The Graça Machel Trust is excited to announce that it will be hosting a graduation ceremony to celebrate the achievements of over 100 women entrepreneurs who have been part of the Women Creating Wealth programme. The graduation will be held on May 7, 2024, at the Regenesys Business School Campus in Sandton. “We look forward to acknowledging and celebrating the fantastic entrepreneurs we have been working with over the past year” says Korkor Kudjoe the Trust’s Senior Entrepreneurship Manager. 

The Women Creating Wealth (WCW) programme is a flagship entrepreneurship initiative of the Graça Machel Trust (GMT). With over 2,500 women entrepreneurs currently participating in seven countries across on the continent, this programme is set apart from others by offering a unique combination of personal mastery and technical business skills, including investor readiness, and enabling access to markets. WCW focuses on entrepreneurs who have already started their businesses and are looking to gain new skills to take their business to new heights. Participants benefit from being part of a business community that offers support and business opportunities, post-graduation.

Working with women entrepreneurs in South Africa, Zambia, Kenya Malawi, Senegal Tanzania, and Uganda, the programme’s goal is to support entrepreneurs who are willing to learn and grow with the right skills and growth mindset to develop a compelling business case, attract investors, and scale their business so that they start creating wealth. “We have found that women entrepreneurs face common challenges such as a lack of access to finance to scale their businesses and a lack of understanding of the market. Our mission is to tackle these issues head-on and support women entrepreneurs to reach their full potential” says Korkor Kudjoe.

Speaking to some of the graduates, the sense of achievement is palpable. Dikonelo Motseki owns Sidern Trading, a poultry business that has been growing, and she credits WCW for some of that growth. “It’s amazing how much the programme has strengthened my confidence. I have been able to confidently approach funders to grow my business.” She is proud to have received $58,000 in funding so far.

As someone who works with leadership and personal development, Puseletso Modimogale knew that she needed help to take her business to the next level when she applied to be part of the programme. “The programme helped me have the self-discipline to critically think about my business strategy. As entrepreneurs we hardly give ourselves the time to do 

this. With the business coaching and guidance, I have a clearer business strategy, which also helps me align with my team as well” says the owner of Mind Retirement Institute.

From agribusiness to consulting to tourism and many other sectors, Women Creating Wealth creates a space where women entrepreneurs don’t only get to grow their businesses, but themselves as well. “I joined Women Creating Wealth to expand my business network, and I got that and much more. The programme helped me gain more confidence in myself and my business, which led me to strategically increase my business offerings. As a result, I now have access to markets that I didn’t have before, says Leceline Roberts, who run a tourism business.

While this is a graduation, it is not the final curtain call of Women Creating Wealth, for the objective is much bigger: “Our audacious goal is to support 10,000 women entrepreneurs on the continent to collectively generate $1 billion revenue and create 200,000 jobs within the next five years So we’re looking for people who are not ‘dabbling’ or looking for a certificate ‘course’ we are a looking for people who are ready to do what it takes to be scale their business and start creating wealth” says Korkor. 

The programme has received support from several organisations, including the Industrial Development Corporation, Finance, Accounting Services Sector Education and Training Authority (FASSET), Visa Foundation, the African Development Bank, and the Mastercard Foundation. Shiphra Chisha, the Director of Programmes, expressed her gratitude to these partners who collaborated with the Trust to support entrepreneurs to innovate and grow, create jobs, and lift more people out of poverty.