Awa Prize encourages women entrepreneurs to go further

Enabel's Awa Prize has been awarded to 28 women entrepreneurs from 13 countries in Africa and the Middle East who generate a social or environmental impact. The award has helped them to gain credibility and visibility, grow their business and hone their skills.

Africa and the Middle East are regions that are dominated by younger populations. Many of the young people – especially women – are brimming with ideas. They notice where society's shortcomings are and want to change things. And so they turn their ideas into a business. This is not only to provide them with an income, but more importantly to have a positive impact on society and/or the environment.
 

Washable, eco-friendly nappies

How about washable, eco-friendly nappies made from banana fibres? A pleased women entrepreneur named Adétola Adanlawo from Benin is firmly convinced that these are much cheaper than the unaffordable disposable ones and a blessing for the environment, while Aminata Simpara from Mali focuses on washable sanitary towels and is fighting period poverty.

Kathia Iradukunda from Burundi came up with the idea of harvesting proliferating water hyacinths – an invasive pest plant – from Lake Tanganyika and using their fibres to weave tablecloths, baskets, rugs, and desk items.

Edith Kouassi from Ivory Coast processes collected plastic waste to make paving slabs and insulation boards. In Burundi, Dative Uwimana filled a gap in the market by promoting ecotourism there while at the same time planting trees and protecting chimpanzees.

Credia Umuhire Ruzigana publishes novels, comics, and board games; with exciting stories and fairy tales from Rwanda's rich cultural history, she is aiming to encourage children to read. Adja Soro from Ivory Coast also draws on African legends, producing cartoons to spark children's imagination.
 

Crippling social norms

All these women are pure-bred entrepreneurs who do not get discouraged. Nevertheless, entrepreneurship is not always easy for them, not least because they must contend with the prejudice that "a woman is not capable of doing that".

Women in Africa and the Middle East, however, also often have more difficulty accessing training and financing. What is more, they face gender-based violence in entrepreneurship, crippling social norms, and legal inequalities.

This is why, with their enterprise, they often want to help vulnerable women – the internally displaced, the uneducated, and so on. In fact, Aïcha Macky from Niger focuses specifically on documentaries that discuss taboo subjects, such as perceptions of the female body and infertility.

A big step forward

All these women entrepreneurs could greatly increase their impact with some support, and that was exactly the purpose of the Awa Prize, which was awarded to 28 laureates from 13 countries in Africa and the Middle East between 2022 and 2026. The Belgian Agency for International Cooperation, Enabel, organised the prize, which came with funding, mentoring, and networking.

On 6 March 2026, all 12 laureates who grabbed the 1st prize within their category gathered in Brussels. The purpose of the event was to round off the Awa Prize and take stock of how the award has made a difference to their career and business.

There was a clear feeling among the laureates that the Awa Prize allowed them to take a big step forward. The financial support allowed them to invest more: in a new building, a shop, the purchase of professional machines, a greater presence on social media channels, and more. Some used it to train young girls to pave the way for a new generation of women entrepreneurs.

Training in entrepreneurship, business management, etc., as well as coaching has also paid off. It gave them new ideas such as organising workshops for tourists on the production of artisanal items from the fibres of the water hyacinth. Furthermore, a constant is that their business figures grew – up to five times higher – and they were able to hire more staff. On average, each laureate created 9.75 full-time jobs.

In addition, the Awa Prize has earned them a high level of visibility, including internationally. This sometimes led to additional financiers and new markets, customers, and partnerships. For example, Edith Kouassi now not only processes plastic waste, but also makes handbags from plant-based leather using grain.

Needless to say, the award also meant that the quality of their work is recognised. The lauded women entrepreneurs gained credibility both nationally and internationally.

It was also striking how the laureates have become a close-knit team. For example, they attended a training course together in Dakar, Senegal, on the financial aspects of a business, provided by the Belgian Bankers Academy. This clearly forged a bond. They exchange experiences, share tips, and more.
 

Gender equality

Thanks to the Awa Prize, Enabel has acquired a great deal of experience in supporting women entrepreneurs. The agency also gained a wealth of recommendations, such as the importance of sound knowledge of the specific sector and national context.

And although there will be no successor to the Awa Prize itself, other ways of encouraging entrepreneurship may follow. The laureates were certainly enthusiastic in contributing ideas for such opportunities.

With the Awa Prize, Belgium has once again played its part in promoting greater gender equality in the world. After all, when women can engage in their entrepreneurship unhindered, the whole society benefits, especially in countries where salaried employment prospects are limited and entrepreneurship is often the main means of livelihood.