Three accomplished women have agreed that there are no limits barring African women entrepreneurs from impacting their societies.
This agreement was voiced at a panel discussion on ‘Impact focus entrepreneurship for women‘s economic empowerment’ at the Young African Women Congress 2019. The event was held at Bank of Ghana’s auditorium at the University of Ghana, Legon, on Thursday.
According to the women the characteristics of an entrepreneur has nothing to do with gender. As such, if a woman thinks of a venture as worthwhile to pursue, the only limit is, the belief of the woman in her venture.
‘Entrepreneurship has everything to do with character, ideas, your affinity to risk and what your passion is and none of those things is affected by your gender. So if there is a venture that a person is interested in, that can have an impact on society there is absolutely no reason to limit it to, Oh I am a woman and therefore I can’t do it,’ Reverend Akua Buabema Ofori-Boateng said.
Mrs. Melissa an American feminist, indicated that even though women have constantly been told what they can or cannot ‘achieve’, as entrepreneurs, the onus is on them to confidently embark on ventures they believe in.
She added that ‘The woman must go for herself.’ And ‘must have confidence in [her] ability’ to know that anything she does as an entrepreneur has nothing to do with the constraints imposed on her by the society.
The Executive Director, National Board for Small Scale Industries Kosi Yankey also said that, a lot of people believe women are ‘nurturers’. This trait according to her enable women to do ‘very well in the impact space.’
Again, Kosi urged the delegates to look beyond impact based on non-profit organizations. But to realize the power they have to create businesses that can employ many people to reduce unemployment in Africa.
The Young African Women Congress 2019 is an annual Pan- African event organized by the Gender-Desk of the Excellent Leadership Group, (ExLA Group).
By: Kofi Boateng
Joe Bright Nyarko
Journalist/Communication Researcher. Environment & Sustainability Advocate. Managing Editor of aptnewsghana.com, a non-profit news portal with bias towards environment and sustainability issues, rural development policies and gender & inequality.
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