The Purple Network has launched an inaugural women’s award to recognize and celebrate women who have built successful businesses. The inaugural award has been dubbed the “She.BusinessAwardâ€. The She.Business Award is a platform for celebrating Kenyan Women entrepreners as a way of stimulating gender equality in economic empowerment. Purple Nework CEO Ms Nyambia Gatho notes that gender inequality in business had contributed to low confidence among women entrepreneurs.
The She.BusinessAward, which runs from September to December 2013, is a platform for celebrating Kenyan women entrepreneurs as a way of stimulating gender equality in economic empowerment. “We believe that celebrating and supporting women to grow their businesses is a sure way to create a major shift in the economy in solving the unemployment problem in Kenya,†said Ms Gatahi during the launch.
Consequently, she said a majority of women have focused on smaller enterprises normally associated with traditional women roles like hairdressing, retail, restaurants and agriculture. “Celebrating women who have overcome difficult financial systems and business environments to grow their businesses, will encourage other women to take their place in economic development,’’ said Ms. Gatahi.
The competition is open to women who have been running their businesses for a minimum of one year and have at least three employees. The most enterprising women will benefit from publicity, access to market linkages through the conference and will be supported to grow their businesses for a period of one year.
The award will be rolled out in three phases; nomination, selection process and grand finale, which will include the women in enterprise conference and an award ceremony. The She.BusinessAward will accept submissions from women who have a story that can inspire others and form a basis of influencing systems and processes in the financial and capacity building sectors.
The award is supported by Nailab, Gennessis Consult, Openworld, ConsumerPro, Business Mind and Fine Print Communication.
To enter the She.BusinessAward, an enterprising woman can nominate herself or be nominated by submitting her name and contacts to the award on twitter @SheBizAward or facebook on She.Business Award or completing a form on the award website purplenetwork.co.ke.
She.BusinessAward will focus on 12 categories among them; Agriculture and ICT. The award will also recognize a chama (investment group) that has invested in a successful business. Social entrepreneurship is also a key sector that will feature in the She BusinessAward because women are always keen on tackling numerous social challenges.
Nominations will close on November 7, 2013. The selection process will follow thereafter and shortlisted women entrepreneurs will be announced on November 11. The finalists will be vetted through an online voting system which will determine the winners in each category. All finalists among other entrepreneurs and stakeholders will be invited to attend the conference and thereafter winners awarded at a ceremony on December 6 2013, marking the end of the 2013 women in enterprise award.
Ms Gatahi added that She.BusinessAward is in line with government effort to support the growth of enterprise. The government has established the Sh6 billion UWEZO fund to benefit more women and youth in the counties, demonstrating its commitment to job creation, growth of industry, economic empowerment and gender equality for women.