African Women Amplified (AWA) is preparing for its regional launch. AWA is a one-stop-shop for West African women entrepreneurs consisting of the following features:

• customized learning modules for business development

• a due-diligence backend support system to help entrepreneurs manage the structure of their businesses for investor readiness

• access to a community of women entrepreneurs

• access to funding options to support the growth of their business

The online platform extends into a mobile application and continues its community through social media, which serves as the linchpin connecting West African women entrepreneurs and their women-led businesses to the larger entrepreneur ecosystem of stakeholders, including investors, partners, advisors and resource personnel.

The AWA digital platform is a repository of tailored-made resources for women entrepreneurs and stakeholders with a keen interest and/or track record in advancing women’s entrepreneurship in West Africa.

The AWA Community aims to provide an inclusive and supportive community for ambitious women entrepreneurs in West Africa leading early- to medium-stage businesses. While digitally powered, the AWA Community will extend beyond the digital sphere into real-life networking, collaboration and support between AWA Community members.

On December 10th 2022, the AWA launch event is scheduled to take place in Accra, Ghana and will serve as the formal launch to all sixteen (16) West African countries, bringing together all AWA community members and stakeholders to exchange ideas, insights, lessons, and experiences. It will also be an opportunity to collate and present policy interventions on advancing women’s entrepreneurship in West Africa to relevant internal and external stakeholders influencing the ecosystem.

“A diverse and inclusive business community in West Africa means comprehensive representation for women entrepreneurs through the use of technology and artificial intelligence,” said Jewel Thompson, AWA’s Project Lead.

“At AWA, we have focused our efforts on ensuring that entrepreneurial equity is a top priority for investors seeking to tap into the West African market. We are thrilled to be a part of the rising force of women entrepreneurs shaping West Africa’s business market and we look forward to prioritizing diverse perspectives from all backgrounds to ensure we are playing our part in levelling the playing field for women entrepreneurs.”

African Women Amplified (AWA) is one of 11 projects awarded the Action Lab Output Grant through the Aspen Network of Entrepreneurs (ANDE) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Utilizing an inclusive participatory design approach, ANDE partnered with the MIT D-Lab to co-design a Gender Equality Action Lab to ideate and prototype solutions to systemic gender inequalities in the SGB sector, to which the AWA concept was developed.