After officially launching the "Win Academy" last June, CANAL+ and Irawo are completing this first edition aimed at discovering young African talent.
“Young Africans are talented. But they lack the resources and support to monetize that talent. The information found on the internet is not adapted to the African context. Because of this monetization problem, our talents are not recognized for their true value. They end up giving up after repeated failures. If Africa wants to benefit from the immense wealth that is its youth, we must change this. It is our responsibility to equip the next generation of African talent with the tools they need to succeed in life." It is with this in mind that Mylène Flicka, founder of the Irawo platform dedicated to young talent on the continent, wanted to partner with CANAL+ to launch a vast training program dedicated to young African girls. The ambition? To bring together and prepare the future and opportunities for the next generations of women, but also to reveal initiatives and projects that contribute to building a more egalitarian future.
As a reminder, 24% of African women start their own businesses, compared to only 6% in Europe, placing them far ahead of the rest of the world. However, these women entrepreneurs face many challenges in developing their businesses and ensuring their long-term viability.
As stated in the official press release, this initiative was designed to influence African talent on issues relating to the local and pan-African economy by providing guidance and support for the growth of their businesses. For this first edition, the spotlight was on the Ivorian female entrepreneurial ecosystem. For three months, participants benefited from intensive training based on modules covering sales, social media management, and operations, with coaching sessions and access to an exclusive network of international professionals.
The three winners of this first edition are, in order of merit:
1- AURORE YAO EPSE GNAGNE, founder of the N-VLÊ brand (500,000 CFA francs)
2- INGRID ZATE, founder of LYNX Studios (300,000 CFA francs)
3- NCHO EVA NADEGE EPSE HIE, founder of RUCHAMA SHOPPING
The rollout of this program is in line with the key strategic priorities of Irawo and Canal+, which aim to nurture talent across the continent.