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Two African Women Winners of 2010 UNCTAD Entrepreneurship Award

   Joe DeCapua 29 April 2010

   They  beat all odds and succeeded in business. Now, UNCTAD is honoring
   two  African  businesswomen  for  their  innovation. The award winners
   relied on resilience, hard work and determination.

   The  red  carpet  was  rolled  out and two African women entrepreneurs
   became  proud  winners  of  the United Nations Conference of Trade and
   Development 2010 Empretec Women in Business Award.

   Beating the odds

   Ugandan  Beatrice Bvaruhanga, founder of Lira Integrated School, which
   serves children from nursery to secondary age, won 1^st place.

   āItās  amazing.  Iām  just  too  happy to be connected to the world. I
   believe  in  myself  but I didnāt think I could compete and make it in
   the world,ā she says.

   Botswanan  Joy  Simakane,  founder  of Extramile Express, won the 3^rd
   place  award.  She  provides  customs-cleaning  and messenger-delivery
   services.

   āTo be recognized from a small country is a really big achievement for
   me. Iām really excited to compete with women who have been in business
   for more than 10 years. Iām really excited,ā she says.

   Empretec  is a training program designed to encourage entrepreneurship
   in  developing countries. UNCTAD has 32 Empretec centers in developing
   nations.   They   have  trained  more  than  150,000  aspiring  female
   entrepreneurs since 1988.

   This award didnāt come easy for Bvaruhanga. She says the traditions in
   her  country  made  it more difficult for her as a woman to break into
   the business world.

   āEven  after  having  the vision, my elders didnāt believe that a girl
   like  me  could  get  a  land  and  own  it.  I  had  the challenge of
   inheritance  which  is  common  in  African  countries. And itās worse
   because  women  own  nothing.  I  grew  cassava and when the yield was
   ready,  I  sold  it.  That  was  the  first  revenue I made. From that
   savings,  I  made  wheelbarrows  that  I  would  hire  to  wheelbarrow
   pushers,ā she says.

   And for Simakane, the struggle was similar.

   āI  didnāt  have  funds.  I  was not recognized when I started. But in
   2002,  I went to my government to see if they would assist me and they
   did.  I  didnāt have good vehicles. I used to drive vehicles with open
   doors but I didnāt give up because I had a vision for my company,ā she
   says.

   Believe

   They have a message for aspiring African female entrepreneurs.

   āI  want the women in Africa to believe in themselves. Thatās the most
   important  thing. Have passion for what you do. A lot of women go into
   things  they  donāt  know  they  donāt  love because they want to make
   money. But itās not all about money,ā says Bvaruhanga.

   Simakane adds, āEven if you are not schooled or have a degree, even if
   you  donāt  have  money. As long as you have determination, you can do
   anything in this world.ā

   And whatās next on the horizon for these trail blazers?

   Bvaruhanga says, āIām looking at growing the university. Weāve got the
   nursery,   primary,   secondary,   O-levels  and  A-levels.  With  the
   University coming up, we will be complete.ā

   āIām  busy  opening  branches  internationally,ā  Simakane  says, with
   business  locations  in  Britain,  China,  Argentina,  Zimbabwe, South
   Africa and Namibia.

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