AWIEF launches 2024 Academy for Women Entrepreneurs Lesotho, Eswatini and South Africa

The US Mission to South Africa and the Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) have launched the 2024 Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) programme in Lesotho, Eswatini and South Africa (LESA).

The AWE is an initiative of the US Department of State and Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Global Management. It supports the US National Strategy on Gender, Equity and Equality and reflects the US’s commitment to advancing gender equity and economic prosperity in southern Africa

The AWE LESA programme is centred on the Francis and Dionne Najafi 100 Million Learners Global Initiative: an accredited online global management and entrepreneurship certificate consisting of five world-class courses and available to learners across the globe.

The overall goal of the programme is to promote economic prosperity, including equitable economic development opportunities for historically disadvantaged groups and individuals. AWE LESA provides a resource for women entrepreneurs to engage in online education with guided facilitation and localisation; fosters networks that support participants’ access to peer-to-peer mentorship, business partners and scaling opportunities with businesses in the region and in the US; and provides access to a range of educational programmes tailored to women’s economic empowerment to expand the impact on the participant.

AWE LESA 2024 will empower 100 young women entrepreneurs in seven cities – five in South Africa and one each in Lesotho and Eswatini. The programme will host cohorts in Bloemfontein (10 participants), Cape Town (10 participants), Johannesburg (15 participants), Polokwane (15 participants), Manzini (20 participants), Maseru (20 participants) and Pietermaritzburg (10 participants). The participants will attend in-person training sessions and events at designated American Corners and partner spaces in each location.

AWE LESA 2024 activities will take place between August 2024 and January 2025, and this edition will bring the total number of women entrepreneurs trained through the US Mission to South Africa and AWIEF partnership to more than 700.

What do you gain from participating in the AWE LESA programme?

• Free entry to the programme.
• Enrolment in the Francis and Dionne Najafi 100 Million Learners platform for online learning.
• Expert-facilitated in-person business management training and mentorship sessions at American Spaces.
• Networking and peer-learning opportunities with like-minded entrepreneurs.
• A collaboratively developed and refined draft of your business plan.
• A 100 Million Learners certificate after completing the programme.
• Access to the US alumni network’s robust network of support, including business opportunities, potential seed funding and a vast global network of like-minded and highly regarded entrepreneurs.
• Membership to the AWIEF Community, which provides ongoing peer learning and support.
• Free delegate pass to AWIEF 2024 Conference, Exhibition and Awards scheduled to take place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on 28 and 29 November 2024.

What are the criteria to apply?

• Young women (aged 21–35)
• Early-stage entrepreneurs (with businesses in operation for 1 to 3 years)
• Citizens/legal residents of South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini
• Read, write, speak and listen to the programme in English
• Reside within 40km of one of the seven programme cities: Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Polokwane, Maseru, Manzini, and Pietermaritzburg
• Commit to weekly in-person training sessions at a designated American Space of the US Missions to Lesotho, Eswatini and South Africa.
• Commit to up to 5 hours of weekly programmatic assignments.
• Basic computer skills, and access to a computer with a data plan to access programme content and activities.

AWE applications are officially open for highly motivated and self-driven young women entrepreneurs from Lesotho, Eswatini and South Africa. There is no cost to applicants at any stage.

Submit your application here. The deadline for submission is 4 August 2024 at 23h59 South Africa Standard Time (SAST).

For more information, email: info@awieforum.org.