A new book highlighting inspiring stories of 20 African women entrepreneurs in technology, has been launched. Founding Women, is a collection of first-hand accounts of these women who are defying the odds to build successful businesses in technology. It aims to increase the visibility of role models for young African women and girls.
Filled with practical advice and words of encouragement, this book speaks to any girl who has a dream but fears the odds might be stacked up too high against her.
Founding Women is a publication of the Africa Technology Business Network (ATBN), a UK-based social enterprise that works to promote sustainable development in Africa through technology innovation and enterprise.
“The release of this book is timely especially as the world marks International Women’s Day. We must recognise that the playing field is not even for all women. African women in tech are not often visible particularly as we are so under-represented in the sector. Founding Women is about highlighting role models to show girls and young women across Africa and the world, that technology is for them and that they too can become technology entrepreneurs if they want to. The book also speaks to a much broader audience because ultimately these women’s stories can teach us all something about going for our dreams and not giving up”, says Eunice Baguma Ball, author and Founder of ATBN.
As highlighted by the recent #MeToo movement, gender inequality continues to be a pressing issue worldwide, particularly in male-dominated sectors like technology where women face systemic barriers. Recent findings show that out of the $85 billion invested by venture capitalists in 2017, only 2% went to women and less than 1% to black female entrepreneurs.
This book not only puts the spotlight on some of the challenges faced by African female entrepreneurs but also showcases their strength and commitment to their visions.
The author is Eunice Baguma Ball, a UK-based Ugandan social entrepreneur and technology advocate. She is the Founder and Executive Director of the Africa Technology Business Network (ATBN). Her passion for technology stemmed from her experience working on financial inclusion projects in Uganda where she saw the impact that technology-enabled access to financial services could have on the lives of those in underserved communities. She later founded a technology startup in Uganda. While it was not successful, the experience motivated her to work towards building an African innovation ecosystem where young entrepreneurs can access the support they need to succeed and led her to establish ATBN.
In a chat with African Voice, Eunice said, “the book is aiming to change the cultural narratives that are holding African women back. African Women and girls are often made to believe that certain sectors like technology or engineering are not for them. Our goal is to try and change that by showcasing these inspiring women who despite many obstacles are building a business in technology and making an impact. Role models are so important if we are to change perceptions and inspire more African women and girls to engage with technology.
African Voice asked if the practical hints provided in the book touched on funding support. Eunice said, “Fundraising is tough for any entrepreneur, but particularly in the technology sector where only 2% of funding goes to female founders. it’s tougher for women. In the book, some of the entrepreneurs share their experiences with raising funding and how they overcame the challenges or how they have coped without it. They also called for more diversity among investors because part of the issue is the fact that most of the people making the investment decisions are men”.
Currently, the e-book version is being made available for free to young women in Africa through schools and other partners.
Eunice said, “All proceeds from the book will go towards our #HerFutureAfrica programme which provides training and mentorship to young women to help them launch their business ideas. To date, the programme has supported 32 young women in Ghana and we hope to continue to expand it to reach more women across Africa”.
To learn more about African women entrepreneurs in technology, visit: http://www.herfutureafrica.org/founding-women
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