With great pride, Guzakuza, the trailblazing organization dedicated to giving tools and resources to women in agribusiness throughout Africa and the diaspora, celebrates the successful graduation of 105 accomplished women from the seventh cohort of its flagship program, Ignite 2023.
The African Women in Agribusiness Fellowship, or Ignite, is a rigorous and life-changing program that helps female executives and creators advance to the next stage of their agribusiness careers. This program has been a driving force for good change in the agriculture scene for the last seven years. It provides expert-led modules, online seminars, mentoring, networking opportunities, and exciting online and in-person events.
1,283 applications from 49 countries in Africa and the Diaspora were received during the Ignite 2023 application process, an overwhelming response. This astounding level of interest highlights how important it is to have venues like Ignite that support and encourage women in agribusiness.
Among the large number of candidates, 128 remarkable women were chosen for the program. The fellows undertook a life-changing experience that included 10 days of in-person instruction in Accra, Ghana, as well as four separate online training periods. The post-program extended phase, “Ready to Ignite,” is the culmination of the four-week minimum Ignite Within, Ignite a Sis, Reach to Ignite, and Ignited to Ignite stages.
The Ignite 2023 Training, which was divided into Field Groups, Business Stage Groups, Country Groups, and Tribes, promoted teamwork in learning and gave fellows the chance to study a variety of agricultural models and strategies that are crucial for creating enduring businesses in Africa and beyond.