26th Jul2012

Voices of Anakazi – Tanya Gabriella AAB

by anak8086

 Ms. Tanya Aab is a Board member of SWIFT,  an organization that allows handcrafters in Swaziland to have a platform to expand their knowledge through training for the business market and how to expose their brand to the export business world. She designs, buy fabrics, oversees production, market and budget, as well as manages a staff of 4 permanent and 6 outsourced employees. She is a self-taught fashion designer who has built her shop from the ground up. In five years she hopes have established a solid fashion label, Arrum Lilly.  Her goal is to continue to create a label that truly reflects the young, urban Swazi.

We met Tanya at the launch of AnakaziCenter inLos Angeles, where we hosted 15 other African women entrepreneurs from the State Department AWEP program.  She is one of 47 women from 37 African nations sponsored by the State Department under its program for female African entrepreneurs. The African Women’s Entrepreneurship Program (AWEP) seeks to equip African businesswomen with the tools and opportunities to accelerate the growth of their businesses, become leaders in their communities and drive social and economic progress inAfrica.

 AWEP was launched in July 2010 at the United States/sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Co-operation Forum (AGOA Forum). Organized and supported by severalU.S.agencies, under the leadership of the U.S. Department of State.  The original AWEP event, sponsored by the Office of International Visitors, brought 34 African businesswomen to theUnited Statesin 2010.  Last year, 40 women from 37 African countries participated in the program, which provides the women with an opportunity to meet and network withU.S.businesspeople, policy makers, industry associations, groups that advocate for women’s economic opportunities and multilateral development organizations.

The program outlined three goals:

(1)    Accelerate the growth of women-owned businesses and export capacity;

(2)  Foster leadership for women’s business organizations; and,

(3)  Support women’s advocacy roles as “voices of change” in their communities

 To participate: July 28,  at 9am Pst, 12 noon east, 18.00hr CAT,  Call 347 237 4270
tweet us a message @anakazi or post a comment on our facebook page.

 

Category : Business Development Support, Fashion
0 Comm
20th Jul2012

Voices of Anakazi- Dr Teguest Guerma, Director General, African Medical & Research Foundation (AMREF),

by anak8086

Stand Up For African Mothers

On Voices of Anakazi , Tuesday July 24, we will feature Dr. Teguest Guerma, an Ethiopian national, medical doctor and infectious diseases specialist, was appointed Director General of AMREF in June 2010.  She is the first African woman to lead AMREF since its inception in 1957.

Dr Guerma has enjoyed an extensive career in public health with over 26 years experience with the World Health Organization (WHO).  Until her appointment to AMREF, Dr. Guerma worked as the Associate Director of the HIV/AIDS department for the WHO in Geneva where she was responsible for their overall strategy on HIV/AIDS.  Previously, she served as the WHO representative to UN Headquarters in New York, USA and Gaborone, Botswana; HIV/AIDS and STI Regional Adviser in the WHO Regional office for Africa, in Brazzaville, Congo, and acted as a WHO Representative in Kathmandu Nepal, among other roles.

Dr. Guerma began her career as a medical practitioner and infectious diseases specialist in Senegal and Burundi in the mid-1980s. She holds a medical degree from the University of Reims and post-graduate degrees in Infectious Diseases and Bacteriology Virology from the University of Dakar.   Dr Guerma also received a certificate in Epidemiology from Johns Hopkins University.

STAND UP FOR AFRICAN MOTHERS CAMPAIGN…

 The African Medical & Research Foundation (AMREF), launched the US arm of its global campaign, Stand Up For African Mothers, on July 19th, 2012

  • Graça Machel Mandela, international advocate for women and children’s rights, is the global patron
  • Stand Up For African Mothers aims to train 15,000 midwives by 2015 to reduce maternal mortality in Africa
  • A skilled midwife can provide care for 500 mothers each year including the safe delivery of 100 babies
  • Fifteen thousand additional midwives trained by 2015 will be able to help over seven million African women each year
  • The campaign aims to draw attention to the plight of African mothers and to mobilize citizens worldwide to ensure mothers get the medical care they need during pregnancy and childbirth
  • The basic premise of Stand Up For African Mothers is that no woman should die giving life and no child should be left an orphan due to lack of maternal health care
  • The campaign also coincides with the 2015 deadline for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), especially MDG5 to improve maternal health, including reducing by three quarters the maternal mortality ratio (MDG5a) and achieving universal access to reproductive health (MDG5b)
  • AMREF officially launched the global campaign at the Women’s Forum in Deauville, France in October 2011

To participate: July 24 at 6p Pst, 9P east,  Call 347 237 4270
tweet us a message @anakazi

 

Category : Business Development Support, Womens Health
0 Comm