African Women Entrepreneurship Cooperative (AWEC) Programme

Application Deadline: January 29, 2023

African Women Entrepreneurship Cooperative (AWEC) is the accelerant behind hundreds of African female entrepreneurs who have transformed and grown their businesses. AWEC is seeking the next 200 women who are ready to join the 6th cohort for a high-impact applied learning experience. 

From 16 January 2023 – 29 January 2023, AWEC is accepting applications for its highly selective leadership and business management capacity building program. This program is designed for African women entrepreneurs seeking to expand their knowledge, increase their skills, broaden their network, and make lifelong connections.

Eligibility

Women who meet the following criteria are encouraged to apply:

• Current or aspiring entrepreneurs working in any industry and in any country on the continent
• Citizens of any African country, currently living on the continent or in the diaspora
• Founders of for-profit or social enterprises
• Comfortable with remote teamwork and collaboration, especially using digital tools
• Proficient in verbal and written English
• Regular (at least weekly) access to the Internet through a computer or tablet

AWEC admissions do not discriminate based on race, religion, age, disability, marital status, education, business revenue, geographic location, sector, or industry.

Requirements

The AWEC program is rigorous and time intensive. Fellows should expect to:

• Be actively engaged in learning and networking for the entirety of the 12 month program (May 2023-April 2024)
• Spend an average of 4 to 6 hours per week participating in AWEC activities, primarily online
• Participate in at least one AWEC activity per week throughout the program year
• Be challenged, stretched, and inspired as they acquire new knowledge
• Develop skills, build their peer network, and transform their businesses
• Be matched with a mentor and take ownership of their mentor/mentee relationship
• Be introduced to a peer group and actively contribute to group discussions and activities
• Gain access to a program advisor from whom they can seek support when needed
• Respond to periodic surveys to improve the overall AWEC experience

AWEC seeks to build diverse cohorts in which Fellows share some consistent characteristics:

• Resilience as individuals and entrepreneurs
• Commitment to building scalable and sustainable businesses
• Collaborative spirit
• Desire to build a pan-African peer network
• Empathetic leaders
• Self-starters

Benefits

Upon successful completion of the 12-month program, Fellows will:

• Form connections with a diverse network of African women entrepreneurs
• Establish a relationship with a senior business mentor
• Strengthen strategy, leadership and business management skills
• Gain skills in finance, marketing, and strategy needed to grow and scale their enterprise
• Develop a toolkit of soft skills, including self-confidence, resilience, collaboration, and cross-cultural communications

Timeline:

• Cohort 6 will run from May 2023 to April 2024.
• Monthly activities take place individually and as a group; please expect to participate in 2-3 Zoom-enabled meetings per month between the hours of 1-5pm UTC.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the African Women Entrepreneurship Cooperative (AWEC) Programme 2023