Young Africans are smart people who’ve taken it upon themselves to use their various talents and fields of expertise to make the continent a better place.

Foremag will be looking at 10 African women under 40 making it in the continent.

  • Aarti Takoordeen

 

Aarti Takoordeen is the CFO and Executive Director of Africa’s leading stock exchange, Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). Takoordeen is a Chartered Accountant who, at the time of her appointment, was the youngest CFO of a firm listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. Her excellence in leadership and professional acumen has raised her profile as a highly successful young corporate executive. In 2014, she was named Young CFO of the Year after winning the prestigious CFO South Africa Award.

She is always excited about continuously making a positive impact in Africa’s business and finance sector thus making her among the top 10 African women under 40.

  • Zanele Diniso

 

Zanele Diniso a south African entrepreneur, CEO of Periwinkle Home Executive and Co-founder of Ndingumntwana Adopt a Learning Child Programme that is tasked with empowering the less fortunate. In addition, Diniso is a mentor and public speaker from Port Elizabeth in South Africa. Her company, Periwinkle Home Executive, identifies poor women from rural backgrounds and offers them training to work as home executives.

She was among the few entrepreneurs to be trained on Entrepreneurship by the United Nations.

Diniso is a perfect example of a young entrepreneur who has played a critical role in helping the less fortunate in society.

  • Chido Govera

Chido Govera CEO of The Future of Hope Foundation,a successful Zimbabwean farmer, campaigner, and educator who has changed the lives of millions of Africans through mushroom farming. She has successfully trained 1,000 people on mushroom farming in Zimbabwe, South Africa, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, and Cameroon.

Her efforts have also benefitted communities beyond Africa, such as India, Australia Aboriginals, Europe, and the United States.

  • Lois Auta

 

Lois Auta the Founder and Executive Director of Cedar Seed Foundation Nigeria, a non-profit organization formed to highlight the issues of disabled persons in Nigeria, especially women, girls, and children.  Auta is a sports athlete and the President of FCT Disabled Sports Club in Abuja, and Founder of Women on Wheels Multipurpose Cooperative Society, among other key positions that she holds.

She has been widely praised for her role in positively impacting the disabled community.  she has also received numerous awards, including in 2014 when she was honored with the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders award, an initiative by Former US President, Barack Obama.

5- Jamilla Abass

 

Jamilla Abass a Kenyan born, has been credited for her role in helping small Kenyan farmers to harness technology. At the age of 26, Abass started her social enterprise, M-Farm, which assists small farmers in accessing vital information about markets for their products. Through her work, she has assisted over 100,000 farmers in collectively accessing the market and having better product bargaining power.

Using their mobile phones, farmers can simply make enquires via SMS and get access to real-time price information relevant to their specific areas of residence. The ability of farmers to leverage on mobile technology has greatly transformed how farmers do business, enabling them to earn money and reduce poverty.

6- Faten Kallel

 

Faten Kallel is a young Tunisian politician who is currently serving as the Secretary of State, Ministry of Youths and Sports. As a young woman, her success in Tunisian politics is a great inspiration for young African women who wish to venture into politics. Kallel, who is a member of Afek Tounes Political Party, is a management consultant by profession, having worked for numerous consulting firms before joining the government.

In 2017, she was named among the Young Global Leaders at the World Economic Forum. Her role in the organization and administrative reforms have earned her the position of a young vibrant leader who is shaping African politics.

7- Phyllis Wakiaga

 

 

Phyllis Wakiaga is a Kenyan corporate executive who is currently the CEO of the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM). She has also been the Kenyan representative for the UN Global Compact since 2015. Kenya Association of Manufacturers is an organization that represents manufacturers, and its main aim is to advocate for a good business environment where local industries can effectively operate.

Her desire to see positive changes in the corporate industry has earned her respect as she goes above the call of duty to ensure she meets her objectives.

8- Thato Kgatlhanye

 

Thato Kgatlhanye CEO Rethaka Trading, South African social entrepreneur. Her company focuses on green innovative solutions, and she is the brains behind Repurpose Schoolbags. These bags have made life easier for children living in rural areas in South Africa that don’t have electricity.

The Repurpose Schoolbags uses 100% recycled and environmentally friendly bags that integrate solar technology, enabling the bag to charge during the day and be used to provide light to kids to allow them to study and do their homework at night.  These bags have changed the lives of school children who, now, have an equal opportunity to study just like urban children.

9- Allegro Dinkwanyane

 

Allegro Dinkwanyane, one of South Africa’s most successful young media and public relations moguls. She is the founder of Orgella Media, a fully black-owned public relations firm that she started in 2011 when she was only 21 years old. Today, her company represents popular names in South Africa’s entertainment industry such as Donald Moatshe, Siya Mdlalose, and Paledi Segapo.

Orgella Media also has corporate clients such as Africa Fashion Week Nigeria and Avon South Africa, among others.  Allegro’s company has expanded its portfolio and how deals with brand management, especially social media and public relations campaigns.

10- Naisula Lesuuda

 

 

Naisula Lesuuda is a Kenyan politician and a current Member of Parliament of Samburu West. Lesuuda is a journalist by profession and became popular when she was a News Anchor on Kenya’s state broadcaster, KBC. Coming from a marginalized region in Northern Kenya, she later resigned from her job to form the Naisula Lesuuda Peace Foundation, which promotes girl child education and campaigns against child marriage and female genital mutilation.

She is also the founding member of Laikipia Peace Caravan and has played a key role in empowering the local community. In 2013, Lesuuda was nominated a senator, becoming the youngest at the time in the Kenyan Senate. She’s also the youngest Kenyan woman to win the prestigious Presidential Order of the Grand Warrior Award.