South Africa has a rapidly growing population of entrepreneurs, and women are certainly leading the way! In the spirit of Youth Day, we’ve compiled a list of 5 Female Founders under 30 that have achieved #fempreneur success across different industries.
Masabata Sebusi is the co-founder of Sprout Africa, an agribusiness that facilitates access to markets while incorporating aspects of business and agricultural training. The company helps smallholder farmers to leverage their business opportunities, become tech savvy and get their products market-ready. Through her work, she wishes to inspire other South Africans to take the leap towards starting their own businesses.
Munozovepi Gwata is on a mission to achieve financial economic inclusion in South Africa. At the age of 19, she founded Kukura, a community that empowers people through financial literacy, so they can make informed financial decisions.
As a student, she used her legal experience to seek gaps and opportunities in the African market, which resulted in her working with organisations like the World Economic Forum, TED and the World Youth Forum. Gwata wishes to inspire people throughout Africa and has recently finished a children’s book “The Rich Life of Thabo”, that she wrote with her friend Charisa Mujuru, to inspire conversations of financial literacy for young South Africans.
Nadia Beeslaar is the founder of NVW The Label, a local online fashion boutique based in Cape Town. She launched her business in 2019 after a year filled with ups and downs. Beeslaar initially studied fashion design but decided to create her own path to success after failing her second year studies.
Thanks to her love and passion for fashion, and the will to keep fashion alive in South Africa, Beeslaar succeeded in creating a trendy, high-quality online clothing brand, all while being confronted with the challenges of COVID lockdowns. She is now going two years strong and has since opened a warehouse where she and her seamstresses continue to craft her beautiful designs.
Perhaps one of the most surprising candidates on our list, Michelle Nkamankeng is a 12-year-old author, philanthropist and motivational speaker. She might not be a founder per se, but we believe she has earned her place as the youngest published author in Africa!
Nkamankeng started writing at the age of six and has since published three of her own books. She hopes to encourage other young individuals to follow their passions, inspiring others with her words: ““If you can read, you can write, and when you can write, you can change the world.”
Jolandi Jacobs is a Sports Physiotherapist and founder of Running Raspberries, an inclusive women’s running community that connects females and encourages physical activity in a safe environment.
Since its start in 2021, the running club has grown to more than 20 communities throughout South Africa. Jacobs also established a rehabilitation centre called Sports Bodies.
Conclusion
While we’ve selected only five young women, we must admit that there are so many more who deserve recognition for their groundbreaking work! Although these fempreneurs all hail from diverse backgrounds and industries, they share an inspiring desire to improve the lives of South Africans alike. From healthcare to education and everything in between. These women are truly paving the way for future generations of female founders!
