Development in Africa in the hands of women

Africa has been and remains one of the most complex regions in which to live. The continent's level of development today is far below that of much of the rest of the world. A condition inherited from a tortuous past that threatens to repeat itself in the present. However, in this scenario, a period of hope is opening up, characterised by the emergence of new African figures capable of leading the qualitative leap in Africa. This time, led by an increasing number of women who are embarking on ambitious business projects.

For this reason, Madrid Foro Empresarial organised this Wednesday, in collaboration with the Pons Foundation, the 7th edition of 'African Women of Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow', a meeting dedicated to showcasing business projects led by African women in the field of new technologies, agriculture and other economic sectors. The leitmotiv of the event was to raise awareness of the role of women entrepreneurs and to bring new ways of promoting sustainable development in the region.

On the agenda were the ambassadors of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tunisia and Senegal in Spain, Louise Nzanga Ramamzani, Fatma Omrani Chargui and Mariame Sy. Also the deputy mayor of Madrid, Begoña Villacís. However, many members of the event were unable to attend in the end. In any case, the event was attended by the founder of Wyslum, Ludi Adelino, the International Coordinator of Madrid Foro Empresarial, Carmen Soria, and the President of the Spanish-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Leticia Chen Lain, among others.

"When we talk about entrepreneurship we talk about things that have to be created", said Adelino, underlining the difficulties not only logistical but also creative when it comes to starting a project. "I remember that we are in a society in which many people are racialised and are not taken into account, which is precisely why I work on things that touch my heartstrings", added the founder of the Wyslum gallery, an artistic platform whose mission is to give voice and space to women, their history and their culture in the world.

For Adelino, society is still burdened with ethnic stigmas or gender issues, which is an obstacle for many women in the world. A view shared by the coordinator of the international area of Madrid Business Forum and the rest of the speakers. Her work, she says, has the task of reducing this gap and promoting female talent. Especially in Africa.

"It is not the same to fight for your rights in Zimbabwe, where, from the age of 17, you cannot wear trousers and they have the right to imprison you, as it is anywhere else", Adelino remarked. "It is not comparable between a woman from Africa and one from Europe when it comes to demanding rights". Soria, a professional with great experience on the continent, shared this last point, and pointed out that we still have a long way to go.

"We have many points of connection with Africa," Soria emphasised. For the coordinator of the international area, within Africa there are several Africas, that is, the continent can be divided into distinctly different parts, such as North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa and South Africa. But they all share one thing in common, and that is that they are home to thousands of talented people who barely have the necessary resources to exploit them.

In this sense, Adelina has highlighted a series of common difficulties that a good part of the people of the continent experience in order to demonstrate their talent. "That is why I started the gallery with the first works in the south of Guinea, to promote both academic and professional development", she said. Always, in her case, focusing on women.

When asked about the tools she uses to carry out her projects, Adelina pointed out that there are several. "We can change the world by doing many things". Although she insisted vehemently that the first thing we must do is "change the perspective we have of Africa, which is often wrong and dramatic".

The well-known Congolese chef, Nathalie Schermann, a participant in MasterChef in France, took the floor to talk about her project at the head of the Joe & Ravels restaurant, a prestigious culinary shop that distributes the best traditional African dishes all over the world. The best gastronomy of the continent, successful products.

The visible heads of Africa have a lot to say not only in the future, but also in the present of the continent. Development will not have to rely on them; it is they who will drive the development that Africans demand. With this event, the Madrid Business Forum and the Pons Foundation have tried to make visible a phenomenon that promises to be a determining factor for the region.