Women in Business Award: Women That Are Changing The World

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IntelligentHQ
Women in Business Award: The Women that are Changing the World

The finalists of the sixth Empretec Women in Business Awards have been announced by UNCTAD. This Conference on Trade and Development, hosted and promoted by the United Nations itself, try to recognise the extraordinary work of some of the most important women across many economic sectors.

Among the nominees, there is Barbara Ofwono Buyondo, who started a kindergarten oriented project through primary school in her home country, Uganda or Leah Diana Mitaba, which from Zambia has started a cooperative pursuing an organic and fairer production of vegetables and fruits.

What leverage the importance of such awards is also their effort towards innovative companies. Ana de León, in Uruguay, taken as a example, has been nominated for its work onRuta 10 Upcycling, which focuses on bicycling equipment made entirely from recycling materials. Also outstanding is what Lama Sha’sha’a is trying in Jordan. There, she has started a International Robotics Academy, set towards educate children ranged 6–16-year-olds in robotics and science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The awards celebrate exceptional businesswomen who have benefited from UNCTAD’s global entrepreneurship training network, Empretec, and become role models for their outstanding achievements in running micro and small businesses. Their effort become even bigger as many of them make their way through in countries where conditions aren’t the most favourable ones.

The winners will be announced on October 25 at the World Investment Forum, taking place at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, 22–26 October 2018.

Tran Thi Viet, Viet Tranf Handicraft from Vietnam was recognised with the award back in 2016

According to the NU, more than 50 nominations were submitted by Empretec centers from 19 countries. The 10 finalists were selected by a panel of experts based on the innovation, leadership and impact on their communities the nominees demonstrated.

Since its launch in 1988, the Empretec programme has trained and motivated more than 400,000 entrepreneurs in more than 40 countries.

The 2018 finalists (in alphabetical order, by country) are:

  • Rosana Marques (Brazil): Ouseuse, swimwear and lingerie
  • Rocio Castro Fernandez (Ecuador): Momoa, clothes for breastfeeding mothers
  • Ndey Fatou Njie (The Gambia): TiGA, swimwear products
  • Chandra Vadhana (India): Skill development, training, assessments and human resources consulting
  • Lama Sha’sha’a (Jordan): International Robotics Academy, education for 6–16-year-olds in robotics and science, technology, engineering and mathematics
  • Uneiza Ali lssufo (Mozambique): ConsMoz Lda – Building Mozambique Limited, construction
  • Barbara Ofwono Buyondo (Uganda):Victorious Education Services, kindergarten through primary school education
  • Ana de León (Uruguay): Ruta 10 Upcycling, up-cycling design company (bags, accessories from recycled materials)
  • Rina Arráez (Venezuela): Inversiones Alces 1012 C.A., handmade accessories from recycled materials
  • Leah Diana Mitaba (Zambia): Butterfly Initiatives, cooperative for the production of vegetables and fruits

Thanks to the sponsors of the awards, the winner and two runners-up will win the chance to attend an executive course in digital marketing by IMD Lausanne, mentoring by the MBA Business School in Grenoble, France, and a watch by Delance of Switzerland among other gifts.

In previous years, winners of the Empretec Women in Business award include the likes of Tran Thi Viet, Viet Tranf Handicraft, Vietnam in 2016; Lina Jalil Khalifeh, SheFighter, Jordan, in 2014; for the 2012 award was Melissa de Leon, Panama Gourmet, Panama or Beatrice Ayuru Byaruhanga, Lira Integrated School, Uganda who got the award in 2010.

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