Meet the Top 20 Inspirational Women of the African Diaspora Professional Women in Europe (ADIPWE) list 2022

ADIPWE 2022 top 20 african women from the diaspora

Welcome to the 9th edition of the Top 20 Inspirational Women from the African Diaspora Professional Women in Europe (ADIPWE), a list published to mark International Women’s Day and celebrate the achievements of some of the most inspiring women from Africa both in the Diaspora and on the continent.

These women are being celebrated for their achievements and by putting Africa on the global map.

There is no particular ranking for this list compiled using nominations from the members of the public, internet sources and personal.

Here are the Top 20 Inspirational Women from the African Diaspora Professional Women in Europe (ADIPWE) 2022.

Download the pdf version – 2022 List of the top 20 Inspirational Women from the African Diaspora Professional Women in Europe (ADIPWE)

 

 

The Top 20 Inspirational Women of the African Diaspora Professional Women in Europe (ADIPWE) list 2022

 

 

Amira Cheniour Tunisia-France | Agritech

Amira Cheniour is a software Engineer, co-founder and CEO of Seabex group. Seabex is an Agritech company working in precision irrigation. She is helping African to use what little water is available more efficiently, with the help of machine learning.

She won multiple awards including women in Africa Laureate in 2018 and listed as one of the 12 Female innovators lead the way in Quartz Africa Innovators 2021.

https://seabex.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/amiracheniour/
https://twitter.com/SeabexOnline
https://qz.com/africa/2062305/meet-the-female-entrepreneurs-leading-innovation-in-africa/#19

Beatrice Wambugu, Kenya | Hospitality/Crypto
Beatrice Wambugu is the founder of Betty’s Place restaurant in Nyeri, 150 km from Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. She sells goat meat barbecue, a local delicacy, but she is also a bitcoin early adopter. Beatrice started trading bitcoins for which allowed her to open the restaurant, so she naturally accepts payment in bitcoins and all kind of coins.
When she is not behind the grill serving her customers, she turns into bitcoin trainer to educate them on how to trade crypto. Her story has attracted the BBC coverage as well as Cointelegraph, the leader in Bitcoin, Ethereum & blockchain news.

https://www.facebook.com/beatrice.wambugu.182
https://bit.ly/35DKsh9
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-45889707
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-crypto-currencies-africa-insight-idUSKBN25Z0Q8

Charlette Desire N’Guessan, Cote d’Ivoire-Ghana | Artificial Intelligence
Charlette Desirée N’Guessan is a tech entrepreneur, co-founder of BACE API, a remote identity verification software using AI-powered facial recognition, developed specifically to identify Africans in contrast to global AI systems.
Charlette is the first woman to win the Africa prize of engineering awarded by the Royal Academy of Engineering and has been recognized as one of 80 African women advancing artificial intelligence in Africa and around the world.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlettedesire/
https://www.raeng.org.uk/news/news-releases/2020/september/first-woman-to-win-the-africa-prize

Chika Stacy Oriuwa Nigeria-Canada | Medical
Chika Stacy Oriuwa is a Canadian physician, spoken word artist, and advocate against systemic racism in health care.
She was selected in 2021 for the Barbie Role Models program where she was one of six women working on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic to be immortalized as a Barbie doll.
She was ranked the 37 of the Macclean’s Power List of the 50 Canadians who are forging paths, leading the debate and shaping how we think and live.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/chika-stacy-oriuwa-1077b8137/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chika_Stacy_Oriuwa
https://mobile.twitter.com/drchikaoriuwa

Cynthia E. Gnassingbe-Essonam, Togo | International trade development / Entrepreneurship
Cynthia E. Gnassingbe-Essonam is Senior Advisor Private Sector Engagement for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat.
She is also the president of Super Entrepreneur, the first educational and entertaining reality TV program in Togo that aims to train new entrepreneurs and equip them to succeed their entrepreneurial ventures with the aim to serve their community.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthia-e-gnassingbe-essonam-03a717103/
https://superentrepreneur.tg/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/lsetogo/

Diara Ndiaye, Senegal/France |Media
Diara Ndiaye is a radio and television journalist at RFI – Radio France Internationale, Magazine: Alors, on dit quoi! It is a platform for young African to discuss culture, career, future, as well as their ambitions and struggles. She is also a moderator and facilitator at prestigious events.
Passionate by Africa Diara is also involved in the humanitarian field and has created the association “L’abcd pour tous”, to facilitate access to education and cultural exchange.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/diara-ndiaye-b8163788/
https://www.instagram.com/p/CWK10OeIdMb/
https://www.instagram.com/diarandiaye5/

Hayat Saidi, Morrocco | Arts
Hayat SAIDI is the ambassador of contemporary Moroccan art professional artist. Her works have been the subject of several international exhibitions and she has received multiple awards during her career that spans over 30 years.
Hayat is also the founder of the Women’s Art World, where women from different backgrounds meet to share common values such as openness, generosity, friendship, and peace in the world and promotes exchange and intercultural dialogue around art.

www.Saidihayat.com
https://www.facebook.com/artistehayatsaidi/

Elizabeth Nyamayaro, Zambia | International development
Elizabeth Nyamayaro is Special Advisor at World Food Programme and the author of ‘I Am a Girl from Africa which was featured in the Virgin Unite Literati Book Club; she was interviewed by sir Richard Branson, the boss of Virgin Group.
In her book she shares her life journey from nearly starving as a child in Zimbabwe, through to working on the forefront of global development inspiring millions across African continent and the globe.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-nyamayaro-06936166/
https://elizabethnyamayaro.com/
https://twitter.com/enyamayaro

Mame Khary Diène, Senegal | Cosmetics
Mame Khary Diène is the founder of “Bioessence”, a company that creates cosmetic products made from shea butter. She employs more than 6,000 women in Senegal and is the winner of the United Nations IFAD award.

https://www.bbc.com/afrique/region-47736163
https://twitter.com/mamekharydiene1
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1630037837061119

Miishe Addy, Ghana-USA | Logistics & Supply chain
Miishe Addy is the co-founder, CEO at Jetstream Africa, a technology-enabled logistics company focusing on cross-border trade. After she moved to Ghana, she saw first-hand the potential for technology to transform key bottlenecks in cross-border supply chains and decided to solve this problem.
Jetstream tripled its revenues and customer base during the Covid pandemic as the digitization trends accelerated and increased adoption of the mobile technology by previously reluctant logistics vendors. Miishe was on the Forbes Woman Africa New Wealth Creators list in 2019.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/miishe/
https://jetstreamafrica.com/

Mylene Flicka, Benin-France |Tech platform
Mylene Flicka is the founder of Irawo, a professional network that helps creators monetize their skills. She started by sharing inspiring stories with the desire to help young Africans on the continent to feel valued and recognised for their talents.
Irawo has now reached millions of people across the world and helped them to make money. In 2021, the company was selected by Village Capital as one of the 23 African Startups For Its Future Of Work Africa 2021 Cohort.

https://irawotalents.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/myleneflicka/
https://www.instagram.com/irawotalents/

Nelisiwe Masango, South Africa | Fintech
Nelisiwe Masango has been voted one of the Top 50 Black African Women Entrepreneurs to Watch by Entrepreneur Magazine. She is an award-winning serial entrepreneur, financial analyst (financial markets expert) and the Founder and CEO of Ubuntu Invest.
Her goal is to give every member of the community a chance to regain their financial confidence by providing them with the relevant tools and resources to capitalise on financial markets. Her goal is to create over 1000 millionaires by 2030.

http://nelisiwemasango.com/
https://twitter.com/BRI_Nelisiwe
https://www.facebook.com/nelisiweBRImasango
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/328038

Korrine Sky, Zimbabwe / Ukraine-UK | Medical
Korrine Sky is a medical student turned reporter on Twitter whilst fleeing the Ukraine-Russia conflict. She exposed the plight of African students stuck at the borders with Ukraine and the racism they experienced on their way out. She also helped organised donations to help Afro- Caribbeans fleeing Ukraine with the help of Tokunbo Koiki & Patricia Daley. 

https://twitter.com/korrinesky
https://bit.ly/3KsKWpf

Reine Mbang Essobmadje, Cameroon-France | Digital Transformation
Reine Mbang Essobmadje is the founder of Evolving Consulting in Cameroon and France, a consultancy firm specialized in digital transformation in Europe and Africa.
She is the President of Digital Economy Committee and the first female appointed 1st Vice-President of Cameroonian Business Council named GICAM and has been recognized as a “Women Inspiring Women” EPIC Award from IE Business School.
She also launched #eWoMenTor, the online mentoring initiative implemented by the NGO Digital Coalition to increase the representativeness of women in all economic sectors and to create the next generation of African female leaders.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/reine-essobmadje/
http://www.evolvingconsulting.com

Reine Ntone Johansen, Cameroon-USA | Aerospace Engineering
Reine Ntone Johansen is the first Cameroonian to help launch a NASA satellite into space. She is Systems Engineer for the Millennium Engineering and Integration at NASA Ames Research Center.
Reine is multitalented and dreams big and is dedicated to make a difference in her field, share her story with young kids and young women in Cameroon to pursue their life dreams and wants to play a key role in education in Africa.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rdntone/
http://www.captainstem.com/reine-ntone-johansen.html
https://www.crtv.cm/2020/07/meet-reine-dominique-ntone-cameroonian-lady-at-nasa/

Saran Kaba Jones, Liberia-USA | Not for profit
Founder and Executive Director at FACE Africa, a community development organization working to strengthen water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure and services in rural communities across sub-Saharan Africa.
The organization has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to build over 50 WASH projects and reached 25,000 people in rural Liberia. In 2012, she received the Longines/ Town&Country “Women Who Make A Difference’ Award for her work with FACE Africa.

http://www.faceafrica.org/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarankjones/

Tomilola Majekodunm, Nigeria | Fintech
Tomilola Majekodunmi is the Co-Founder/CEO at Bankly, is an online savings platform that digitizes customer savings into a secure, convenient and decentralized mobile wallet.
Through her innovative contribution to the African financial technology sector, Tomilola is eliminating fraud, decentralizing funds, enabling transparency and inclusion in the financial space.

https://bankly.ng/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomilola-majekodunmi/

Yaliwe Soko, South Africa | Blockchain
Yaliwe Soko is the chairwoman of United Africa Blockchain Association. The organisation’s goal is to unify the African blockchain ecosystem through education and empowerment. She talks about how cryptocurrency and blockchain technology are presenting more opportunities for women in Africa. She believes that crypto is a great equaliser for African women.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/yaliwe-soko-essence/
https://twitter.com/sokoyaliwe
https://www.instagram.com/sarankjones/
https://www.instagram.com/face.africa/
https://twitter.com/faceafrica

Yetunde Ayo-Oyalowo, Nigeria | Medical
Yetunde Ayo-Oyalowo, founder of Market Doctors which provides affordable basic medical services to Nigeria’s underserved population.
Market Doctors has enabled anyone who visits the market to add healthcare to their shopping list, making healthcare accessible and improving the health of many thousands of Nigerians.
She is a finalist 2021 of the Cartier Women’s initiative

https://marketdoctors.com.ng/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/yetunde-ayo-oyalowo/
https://www.instagram.com/dryetiee/

Yodit Eklund, Ethiopia /Senegal | Sportwear
Yodit Eklund has created Africa’s first global surf brand with Bantu Wax. She mixed savvy street fashion with her passion for ocean. It was important for Yodit that her brand is made in Africa and available to buy in Africa. swimwear and surf products
She opened her shops in Senegal, Morocco and South Africa

https://bantuwax.com/
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-africa-35351998
https://www.vogue.com/article/bantu-wax-store-opening

 

 

About ADIPWE

African Diaspora Professional Women in Europe (ADIPWE) is an online forum that aims to:

  • Celebrate the success of African Women in Europe (and in the global world including in Africa).
  • Give visibility to women who have achieved success in their own way but may still be unknown by the wider public.
  • Inspire the new generation of African Women and share ideas to make a difference (no matter how big or small it is).
  • Contribute to Africa rebranding and development by identifying opportunities to transfer the vast amount of knowledge gained outside the continent.

This forum is open to women of the African Diaspora and to anyone who has a passion for Africa development.

Join ADIPWE LinkedIn group with 400+ members to participate in the conversation.

 

About the Editor:

https://www.francinebeleyi.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Francine-Beleyi-editor-ADIPWE.jpg

Francine Beleyi is the Editor and Founder of African Diaspora Professional Women in Europe (ADIPWE), a list started in 2011 to feature the achievements of African women in their host countries and on the continent.

Francine is an award-winning digital & change strategist, business advisor, specialist in corporate and personal branding. She helps entrepreneurs, business professionals and organisations to develop influential personal branding to achieve their goals and make a bigger impact.

She is the founder of nucleus of change, international speaker and award-winning author of the book ‘Personal branding in the digital age: How to become a known expert, thrive and make a difference in the connected world’. She hosts the podcast Meaningful Work, Meaningful Life available on iTunes, Spotify and Stitcher.

 

Follow Francine

 

Credits

  • voanews.com
  • itv.com
  • fintech.tv
  • entrepreneur.com
  • bbc.com
  • cartierwomensinitiative.com
  • lionessesofafrica.com
  • raeng.org.uk
  • captainstem.com
  • crtv.cm
  • moroccoworldnews
  • face2faceafrica
  • africanshapers.com
  • forbesafrica.com
  • edition.cnn.com
  • qz.com/africa
  • Linkedin
  • Twitter
  • Facebook