AfricaX Podcast

In this episode meet Chukwuemeka Ndukwe, co-founder of Cofundie, a real estate platform operating in Ghana and Nigeria. When we interviewed Emeka back in 2019 they were just about to fund their first project and deliver their proof of concept for crowdfunding real estate projects implemented with alternative materials such as rammed earth. In the interview Emeka shares: Why traditional real estate investors in West Africa aren't meeting the housing need and why he moved back in with his parents after collegeHow he combined becoming an entrepreneur and formal skill acquisition and how that has helped his companyAnd why before launching Cofundie he interviewed and talked with about a thousand people about what they wanted to do We also talked about what his advice for young Nigerians is and why helping others to generate more income was a key takeaway he had learned that helped him to build Cofundie. Of course, since our interview Cofundie has come a long way and expanded its services from crowdfunding property deals to managing units across marketplaces such as Airbnb, Booking.com and Expedia as well as property management services. There is a lot of gold in this interview from the beginning times of Cofundie and I hope you enjoy this interview as much as we did. And now, without further ado, enter Emeka.

In this episode, meet  Nosa Oyegun and Folayemi Agusto, the Co- Founders of EatDrinkLagos, a food website that allows residents and visitors in Lagos to find places to eat and drink, and find information about Nigerian food, including restaurant reviews and articles. Eat Drink Lagos also organizes food festivals  in Lagos and Abuja that promote culinary talents such as mixologists, bartenders, professional and hobby chefs and they created an event ticketing system called tix.africa that is specifically tailored for small businesses after they noticed how cumbersome it was to sell tickets for their events. In the interview Nosa and Folly share: How they transitioned from 9 to 5 into running their own businessHow the business has evolved from a simple media website, to an event business and then an event tech companyAnd what challenges they faced on their journey.   They also talk about the strategies that they used to  finance their venture and what their advice for young Nigerians is.  There is a lot of gold in this interview and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did. 

In this episode, meet Chima Ezeokoye, co-founder at WeMove Technologies, a Tech Startup Building Solutions for Mobility and Transportation in Nigeria, including the possibility to hire agricultural equipment, cars, busses, trucks etc. In the interview Chima shares... What his personal learning journey was from his first beginnings in business to becoming co-founder of the startup.How the idea for WeMove Technologies was piloted by his co-founder after a friend requested transport from him to move family to another state for a weddingWhat challenges the business faced and overcame And what his advice to young Nigerians is. He also shares why he describes himself as the guy that goes around, shakes peoples hands and smiles and how pricing happens on the WeMove platform. There is a lot of gold in this interview and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did. And now without further ado, enter Chima Ezeokoye.

In this episode meet Zamaswazi Mfusi the founder of IndiLang, a platform for delivering indigenous content tailored to African children. In the interview we did with Zamaswazi Mfusi, she shares: what inspired her to create content for children on the African continentwhat challenges she faced in launching her projectand what her advice to young South Africans is She also shares how she tapped into her network for support and enlisted the help of the talent within her community to get momentum. We hope you enjoy this interview and now, without further ado, enter Zamaswazi Mfusi. 

In this episode, meet Bjorn Wiedow, the co-founder of ROBOT School Namibia. So at the ROBOT school Namibia the from about eight year olds are being taught the the curriculum from university in software, coding, design, robotics and digital fabrication. In the interview Bjorn shares: - How the Robotschool business model works and how they came up with the idea - How they launched the business - And why he would prioritize practical experience of a university degree He also shares how they marketed the idea differently to parents and teachers vs. the kids and what his advice for young Namibians is. There is a lot of good stuff in this interview and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did. And now, without further ado, enter Bjorn Wiedow.

In this episode, meet Sizwe Cele, the co-founder of Khomba, a startup tackling the optimization of transportation with mini busses in South Africa. More than anything Sizwe seems to love to build products and solutions for all sorts of problems he comes across. In his early twenties, he built a product to lend out heavy machinery that sits idle. He built an app for schools. And a host of other things. Even though he was excited about these products, getting someone to pay for them or use them often proved a challenge. So for some time he dedicated himself to building a digital agency before going back to building tech solutions. In the interview Sizwe shares: Why in his mid twenties, he downgraded, moved back in with his parents and refused to do anything except things he was passionate aboutHow him and his co-founder started working on Khomba and developed a deep understanding of the complexities of the mini bus transportation market in South AfricaHow to attract amazing talent to your startup or project ...and what his advice for young South Africans is. He also shares about how he gets to work and connect with anyone he wants to work with and how he manages his time, working on several projects in parallel. We hope you enjoy this interview as much as we did. And now, without further ado, enter Sizwe Cele.

In this episode, meet Selly Wane, the founder of SWANE-Design, an upcycling business transforming trash into furniture and creating an ecological and social impact in the process. As a child Selly had always been fascinated by people who were transforming trash into something useful. And being interested in sustainability but also design, it comes as no surprise that her interests eventually led her to start a business that would combine these two passions. In the interview Selly shares: How she kicked off her upcycling business in a time when the term wasn't even known to people.How she overcame her fear of failure and dealt with the pressure after she had taken out a loan to ship her first container full of upcycled productsHow she worked with distributors to clear her stock and why she eventually set up her own cafe and show room and what her advise for young people in Senegal is. She also shares why in crucial moments she didn't take 'no' for an answer and the reasoning behind yet another venture of hers: An incubator for civil society initiatives. Today Selly spends a lot of time between Germany and Senegal building bridges and connecting creators, entrepreneurs and artists. There is so much gold in this interview and I hope you enjoy hearing from Selly as much as I did. And now, without further ado, enter Selly Wane. 

In this episode, meet Kaveto Tjatjara, the Founder of Worldview Technology. With 54% of Namibians living without access to adequate sanitation, Worldview Technology is on a mission to provide sanitation for all, especially for the urban poor population by use of ecological, sustainable sanitation solutions. In the interview Kaveto shares; 1. His experience with lack of sanitation while visiting across Namibia and how the lack of toilets kept him from enjoying a feast when visiting his ancestral home 2. The strategy he used to validate that indeed there was a sanitation problem and that he had a solution that could work 3. And how he transitioned from an accounting and economist career to a social entrepreneur Kaveto also talks about how he financed his business, business challenges he faced and how even as a child, his entrepreneurial savvy helped him get through school. There is a lot of gold in this interview. And while it was recorded back in 2019, the learnings are as relevant as ever. We hope you enjoy this interview as much as we did and now, without further ado, enter Kaveto.

In this episode, meet Melkisedek Melkies Ausiku, founder of LEFA Transportation Services, an urban mobility startup connecting passengers on the one hand with drivers on the other, to make moving around Windhoek and Namibia more convenient and safe. In the interview Melkies shares about his first experience using Uber in South Africa and how the idea of bringing a similar service to Namibia stuck with him. However, it was not until he lost his job as an electrical engineer that he really made the leap and turned the idea for LEFA into reality. In the interview Melkies shares: How a partnership with Namibian Breweries provided the perfect launch pad for LEFA and gave the fledging business initial tractionHow he got drivers to not only join but also stay active on the app, even while initially there were only few passengersAnd how he managed to set up LEFA without reinventing the Wheel He also shares how cultural conditioning can be a challenge when launching a business and what his advice to young people in Namibia is. There is a lot of gold in this interview and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did. And now, without further ado, enter Melkisedek Melkies Ausiku. _______________________ YOU LIKED THIS PODCAST? Here is how you can learn more and support...:

In this interview, meet Sebastian Patel, co-founder of Franc, an investment app in South Africa with the aim of promoting financial inclusion by removing minimum investment amounts and taking the complexity out of putting your money to work for you. In the interview we speak about: How the business was born and how they financed the launchWhat makes Franc different and why financial inclusion is so importantAnd what the teams biggest challenge was starting up Seb also shares about his transition from working at an investment company to entrepreneur and what his advice for young South African entrepreneurs is. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did. And now, without further ado, enter Seb Patel. _______________________ YOU LIKED THIS PODCAST? Here is how you can learn more and support...:

Meet Ervina Nina Clinton , founder of Liberian Threads Incorporated, a manufacturing company using local fabric to create products for the local market. Ervina is using the business to also activate young people, to help them discover and develop their talents and see that they can do something, that they can contribute and that they don't have to be idle or dependent on others. Ervina herself got inspired by a young girl that sold groundnut candy. She saw this young girl selling the candy over many years on her way to school. And she saw that the girl somehow managed to do well with something as simple as selling those groundnuts. It inspired her and gave her courage to start her own business.  In the interview Ervina shares how she started her business from scratch with the savings from two salarieshow she got her first customerswhich challenges she is facing in business and ...what her vision is to empower even more young people.  We hope you enjoy this interview as much as we did. And now, without further ado, enter Ervina Nina Clinton.  _______________________ YOU LIKED THIS PODCAST? Here is how you can learn more and support...:

Meet Ulrich Kouesso and Flore Yemdjie, the co-founders of My Virtual Planning, a social enterprise helping youth to prevent unwanted pregnancy and infections by doing online sexual education, giving individualised advice and sharing safe practices. In the interview they share:  How they came up with the idea and why they chose an online format for sexual educationHow they launched their platform through Facebook Messenger before building their own appHow they are monetising the platformAnd how they work together with doctors and clinical psychologists They also share why they provide legal support through their platform and what their advice for young people in the DRC is.  Flore is also sharing some of her insights in French, so this one is a must for all you bi-lingual folks out there. There are a lot of valuable insights in this episode, addressing a really important topic. So we hope you enjoy this interview as much as we did. And now, without further ado, enter Ulrich and Flore.

Meet Oreoluwa Somolu Lesi the founder of Women's Technology Empowerment Center or short W.TEC  a nonprofit organization based in Lagos, that aims at raising the next generation of female technology entrepreneurs, leaders and developers through technology camps, school clubs and mentoring. In the interview Oreoluwa shares How she came up with the idea How she learned to run the non-profit like a business to increase their impact and scale How she has handled wearing many different hats both in the non-profit as well as in her other business and with her family And what her advice to young women in Nigeria is She also shares what she did whenever she thought she had plateaued in her venture and how she build out different revenue streams for W.TEC aside from grants.  There is a lot of gold in this interview and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did.  And now, without further ado, enter Oreoluwa.

Meet John-Paul Matenga, the founder of YouFarm. YouFarm was started with the idea of a platform that provides farmers with access to collateral free finance by getting people to invest in crops and livestock through YouFarm. And then when the produce goes to market the farmers, the investors and YouFarm share in the profits. In the interview JP shares How he came up with the idea after his mother acquired a farm in Zimbabwe and then asked him to make the land productive How he got YouFarm up and running And why he believes that self-awareness is the most important thing as an entrepreneur JP also shares how he went about launching the platform, what he found out regarding the challenges of farmers during his research and what his advice for young Zimbabweans is. There is a lot of good stuff in this interview and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Meet John-Paul Matenga, the founder of YouFarm. So YouFarm was started with the idea of a platform that provides farmers with access to collateral free finance by getting people to invest in crops and livestock through YouFarm. And then when the produce goes to market the farmers, the investors and YouFarm share in the profits. In the interview JP shares

Meet Aheeb Afeez, co-founder of crowdfunding website donate-ng, a portal that connects charities and projects needing funds to people wanting to donate.  Afeez got into the project because a childhood friend contacted him and asked him to vet and manage the first fundraiser that was to go live on the site, which was for a little girl battling cancer. He did all the ground work, supported the parents and the girl and, in the end, they were able to raise a large chunk of the funds needed for her treatment. From this first campaign that kicked off their journey, donate-ng has come a long way as they report over 1900 projects realised to date.  In the interview Afeez shares  How the vetting process of donate-ng works and how to aim to eliminate fraud and ensure funds are used correctlyWhy crowdfunding is deeply embedded in the Nigerian culture And how donate-ng is building trust in a low-trust environment He also shares what keeps him going and what his advice for young Nigerians is.  There is a lot of good stuff in this interview and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did.  And now, without further ado, enter Aheeb Afeez. 

Meet Hammi Boukhari , the founder of Jini Ride Hailing App and Lamana Elkanti, his business partner. Hammi saw the need for a local ride sharing service for Ad-Dakhla, when he witnessed his mom having challenges to catch an early morning flight from the airport as neither taxis nor busses were driving that early. And so he set out to research solutions and thinking about how he could create something that would work in the local context. In the interview Hammi and Lamana share: How they piloted the first version of JiniHow they got the word about the app out and the app into the hands of both taxi drivers as well as ridersAnd how they want to differentiate themselves from services such as Uber They also share about their professional backgrounds and what their view on the opportunities arising from digital tools for young Moroccans is.  We hope you enjoy this interview. And now, without further ado, enter Hammi and Lamana.

Meet Ezlyn Olivia Barends, the co-founder of DreamGirls Academy an organisation in South Africa, dedicated to  shifting girls and young women from a space where they are economically dependent to connecting them to economic opportunity, through mentoring and education. In the interview Ezelyn speaks about:  How a quarter life crisis led her to explore how she wanted to be of service and ultimately culminated in the idea for DreamGirls AcademyHow she and her team came up with ways to open up revenue streams beyond grants to support their programs Why they decided to go deep vs. wide with their program and how this decision is reflected in the results they get for the girlsAnd how they have designed a social franchise model to help scale they idea to other regions. Ezlyn also shares her thoughts on what to do when you want to find your purpose and what her advice for young South African girls is. There is a lot of gold in this interview and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did.  And now without further ado, enter Ezlyn Barends. 

Meet Marcio Castro and Arão Guerreiro co-founders of Kepya , an online market place that connects farmer directly with offtakers and freight companies and helps them to get higher prices for their produce and farm with increased predictability.  In the interview Marcio and Arão share  How they came up with the idea for the ventureHow they tested the model for Kepya and matched their first farmer with an off taker What challenges they faced on their journey and how they overcame them And what their advice for young Angolans is They also share a lot of insights around the challenges farmers face and how the solved the challenge of getting smallholder famers to use technology and actually work through the Keypa online platform.  There is a lot of good stuff in this interview and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did.  And now, without further ado, enter Marcio and Arão. 

Meet Zodidi Gaseb, the founder of African Naturals a Namibian company producing skin and hair care products, made from plant based, organic ingredients.  In the interview Zodidi shares:  How her daughter led her to start the company when Zodidi realised that to teach self-acceptance she had to live it for herselfShe shares how she launched the business from her kitchen and what her approach to product development isAnd she shares how she got into hosting events and building a platform for other entrepreneurs in the space We also talk about her remote and in person hair consultations and what her advice for young Namibians is.  There is a lot of good stuff in this interview and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did.  And now, without further ado, enter Zodidi Gaseb.

Meet Lynton Naicker, the co-founder of Snapslip  a digital receipting and analytics platform that allows for endusers to receive digital receipts on their purchases and for stores to save money on receipt printing while also giving them detailed consumer insights and analytics.  In the interview Lynton shares:  How him and his co-founder managed to pilot the business in one storeWhy they picked a challenge for their pilot and did not go for the low hanging fruits And how he managed to slowly transition out of his job as an employee to become an entrepreneur  He also shares about how they got their first paying customer, what the value of using snapslip analytics are for the stores and what his advice for young South Africans is.  There are a lot of insights in this interview and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Meet Mubarak Sumaila, co-founder of BezoMoney, a business in Ghana that is Digitizing Traditional Savings Groups, helping group members to build a favourable credit history and getting access to formal financial products and services.  They also run a financial literacy platform that provides practical information on how to grow and manage your finances. In the interview Mubarak shares How he came across the idea for the business when he started paying attention to his mom's savings group and developing an interest for how it worked and what their challenges wereHow design thinking helped him and his team in the process of launching the business And how both traditional banks as well as Microfinance left room for innovation and improvement of financial services.  He also shares a lot about how the traditional savings groups function as well as the benefit to people and what his advice for young Africans is.  There are a lot interesting insights in this interview and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did.  And now, without further ado, enter Mubarak Sumaila.  

Meet Chigozie Bashua, the founder of The Nut Place, a nut processing company in Nigeria that processes edible nuts into gluten free products for middle and low income earners and helps people that are on a special diet to have access to healthy and affordable food options. In the interview Chigozie shares about: How she came across the idea while grocery shopping during a vacation abroadHow she launched the business from a corner in her mom's kitchen And how by developing processes and SOP's for her staff she manages to continue her 9 to 5 job as an engineer in tech while at the same time growing her business  She also talks about the benefit of pursuing a purposeful idea, how she got a practical education in how to process nuts by visiting processing plants in the UK and what her advice for young Nigerians is.  There is a lot of gold in this interview and we hope you'll enjoy the conversation as much as we did. And now, without further ado, enter Chigozie Bashua.

Meet Macoumba Diagne the co-founder and CEO of Proplast Industrie, a company that helps collect and recycle plastic to then help create new products from this recycled plastic for the local market. In the interview Macoumba shares: How he transformed himself from a manager in the corporate world to a social entrepreneur and the head of a waste management companyHow he entered the field of waste management after he had the idea to help transform an NGO into a sustainable enterpriseAnd how Proplast Industrie is trying to close the loop and build a circular economy model by not only recycling collected plastic but by also offering the products made from the recycled material at its collection points He also talks about the challenges him and his team faced in building up Proplast and what his advice for young people in Senegal is.  There is a lot of good stuff in this interview and we hope you enjoy learning from Macoumba as much as we did.  And now, without further ado, enter Macoumba Diagne…

Meet Cédric Doffou the co-founder of LiFi-Led an Ivorian company bringing light and internet to rural areas in Côte d'Ivoire. In the interview Cédric shares How their products and solutions tackle two challenges of the rural areas at the same timeHow an experience of his co-founder and mentor Ange Frederick Balma led them to start work on LiFi-Led And how partnering with telco operators allowed them quicker access to market He also shares what his advice for young Ivorians is and how having a strong WHY helps them push through challenges. There is a lot of good stuff in this interview and we hope you enjoy the conversation with Cédric as much as we did. And now, without further ado, enter Cédric Doffou.

Meet Mevis Aiyeju, the co-founder of M.E. Solutions, a company modifying and experimenting with technology to solve problems in the Nigerian Agricultural Sector, with their farming solutions ranging from a reengineered soilless farming technology adequate for the often low power supply in the Nigerian context, to low energy consuming irrigation systems, to the development of an off taker network for the produce from their soilless farming systems. In the interview Mevis shares about:

Meet Heinrich Hafeni, the founder of Hafeni Tourism Namibia a business focusing on Cultural township tourism Or as Heinrich puts it taking tourists to townships and introducing them to the real Namibia. Heinrich grew up in a township himself and then worked his way up from dish washer to waiter to cook and finally overland tour guide in 14 African countries before he set out to start his own enterprise. In the interview he shares: How his mom and grandmother inspired him to become someone that contributes to the communityWhich difficulties he ran into in the beginning when he organised the first township tours and how he overcame themAnd how he uses tourism as a platform to uplift local businesses and create jobs and income opportunities in townships He also shares how his passion for developing his community drove him to create a local restaurant and a hotel to enhance the cultural township tourism experience. As Heinrich says “when you go to a township, you want to feel the rhythm of the township, you want to feel the heartbeat of the township." So we hope that this interview gives you an idea of how Heinrich helps to create that experience. And now, without further ado, enter Heinrich Hafeni.

Meet Chérif Tall, the founder of production company House of Jouvence and The Hub Dakar an Art & Culture Club, Café, Lounge and Gallery in the heart of Senegal's capital. In the interview Chérif shares about

Meet Mohammed Harakate, the co-founder of Alternative Solutions, a startup in Morocco that transforms palm fronds, a renewable source and byproduct of the date cultivation, into wood. In the interview Mohammed shares:  How reverse engineering helped them to build their own machine to convert palm fronds into wood blocksHow in depth research helped him and his team to turn a problem into a solution and create wins for local communities, palm tree owners and off takers And why he didn't pay much attention to the opinion of his friends when they thought it was a bad idea to become a social entrepreneur He also shares why he reduced his hours working in his startup and took a job at a foundation driving social change and what his advice for young Moroccan entrepreneurs is. There is a lot of gold in this interview with Mohammed Harakate and we hope you enjoy the conversation as much as we did. And now, without further ado enter Mohammed...

In this episode meet Onyeka Akumah, a serial-entrepreneur and the co-founder of Farmcrowdy and Crowdyvest.  Farmcrowdy is a digital agriculture platform in Nigeria that connects small-scale farmers with investors for the purpose of boosting food production, while Crowdyvest became a platform where members get access to impact-driven investment opportunities. In the interview that we did with Onyeka back in 2019 he shares about: How he came up with the idea for FarmcrowdyWhy raising funds is a continuous process in their businessHow him and his co-founders piloted their businessAnd what his advice for young Nigerians is There is a lot of gold in this interview and we hope you learn as much as we did.  And now, without further ado, enter Onyeka.

Meet Ebou Lawrence Mendy founder of the software company Kameko Gambia, a company that builds customs solutions for small and medium enterprises.  However, besides doing client work, Ebou and his team are also spinning of their own solutions as for example the ride hailing app Ryde Africa and a lightweight accounting solution for Gambian businesses.  In the interview Ebou speaks about 

In this episode, meet Mikaïla Issa, the co-founder of WÀTU Digital Lab based out of Dakar, Senegal.  WÀTU Digital Lab is a digital communication agency that connects, engages and impacts rural communities through ICT tools to empower the youth and women in the agriculture sector.  WÀTU Digital Lab also helps its clients to strengthen their network of partners, develop digital tools for knowledge sharing and management and manage the online communication and promote the results of projects in the space of agriculture and sustainable development. Originally from Benin, Mikaïla first came to Senegal because his girlfriend was living there and soon discovered his passion for entrepreneurship there and decided to stay and start his own company.  In the interview he talks about

Meet Muinat Atunnise, the founder and creative director of Atunnise Clothiers, both a design and clothing brand as well as a production hub for designers that specializes on manufacturing ready to wear garment for women and children all the while empowering people through training and development and designing a work environment that gives people another chance of building something for themselves.  In the interview Muinat shares 

Meet Kebba-Omar Jagne the founder of Movaar, a social enterprise in The Gambia that runs and builds programs and platforms for skills formation and specialisation for those that want to hone in on particular skills. And they also have an incubator program for businesses and income generating activities.  In the interview that we did with Omar back in 2019, Omar shares:  How he was able to bring the movers and shakers of The Gambia together to support his programsWhy the education systems built around “cram and exam” style learning are failing young people to stand on their own and discover what they are capable ofHow his idea for Movaar went through several iterations until it became what it is today And how we can overcome the challenges of today and tomorrow He also shares what to do when the power goes off in the middle of a critical presentation and how a team of young people put The Gambia on the map in a robotics competition.  There is a lot of good stuff in this interview and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did. And now, without further ado, enter Omar. 

In this episode, meet Tolu Williams, the founder of Savenhart Technology a company that is focussed on renewable energy technology and electric powered transportation, selling sell electric bikes and scooters and customising them to meet local road requirements.  When Tolu got into this industry it actually started out as a hobby. Initially he just bought an electric scooter for himself. When people started noticing and showing interest in it, he started to customise vehicles he'd import from China and sell them locally. And so he slowly traded up from one to two, then five, then ten e-bikes and scooters until he was able to fill containers.  In the interview Tolu shares about:  How he went from practicing law and working in startup companies to starting his own enterprise Who his customers are and why they buy EV's from him And how he creates his own line of EV's by assembling parts from different manufacturers We also speak about his vision for electric vehicles in Nigeria and so much more.  Since we did the interview with Tolu back in 2019 he has become the Head of E-Mobility at MAX.NG giving him an additional platform to advance E-Mobility and Renewable Energy Solutions in Nigeria. We hope you enjoy this interview with Tolu Williams as much as we did. And now, without further ado, enter Tolu. 

In this episode meet Femke Matorwmasen-Akkermans, co-founder of Green Gold Social Enterprise, an agriculture company focused in growing moringa and using moringa as a cash crop to support rural communities. Recently they developed their systems into restorative agriculture to make their production sustainable for both humans and nature.  In the last interview we shared with you guys, you heard from Clement Matorwmasen, Femke's partner in life and in business how he got into Moringa. In this second part we hear from Femke about

In this episode meet Clement Matorwmasen, the co-founder of Green Gold Social Enterprise, an agriculture company focused in growing moringa and using moringa as a cash crop to support rural communities.  Clement started with moringa over 17 years ago because he saw the potential for this plant to change people's lives and he saw that because of the nutrients in the plant it could really help eradicate poverty and malnutrition in rural settings. When he started out he actually went to communities and offered to put all the children with symptoms of malnutrition on a moringa diet, just to prove his point.  In the interview Clement shares How him and his business and life partner Femke which you'll hear from in the next interview set up Green Gold Social EnterpriseHow he moved from growing up on the street to become the architect of a rural center for empowerment, which is called Dream VillageWhat helped him build a strong and empowering belief system that is enabling him to lead change in his community and beyond He also shares what his advice for young people in Ghana is and why we need to get young people out of survival mode into a state of mind where they can dream again. Clement is such an inspiration and force for empowerment and we hope you enjoy the conversation we had with him as much as we did. And if you do, stay tuned for part two in which we speak with Clement's partner in business and in life Femke Matorwmasen-Akkermans.  And now, without further ado, enter Clement Matorwmasen.  _ You can also watch this interview with Clement over on Youtube.

Meet Nhlanhla Ndlovu the founder of Hustlenomics, a for-profit impact driven social enterprise that's dedicated to replacing informal backyard shacks in the South African townships with formal durable houses for low-income households.  So Nhlanhla himself grew up in a township having to share a living space with 12 other siblings and relatives. When he built his own shack in his family's backyard to escape the crowded living arrangement he got to experience himself the poor living conditions in such an informal backyard shack.  In the interview Nhlanhla shares  How he managed to build a social enterprise while many of his childhood friends either went to prison or died How learning how to learn anything helped him become a computer expert as well as identify business and grant opportunities How competition in his market drove him to become ever more innovative with his enterprise and building techniques And how he and his team plan to convert informal backyard shacks into formal houses without any cost to the homeowners. We also speak about how role models and the awareness of opportunities can make the difference between a life of crime and a life of contribution and so much more.  There is a ton of gold in this interview and we hope that you find this conversation as insightful and inspiring as we did. And now, without further ado, enter Nhlanhla Ndlovu.

INTERVIEW - In this episode meet Joseph S.K. Pambu Jr. the founder of Wireless Technology Lab, a social enterprise on a mission to bring computer awareness and literacy training to young people in rural Liberia. So Joseph got introduced to computers early on in his life through his uncle and has developed his fascination for the devices into a deep understanding of technology and passion to pass on the opportunities computer literacy have provided him to other young Liberians. In the interview Joseph shares:

In this episode, meet Albert Diouf, the founder of AfrikaMart, an Agri-Foodtech Startup in Senegal, that is working on efficient ways to aggregate and move local produce all the while ensuring a significantly higher payoff for the smallholder farmers, supplying fresh local quality products to supermarkets in urban areas and using an integrated supply chain system to keep the system in flow. In the interview Albert shares how He started his entrepreneurial journey when studying in ChinaHow much of an impact the AfrikaMart model can have on farmers What some of their biggest challenges are  And what his advice for young people in Senegal is. There is a lot of gold in this interview for budding entrepreneurs and change makers and we hope you enjoy the conversation as much as we did.  And now, without further ado, enter Albert Diouf…  

In this episode, meet Chinedu Azodoh, the co-founder of MAX.NG a Nigerian company that is aiming to make motorcycle taxis and transport safe, affordable and accessible. They achieve this by training the drivers on their app, regulations and giving drivers a safety score by measuring how they drive in real time, which helps them to identify drivers who are not driving safely and, if need be, take them off the road. At the time of this interview in September 2019, MAX.NG had a fleet rolling both in Lagos as well as in Akure with plans to roll out to further cities. In the interview Chinedu shares about: How they grew into their current business model step by stepWhat measures they take to increase road safety How MAX.NG helps in telling a different story about AfricaAnd what moved him to come back to Nigeria after studying abroad He also shares about MAX.NG's plans for electrifying part of their fleet, how fleet financing works and what his advice for young Nigerians is. There is a lot of good stuff in this interview and we hope you enjoy the conversation with Chinedu as much as we did. And now, without further ado, enter Chinedu.

Meet Fa Diallo, the founder of Institut Académique des Bébés a social enterprise that trains mostly unemployed young women as early childhood professionals and helps them find jobs as caretakers for baby's. Initially when coming back to Senegal from France, Fa had planned to start a business in Finance. However, when she had challenges finding someone with training and qualification to take care of her two newborn, she decided that she wanted to change that. And this is how she started Institut Académique des Bébés. In the interview Fa shares:

In this interview meed Armid Azadeh, the founder of MACQUARIE MEDICAL CARE and Tosaline Auene, Response Coordinator at MACQUARIE MEDICAL CARE, who speak about how they provide health for remote communities and lodges in Namibia through telemedicine and digital health innovation. It all started when Dr. Armid, after his return to Namibia around 2010 and 11 started to visit remote parts of Namibia and noticed that a lot of employees at lodges or remote sites had no access to healthcare.  So initially they just started by providing a doctor on call. However, that service quickly developed into a full service model that helps to decentralize healthcare.  In the interview Armid and Tosaline share How they developed their telemedicine offer from a doctor on call to a full service modelHow they price access to their telemedicine offerings Which procedures and strategies enable them to treat a vast majority of calls they get remotely And what plans they have for growing their telemedicine and digital health innovation business They also talk about how entrepreneurs new to the sector can set up telemedicine businesses and what their advice to young Namibians is.  There are a lot of insights in this interview and we hope that you enjoy the conversation with Armid and Tosaline as much as we did. 

Meet Hakeem Jimo, the co-founder of VeggieVictory, a Lagos based company that was the first to introduce vegan meat substitutes into the Nigerian market on a commercial scale.  Hakeem and his wife Bola Adeyanju started VeggieVictory as a vegan restaurant, after Hakeem, himself a vegan for many years, came back from a trip to Asia where he found many vegan restaurants through the app HappyCow. Back in Lagos, he didn't find a single one. So he and Bola decided to change that.  Once the restaurant had taken off, they wanted to reach more people and decided that instead of starting more restaurants, they would bring out a product, a 100% plant based meat substitute on soy and wheat basis that is suitable for the Nigerian cuisine and unlike many more premium priced meat alternatives abroad, is actually cheaper than meat.  In the interview Hakeem shares about How he came up with the ideaHow they developed their Vchunks Plant-Based Meat And why he believes the Nigerian market needs its own plant based meat alternative We also get a taste of VeggieVictory's veg-Suya, which tastes amazing and hear what Hakeems advice for young Nigerians is.  There is a lot of gold in this interview for budding foodpreneurs and so we hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did.  And now, without further ado, enter Hakeem. 

Meet Karima Grant, the co-founder of Kër ImagiNation Playschools & founder of ImagiNation Afrika. Karima's vision is a world where African children become changemakers to solve the problems of development. With Kër ImagiNation she and her team design, test and implement innovative educational programs and environments that integrate play-based learning, hands-on approaches, problem solving, as well as local culture to help children develop their creative and critical thinking and become changemakers. When we visited her in Dakar they had just run a program with the theme ‘mad scientist' where the children got to explore robotics and a whole bunch of hands on STEAM activities around the theme. Kër ImagiNation also runs children's exhibitions and programs for parents. With ImagiNation Africa, the sort of bigger umbrella organization, Karima tackles the ecosystem aspects of changing education to achieve systems change and redefine how we see the potential of children and how we can shape environments that really enable children to develop and tap into their potential. In the interview, during which Karima shows us through the Kër ImagiNation Playschool, we speak about:

Meet Yaya Kone, the co-founder of Coliba, a startup specialized in collecting and recycling plastic waste in Côte d'Ivoire. Yaya had worked as a teacher in France, when, during a visit at home in Abidjan, he noticed how much waste was going unrecycled and what the negative implications were. So he and his co-founder Genesis decided to do something about it. Together with their team, they set up a mobile platform which connects households and companies with formal collectors that pick up sorted plastic waste. The collected plastics are then turned into flakes which are sold off to manufacturers that can use them to make new products. In the interview Yaya speaks about: How he turned himself from teacher into social entrepreneurWhat challenges he and his team encountered setting up Coliba How they set up partnerships with the likes of MTN and Coca-ColaAnd what his advice for young Ivorians is There is a lot of good stuff in this interview and we hope you enjoy the conversation as much as we did.

In this episode, we speak with two entrepreneurs, Tosin Adelowo & Dare Odumade, that have built a business that is dedicated to making sure that you and your loved ones are staying healthy in the new year. Their business Chekkit is an anti-counterfeiting platform that helps consumers make sure that the goods they are consuming, be it medicine or beverages or cosmetics are authentic i.e. with USSD or QR codes and that helps companies make sure that their products are arriving at their intended destination without having been tempered with. Now this is not a small issue. Every year, hundreds of thousands of people die due to #counterfeited drugs and Africa is heavily affected. Chekkit tackles this by a solution built on a blockchain for maximum security and transparency that allows both consumers and manufacturers to track the products end to end from factory to retail point using a variety of techniques to ensure that the products moved with Chekkit are tamperproof. In the interview we speak about

Meet Amine Slimani, the founder of Epicerie Verte, a marketplace specialized in organic and natural products, both food and cosmetics.  Before starting Epicerie Verte Amine was a management consultant. He did a big project for a major foundation in Morocco, a study on entrepreneurship in the country. Through the study he met around 600 entrepreneurs mostly in agriculture and he noticed that there was a lot of potential in terms of organic and natural products but that many of the producers had difficulty accessing the market, while at the same time in cities such as Casablanca, Rabat and Marrakesh there is a growing demand for these types of products.  So that is when Amine decided to make a match between the offers of the producers and the demand in the cities through Epicerie Verte. In the interview Amine shares: How he launched the business from scratchHow they manage to grow fast by integrating different solutions and outsourcing to partnersAnd how he managed to launch to a list of interested customers from day one Amine also shares his perspective on how starting a business is a personal growth opportunity and what innovations his company has in the pipeline.  There is a lot of good stuff in this interview and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did. And now, without further ado, enter Amine Slimani...

In this interview meet Ropafadzo Musvaire & Bekithemba Ngulube, two co-founders of the Kweza founding team.  So Kweza is sort of a last mile logistics solution that is working with informal retailers in South Africa. The team noticed that the informal retailers, called spaza shops in South Africa, often pay a premium for their products. So the solution that they came up with is to source the best pricing from a wholesale level, aggregating the demand and buying power from the spaza shops while allowing the the spaza shop owners direct orders at a steep discount through the Kweza mobile app and delivering their orders directly to their stores.  In the interview Ropa and Beki speak about  How they initially tested their idea in the offline world going out to wholesalers and spaza shops doing their researchHow they work as a panafrican team, how they got to know each other through the MEST incubator programAnd what drew them into entrepreneurship individually We also speak about the biggest challenges they faced in their entrepreneurial journey and their biggest learnings as well as their advice for young people in South Africa.  There are a lot of valuable insights in this interview that Beki and Ropa share and we hope you enjoy the interview as much as we did. And now, without further ado, enter Beki & Ropa.  P.S.: You can also check out the interview with these two changemakers on Youtube.

In this episode, meet Adama Kane, the founder of JokkoSanté, a social enterprise and health focussed digital payment platform, that allows people that don't have money to buy medicine to get access to meds despite their limited financial resources. And it allows NGOs, government entities and private companies as well as individuals in the Diaspora, to buy points online which can then be exchanged for medicine in partner pharmacies.  Adama got the idea when he realised that there was a large amount of safe and unused meds stored in family cabinets that simply expired while others in need of the meds could use them. This realisation set him on the path to start JokkoSanté. According to WHO each year more than 150 million people face crippling high medical expenses relative to their income.  In the interview Adama shares:  How he came up with the ideaHow a supportive and open minded culture at his former employer helped not only launch JokkoSanté but also other initiatives andHow challenges in his childhood helped prepare him for his journey He also shares which exact steps he took to make JokkoSanté a reality from an idea in his mind to a thriving digital payments platform and how he sold a previous side project, an app bringing transparency into fisheries to tackle illegal fishing activities, to the ministry. There is a lot of gold in this interview and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did.  And now, without further ado, enter Adama Kane.  - You can also watch the interview with Adama Kane on Youtube here.

Meet Dieudonne Kwame Agudah, the founder of WASHKing, a social enterprise working to supply bio-digester toilets to low-income urban households in Ghana with the aim of ending open defecation and at the same time focussing on giving employment to young people while equipping them with transferable skills.  In the interview Dieudonne speaks about:  What a bio-digester toilet is and how it worksHow Dieudonne and his team manage to make toilets affordable through demand aggregation and linking customers to subsidy programs and financing options And how an entrepreneurship program that he enrolled in helped him make his idea real and actually get his first customer.  He also speaks openly on why his family did not welcome his decision to become an entrepreneur and why he is still happy he made the leap.  There is a lot of good stuff in this interview with Dieudonne and we hope you enjoy the conversation as much as we did.  And now, without further ado,  Enter Dieudonne.