Benin diva Angélique Kidjo has managed to secure hundreds of millions of dollars funding from the G7 world leaders for female entrepreneurs in Africa.
She was at the summit in the French resort in Biarritz along with the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK when she secured $251m (£226m).
To put that into perspective, the leaders agreed to spend $22m on fighting the fires in the Amazon - something that French President Emmanuel Macron made a priority of the summit.
She spoke at the summit in her capacity as the ambassador for a women’s finance project at the African Development Bank, called Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa.
This fund is all about helping women into business and then helping them grow their businesses.
Africa has the highest percentage of female entrepreneurs in the world, meaning one in four women start or manage their own business, according to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) 2016/17 Women’s Report.
Kidjo said the priority is for small-scale entrepreneurs to get access to credit: “My primary focus is women in the rural areas, the women of the market and the women who are not easy to reach out to... Women of the markets don’t trust banks because they are not welcome in any banks."
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Tags:
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Latest Stories
-
Pyramids grab late equaliser in African Champions League final
30 minutes -
EU calls for ‘respect’ after Trump threatens 50% tariffs
32 minutes -
Ronaldo ‘could play’ in Club World Cup – Infantino
35 minutes -
Amorim tells Garnacho he can leave Man Utd
40 minutes -
Djokovic makes more history with 100th singles title
43 minutes -
Ten Hag set to replace Alonso as Leverkusen manager
47 minutes -
Salis’ Sunderland secure Premier League return
54 minutes -
Assin Fosu chiefs and elders bless TGMA Unsung Artiste of The Year, Yaw Darling
2 hours -
Middle-aged, 2 children trapped in their home after a fig tree sealed their frontage doors
2 hours -
Roots of resistance: The climate cost of cutting Accra’s trees
2 hours -
Reimagining Informality: Harnessing the Urban potential of street vending in Ghana
3 hours -
Former Yendi MP Dr Farouk Mahama donates towards funeral of late Mion chief
3 hours -
Ghana Gas board pledges accountability and staff support during operational tour
3 hours -
Burkina Faso’s uprising is a rebirth, not rebellion – Ras Mubarak
3 hours -
Democracy must deliver dignity and independence, not just regular elections – Ras Mubarak
4 hours