Women, change makers, social entrepreneurs and innovators in the development sector came together for the third Women In Development (WID) Summit, organised by Idea Hub Africa.
The event, titled “Influential Visionaries: Women Redefining Global Development”, brought together social enterprises, civil society organisations, advocacy groups and the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arms of institutions to share ideas, inspire and empower each other, promoting empowerment and sustainable development.
Deborah Deji Kurunmi, Executive Director, Ideation Hub Africa, said, “My drive and motivation for Ideation Hub Africa is to help women leaders in the development sector experience their innate passion, altruism and nurturing through our development summits, by providing them with the necessary executive education, collaborative platform and cutting edge tools to truly empower them to move beyond fears, stereotypes and limitations and leave them behind.”
“More than 70 percent of the development sector on the African continent is led or driven by women. So, if we do not empower women in the development sector, we will always continue to grapple with institutional challenges,” she added.
The first panel discussion was themed “Innovative Approaches to Social Impact: Powerful Strategies to Drive Sustainable Change” and included Abosede George Ogun, Founder, Women Leadership Advancement Network (WILAN), Kehinde Ayeni, Executive Director, LEAP Africa, Olapeju Ibekwe, CEO, Sterling One Foundation, Dr. Kemi DaSilva Ibru, Founder, Women at Risk Foundation (WARIF), and moderated by Deji Kurunmi, who shared their insights and experiences on creating lasting social change.
Another panel discussion titled, “Driving Technology and Entrepreneurship: Women Driving Future Economic Empowerment” brought together four inspiring women leaders – Oreoluwa Somolu Lesi, Executive Director, Women Technology Empowerment Centre (W.TEC), Confidence Staveley, Executive Director, CyberSafe Foundation, Solape Akinpelu, CEO and Co-Founder, HerVest, and Amaka Nwaokolo, Director and Head, The Fate Institute, and was moderated by Oluwatoyin Banjo, Programme Director, Idea Hub Africa.
The conversation highlighted the importance of women’s contributions to the technology industry and entrepreneurship, as well as the importance of promoting women’s economic independence.
Programme Director, Ideation Hub Africa, Oluwatoyin Banjo, said the summit was a transformative experience where participants gained immense value from the speakers, while Executive Director, MTN Foundation, Odunayo Sanya, said the summit was a great opportunity to engage, encourage and remind women of the relevance of their dreams and visions, adding that women are natural agents of change and well suited to the social impact sector.
The event also featured seven strategic policy roundtables where stakeholders from various sectors engaged in in-depth discussions on key policy issues affecting Africa and the world. Policy makers, industry experts, academics and community leaders came together to generate innovative ideas to solve pressing problems.
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