Flourish Africa, a non-governmental, female empowerment organisation founded by Africa’s leading businesswoman and philanthropist, Apostle Folorunso Alakija, has completed training for its second batch of 501 female entrepreneurs and beneficiaries in the Flourish Africa Business and Life Skills Training Program.
Out of 501 trainees, 100 of them received seed grants of up to N2 million each for their businesses, having emerged successful from a business pitch competition.
Speaking at the ceremony held in Lagos recently, Apostle Folorunso Alakija, the founder of Flourish Africa, congratulated the second batch of entrepreneurs on successfully completing the 4-month training program. She advised the beneficiaries to utilise the knowledge and skills acquired from the training, and those who receive the grants to not only make a difference in their spheres of influence but also contribute to the growth of the Nigerian economy.
She expressed great delight at the indelible impact Flourish Africa has made on thousands of women, which is evident in the way their businesses have grown to become established and beneficial to their communities. “We are extremely happy to report that Flourish Africa is gradually becoming a household name in Nigeria for the empowerment of women in all facets of life. Today, we are gathered to celebrate the success of the 2nd cohort of 501 female entrepreneurs who have completed a 4-month Business and Life Skills training program,” she said.
Expressing appreciation to all the partners for their support thus far, she called on other public-spirited individuals and organisations to lend their support to this noble cause through funding, training, mentorship, and advisory services, saying that such gestures would go a long way to assist in scaling up its activities not only in Nigeria but in Africa and beyond.
In her remarks, the keynote speaker at the event, Ms. Em Ekong, the West Africa Regional Director, Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs, who spoke on the topic: “Boosting African Economies through Female Entrepreneurship,” commended the founder for the great initiative as well as her invaluable role in providing access to the much-needed business skills and funding required for female entrepreneurs to propel their businesses.
While addressing the graduating entrepreneurs, Ms. Ekong stressed the need for them to take full advantage of the opportunities that the Flourish Africa network has provided by ensuring that they deploy the knowledge gained for the greater good.
Also speaking at the event, Dr. Kings Jack, the Regional Director, Bank of Industry, Nigeria, who was represented by Adebola Oruma, the Group Head, Gender Business Group, Large Enterprises Directorate, noted that the agency has multiple platforms for women to get the right support, including access to funding. Jack stated that the agency is passionately committed to industrialising Nigeria by lending support to structured businesses in the areas of advocacy, business advisory services, and access to finance.
One of the beneficiaries who spoke on behalf of the 501 female entrepreneurs, Kikelomo Fola-Ogunniya, expressed profound appreciation to Flourish Africa for providing a platform for women to gain valuable insights into the intricacies surrounding running a successful business. She stated that they have now been empowered to contribute meaningfully to the economic advancement of the nation, even as they impact the lives of other women.
The Business and Life Skills Training program, which lasted for 4 months and targeted at female-owned Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) is focused on raising the next generation of economically empowered women on the continent. Starting with Nigeria, the vision is to empower the entrepreneurial activities of at least 2,500 female business owners through funding and structured training over five years and to provide them with the skills needed to manage successful and financially viable businesses.
During the intensive training program, 501 selected female entrepreneurs were exposed to world-class training and business mentoring from industry experts on various modules ranging from business strategy, finance strategy, legal and regulatory requirements, marketing strategy, Human Resources Management amongst others.
In addition to the seed grant awarded to the 100 finalists, the graduates were also inducted into the prestigious Flourish Africa Alumnae Association, which has been positioned to become a knowledge and expertise powerhouse for African female-owned businesses.
