CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2023 AWIEF AWARDS WINNERS
YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR AWARD WINNER 2023
Salamba Diene, CEO, BIOSENE SARL, Senegal
Salamba Diene, a Sorbonne graduate with a specialisation in economic development and international project management, established Biosene Sarl in 2017 with a mission to contribute to Senegal’s development. Today, Biosene is a frontrunner in the production and transformation of agri-food and cosmetic products.
Salamba’s visionary leadership has enabled Biosene to purchase an impressive 340 metric tons of semi-finished products and raw materials from 6,600 primarily female farmers and processors, and recent partnerships with industry leaders like EDK, Star Oil, Elton, and Pridoux have expanded the availability of Biosene products to over 40 new points-of-sale.
CREATIVE INDUSTRY AWARD WINNER 2023
Yasmina Belahsen, Founder, MayaDigital, Morocco
After starting her career in finance and organisation, Yasmina Belahsen pursued an MBA in digital marketing, which ignited her creative spark and set her on a new path. In 2015, she founded MayaDigital, a digital marketing and communication consulting agency. With a team of 25 talented individuals and over 500 independent collaborators, MayaDigital has led numerous successful collaborations with top brands and institutional organisations helping put these organisations online and elevating their digital presence.
Yasmina also founded the Tech4Good Morocco collective in 2021, with the objective of leveraging digital technologies in the education of isolated populations, specifically women and young girls.
TECH ENTREPRENEUR AWARD WINNER 2023
Kidist Tesfaye, Founder and CEO, YeneHealth, Ethiopia
Kidist Tesfaye is the founder and CEO of YeneHealth, the first femtech startup in Ethiopia. YeneHealth leverages technology and AI to power a period and pregnancy app, e-pharmacy and a telemed app.
On a mission to unlock the digital door for sexual and reproductive healthcare services for African women, YeneHealth’s culturally responsive, digital solution allows women to confidentially and confidently access health information, shop in an e-pharmacy with discreet delivery, and utilise various personalised features in multiple languages and in the local calendar. Kidist leads a dynamic team of 10 professionals and 18 female volunteer doctors who share the same vision of empowering African women for better health outcomes.
AGRI ENTREPRENEUR AWARD WINNER 2023
Nonopa Tenza, Founder and MD, Kevinot Farming, South Africa
Nonopa Tenza has a deep passion for rural economies, women empowerment, business coaching, and farming. She founded Kevinot Farming in 2017, reviving a family farm that was lying fallow and turning it into a fully productive commercial enterprise that has created both permanent and seasonal employment.
Her relentless efforts and innovative approach were recognized in 2022 when she was honoured with the prestigious Inaugural Presidential Award for Rural-Based SMME of the Year for her contribution towards community upliftment, poverty alleviation, women and youth empowerment and encouraging agriculture as a means of food security.
ENERGY ENTREPRENEUR AWARD WINNER 2023
Ifeoma Malo, Co-founder and CEO, Clean Technology Hub, Nigeria
Ifeoma Malo is an energy access expert and a climate action champion. Her organisation, Clean Technology Hub was built to fill the gaps connected to research, training and support for the adoption of Clean Renewable Energy.
Clean Technology Hub has a significant yearly turnover of USD145000 with over 30 core staff and over 1000 volunteers in her network. She has led the organisation to support the development of ideas and solutions that infuse information and communication technology into its operation in relation to clean energy. Some of the successfully incubated and accelerated businesses include OffGrid Nigeria, Beckaphyll and Extractive 360; and with another project “Go Green Schools” currently going through the development pipeline.
SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR AWARD WINNER 2023
Mundih Noelar Njohjam, Medical Doctor, Epilepsy Awareness, Aid & Research Association, Cameroon
In 2020 Dr Mundih Noelar Njohjam started the NPO, Epilepsy Awareness, Aid and Research Foundation (EAARF), which aims to improve the quality of life of people with epilepsy so that they can live better and longer lives and contribute to the development of their communities. EAARF raises awareness about epilepsy, provides treatment and supports people living with epilepsy.
Under her leadership, EAARF has reached over 500 000 persons in Cameroon and other African countries with epilepsy messaging through local and national media outlets, social media, and school/community programs. In April 2021, Dr Mundih championed the creation of the first-ever epilepsy clinic in the crisis-hit North-West region of Cameroon.
EMPOWERMENT AWARD WINNER 2023
Zulfat Makarubega, Founder, University of Tourism, Technology & Business Studies, Rwanda
As the founder of the first hospitality and tourism university in Rwanda, Zulfat Mukarubega has changed the face of the hospitality and tourism industry in the country. Her University of Tourism, Technology and Business Studies provides undergraduate and vocational training programmes in hospitality, travel, tourism management and business information technology.
Zulfat’s dedication to education and hospitality has not only transformed her life, but also provided work opportunities to young people in Rwanda as well as in international markets through an internship program at 5-star hotels in UAE and Qatar. With over 8 000 graduates to date, UTB has grown to two campuses, introducing more programs, with a third campus to open soon.
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNER 2023
Dalia Ibrahim, CEO, Nahdet Misr Publishing House, Egypt
Dalia Ibrahim is the CEO of Nahdet Misr Publishing House, an affiliate of Nahdet Misr Group, MENA’s leading learning conglomerate. Over the course of two decades, Dalia has transformed Nahdet Misr from a traditional publisher into a globally recognised provider of integrated and innovative educational, digital learning, and capacity building solutions.
During her tenure, she co-founded several companies, including Nahdet Misr for Digital Solutions, Nahdet Misr Advertising, Nahdet Misr Periodicals, EdVentures, and Ta’heal for VET Skills. Through a wide spectrum of solutions, Nahdet Misr currently serves around 16 million K-12 students, produces 140 million educational books annually and has created mobile applications used by millions of students, teachers, and parents.
AWIEF LIFETIME LEADERSHIP AWARD WINNER 2023
Fatma Samoura, Secretary General, FIFA
We are honoured to present the inaugural AWIEF Lifetime Leadership Award to Senegal-born Fatma Samoura, the first-ever African, and woman to hold the position of Secretary General at FIFA in its 116-year history.
As head of FIFA’s administration, Fatma Samoura has been instrumental in driving unprecedented growth in women’s football. Under her leadership, a new and fully developed Women’s Football Division has flourished. The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ was the biggest in the competition’s history, and a fitting farewell for Fatma Samoura, who will be concluding her term in December 2023.
Prior to joining FIFA in 2016, Fatma Samoura spent over two decades working for the United Nations in senior roles across the Republics of Djibouti, Cameroon, Chad, Guinea, Niger, Madagascar, and Nigeria.
The AWIEF Lifetime Leadership Award is bestowed in recognition of Fatma Samoura’s outstanding leadership and contributions to the world of sports and is a tribute to her inspiring impact and accomplishment on a global scale.