Khalil Suleiman Halilu (KSH) Foundation in collaboration with the Tomorrow Foundation and EHA Impact Ventures have launched a startup initiative to empower female entrepreneurs and foster economic growth across Africa.
The group launched the initiative during a virtual conference with the theme: “Funding Issues in Female-Led Startups, Challenges and Solutions”, on Wednesday in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the conference is meant to explore challenges faced by female founders in the entrepreneurial landscape.
The new startup, aptly named “Her-Startup,” aims at providing critical resources, training, and support to women-led startups across various sectors.
Mr Khalil Halilu, founder of the KSH Foundation, stressed the significance of empowering women in entrepreneurship.
He said that Her-Startup was a significant step towards alleviating the hurdles faced by women and girls in the domains of innovation and entrepreneurship.
“Women serve as the bedrock of economies. By backing their entrepreneurial endeavours, we are not only investing in their future but in that of our communities and nations as well.
“This initiative signifies our unwavering dedication to cultivating an inclusive and fair entrepreneurial environment in Africa,” Halilu emphasised.
The KSH founder noted that the initiative was poised to make a substantial impact on Africa’s economy, with a Mckinsey’s Report forecasts indicating a potential contribution of $316 billion to the continent’s GDP by 2025.
He added that the initiative was also expected to facilitate job creation, foster economic inclusion, drive innovation and competitiveness, provide social and communal benefits and enhance economic resilience.
Madam Maggie Gu, President of Tomorrow Foundation, echoed the sentiment by stating that Her-Startup was designed to tackle the specific obstacles faced by women entrepreneurs.
According to her, such obstacles include limited access to funding, mentorship, and networking opportunities prevalent in many African nations.
“We firmly believe that the success of women leads to the advancement of their communities and contributes to sustainable economic growth,” Gu said.
Ms Evelyn Castle, the Co-Founder of EHA Impact Ventures, renowned for its commitment to supporting social enterprises, emphasised the organisation’s key role in extending financial aid and investment prospects to female entrepreneurs participating in the initiative.
“Access to capital represents a significant hurdle for numerous women-led startups. Through this partnership, our objective is to eliminate these barriers and establish a conducive environment that fosters innovation and growth for women entrepreneurs,” she said.
NAN reports that interested women entrepreneurs are encouraged to apply for the programme through her-startup.com. (NAN)
