passionate to create jobs and incomes for others, Jane ventured into agri-processing with two female partners and have since 2017 worked with small holder farmers to build a sustainable enterprise, employing 100 people.

EMPOWERMENT AWARD

Kate Ekanem

FOUNDER/CEO
Nigeria

Kate Ekanem is an Entrepreneur, a Writer and a Girl’s Right Activist. She’s the first Nigerian competitively chosen out of 3000 girls across Africa to represent the African Union at the global Girl20 summit. She is an Internet Society 25 Under25 Award winner, and a Royal Commonwealth Society Associate Fellow.

CREATIVE INDUSTRY AWARD

Nana Akua Oppong-Birmeh

CEO/PRINCIPAL ARCHITECT
Ghana

Nana Akua Birmeh wears many hats: Wife, Mother, Artist, Architect and the CEO of Archxenus, an Architectural design company based in Accra. Nana Akua leads a Team of creative professionals to design highly functional
buildings that visually engage and emotionally stimulate; Distinct, expressive and unapologetically bold.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Wendy Luhabe

SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR
South Africa

Wendy has been a pioneer in Social Entrepreneurship over the past 25 years and has been involved in Human Capital Development, the Economic Empowerment of Women and Mentorship of younger generations. She pioneered the founding of WIPHOLD, WPEF and more recently,WINDE(www.winde Africa).Wendy is passionate about Education,Leadership,Economic Justice and Mentorship. She has served as a Non Executive Director/Chairman of diverse industries since 1992, more than 25 years. She is a recipient of 4 Honorary Doctorates for her contribution to the empowerment of Women in various sectors of the economy. Ms Luhabe was the founding Chancellor of the University of Johannesburg and a recipient of many distinguished Awards. She is married and has 3 grandchildren.