Regarded for many years as a poor performer in terms of gender parity and the promotion of women’s employment, the African continent is now benefiting from the initiative and leadership of women who account for more than half of its population. The goal of creating a profit-making activity to help support their family unit has transformed many African women into budding entrepreneurs. There are now many more female entrepreneurial initiatives on this continent than elsewhere in the world. It is clear that African women can no longer be relegated to the status of vendors of products on the stalls of these markets. One of the continent’s leading female success stories is Massogbè Touré Diabaté , a well-known figure in the promotion of cashew nuts in Côte d’Ivoire. This seasoned entrepreneur in charge of SITA SA has made her mark in the industrial sector and has taken up the challenges of industrialisation and the economic emancipation of women. Magatte Wade, also in West Africa, is another successful entrepreneur. This businessperson has excelled in the promotion of natural African products in the food and cosmetics industry, mainly on the American market. At just 45 years old, Magatte Wade runs two companies and is one of those young African women who are contributing to the continent’s development. While any woman can, in theory, become an entrepreneur, not everyone is equipped to do so. Being successful in business requires a number of qualities and competencies, not all of which can be acquired at school. African female entrepreneurs are often proof of this, exuding a strong personality that helps them overcome the various challenges and difficulties they face on a daily basis. This is the very essence of the African woman: hope, courage and perseverance, values that are now making them an integral part of the economic, social and sustainable development of the continent. Women must also manage their family units efficiently and organise their lives as best they can to meet their needs – essential qualities required by budding female entrepreneurs. Determined, ambitious and resourceful, African women continue to gain legitimacy within their communities, despite facing sexism and inequalities on a daily basis. When seeking to identify the origins of entrepreneurship among African women, what immediately comes to mind are the women and mothers selling food on market stalls. Over time, a generation of female entrepreneurs has emerged, in this case young women, who are breaking with conventions and succeeding in traditionally male-dominated sectors such as architecture, civil engineering, new information and communication technologies, aviation, geology and science. Ivorian, Edith Brou, for example has managed to ride the digital wave and bring her personal touch to a very masculine world. Access to finance is one of the major obstacles for women starting their own businesses. Female entrepreneurship has long been considered as a form of subsistence entrepreneurship in Africa, attracting little interest from investors and donors. In addition, many women still do not have bank accounts, and therefore rely on personal savings: their bank-account penetration rate is way behind that of men. Access to information is also more difficult for women and appears to be an important factor of inequality. However, the development of new technologies and the emergence of this new generation of African women entrepreneurs have led to the appearance of a growing number of coaching, training and support programmes, which provide invaluable help for women seeking to start businesses and develop their leadership capacities. The Internet and mobile phones have made a crucial difference on the African continent, particularly in entrepreneurship-related fields. Technology has opened up very promising fields of action for women. The opportunity to surf the web has enabled the training of networks of women capable of advising and, above all, inspiring others. Women in Africa (WIA) and WETECH Africa (Women in Entrepreneurship and Technology) are two of these networks that promote and finance projects, often with a strong economic and social impact, led by women. “Being successful in business requires a number of qualities and competencies, not all of which can be acquired at school. African female entrepreneurs are often proof of this, exuding a strong personality that helps them overcome the various challenges and difficulties they face on a daily basis. This is the very essence of the African woman: hope, courage and perseverance, values that are now making them an integral part of the economic, social and sustainable development of the continent.” Drawing from the above, elaborate on the personal qualities and characteristics that entrepreneurs are expected to possess.

Understanding Business
12th Edition
ISBN:9781259929434
Author:William Nickels
Publisher:William Nickels
Chapter1: Taking Risks And Making Profits Within The Dynamic Business Environment
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Regarded for many years as a poor performer in terms of gender parity and the promotion of women’s
employment, the African continent is now benefiting from the initiative and leadership of women who account
for more than half of its population. The goal of creating a profit-making activity to help support their family
unit has transformed many African women into budding entrepreneurs. There are now many more female
entrepreneurial initiatives on this continent than elsewhere in the world. It is clear that African women can
no longer be relegated to the status of vendors of products on the stalls of these markets.
One of the continent’s leading female success stories is Massogbè Touré Diabaté , a well-known figure in
the promotion of cashew nuts in Côte d’Ivoire. This seasoned entrepreneur in charge of SITA SA has made
her mark in the industrial sector and has taken up the challenges of industrialisation and the economic
emancipation of women. Magatte Wade, also in West Africa, is another successful entrepreneur. This
businessperson has excelled in the promotion of natural African products in the food and cosmetics industry,
mainly on the American market. At just 45 years old, Magatte Wade runs two companies and is one of those
young African women who are contributing to the continent’s development. While any woman can, in theory,
become an entrepreneur, not everyone is equipped to do so. Being successful in business requires a number
of qualities and competencies, not all of which can be acquired at school. African female entrepreneurs are
often proof of this, exuding a strong personality that helps them overcome the various challenges and
difficulties they face on a daily basis. This is the very essence of the African woman: hope, courage and
perseverance, values that are now making them an integral part of the economic, social and sustainable
development of the continent.
Women must also manage their family units efficiently and organise their lives as best they can to meet their
needs – essential qualities required by budding female entrepreneurs. Determined, ambitious and
resourceful, African women continue to gain legitimacy within their communities, despite facing sexism and
inequalities on a daily basis. When seeking to identify the origins of entrepreneurship among African women,
what immediately comes to mind are the women and mothers selling food on market stalls. Over time, a
generation of female entrepreneurs has emerged, in this case young women, who are breaking with
conventions and succeeding in traditionally male-dominated sectors such as architecture, civil engineering,
new information and communication technologies, aviation, geology and science. Ivorian, Edith Brou, for
example has managed to ride the digital wave and bring her personal touch to a very masculine world.
Access to finance is one of the major obstacles for women starting their own businesses. Female
entrepreneurship has long been considered as a form of subsistence entrepreneurship in Africa, attracting
little interest from investors and donors. In addition, many women still do not have bank accounts, and
therefore rely on personal savings: their bank-account penetration rate is way behind that of men. Access to
information is also more difficult for women and appears to be an important factor of inequality. However, the
development of new technologies and the emergence of this new generation of African women entrepreneurs
have led to the appearance of a growing number of coaching, training and support programmes, which
provide invaluable help for women seeking to start businesses and develop their leadership capacities.
The Internet and mobile phones have made a crucial difference on the African continent, particularly in
entrepreneurship-related fields. Technology has opened up very promising fields of action for women. The
opportunity to surf the web has enabled the training of networks of women capable of advising and, above
all, inspiring others. Women in Africa (WIA) and WETECH Africa (Women in Entrepreneurship and
Technology) are two of these networks that promote and finance projects, often with a strong economic and
social impact, led by women.

“Being successful in business requires a number of qualities and competencies, not all of which can be
acquired at school. African female entrepreneurs are often proof of this, exuding a strong personality that
helps them overcome the various challenges and difficulties they face on a daily basis. This is the very
essence of the African woman: hope, courage and perseverance, values that are now making them an
integral part of the economic, social and sustainable development of the continent.”
Drawing from the above, elaborate on the personal qualities and characteristics that entrepreneurs are
expected to possess. 

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