Diaspora Talks with annette abena

In this episode, I'm joined by Gerrad Olisa-Ashar the co-founder of the Diaspora Angel Network (DAN) a UK based business angel network of Angel Investors who live in the diaspora but want to engage in the burgeoning African startup ecosystem. Many of us in the diaspora are keen to invest in Africa. The challenge for us is - How? In Africa. We discuss angel investing in Africa and the role individuals in the diaspora could play as angel investors in Africa's promising tech ecosystem.

In this episode, I'm joined by Benjamin Fernandes Founder and CEO of NALA Money a new kind of money transfer for Africans worldwide.  Born in Tanzania, Benji became the first Tanzanian to attend Standford Graduate School of business but in 2017 to the surprise of many, he returned to Tanzania to build NALA. We discuss making the decision to 'return home', rejections and restarts + more. www.iwantnala.com

In this episode I'm joined by Ann-Elise Francis, Head of Growth at Turaco an insure tech startup founded in 2018, providing simple and affordable medical cover to underserved and unserved communities currently in Kenya and Uganda.  Born in Jamaica and raised in New York, Ann-Elise has taken a somewhat untraditional route into tech in Africa with a non-technical, public sector background. We talk about her life and career transition from New York to East Africa, how Turaco is providing micro-insurance to hundreds of Ugandans and Kenyans + more.  

In this episode, I'm joined by Tiffanie Anderson Founder of Away To Africa a destination management company dedicated to providing guided, cultural tours throughout selected countries in Africa. Tiffanie a practising lawyer of Jamaican heritage started Away To Africa to share an alternative experience to travel in Africa beyond the safaris in collaboration with local SMEs. Here, we discuss how she has navigated the tourism industry as a diaspora founder, how the global pandemic has impacted her business + more. www.awaytoafrica.com

In this episode, I'm joined by Afua Osei Co-founder of She Leads Africa, a digital lifestyle platform for millennial multicultural women and Partnerships Strategist helping digital entrepreneurs scale. Born in the DMV to Ghanaian parents Afua has lived, worked and built a business in Nigeria. Here she shares her top tips for digital entrepreneurs who want to scale their businesses with corporate clients, individuals in the diaspora on building businesses in Africa and more. www.afuaosei.com @helloafua  

In this episode, I'm exploring the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) alongside Maudo Jallow Associate for the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI) and formally International Development Expert for the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO).  What is the AfCFTA? What does it mean for African economies and people? What are the potential challenges and opportunities for entrepreneurs? Subscribe to my weekly newsletter sharing updates on tech, business and development in Africa Connect with Maudo: @MaudoJallow @afcftayouth

China’s relationship with Africa remains misunderstood, often oversimplified or plainly inaccurately reported which makes it difficult for Africans in the diaspora especially to effectively engage. Is it all debt traps and mask diplomacy? And importantly what will this relationship look like post-COVID-19? In this episode, I'm joined by Benedicte King China-Africa scholar and travel blogger and Runako Celina co-Founder of Black Livity China an online platform documenting 360° of Black experiences both in China and in relation to China. Both have lived, worked, studied and experienced China as Africans whilst Runako is still living in Beijing for 6 years and counting. In this 2 part episode, we discuss the treatment of Africans in Gouzoung, the future of China-Africa relations post COVID-19 and finally demystify Africa's loan agreements with the Chinese. Link to suggested resources

China’s relationship with Africa remains misunderstood, often oversimplified or plainly inaccurately reported which makes it difficult for Africans in the diaspora especially to effectively engage. Is it all debt traps and mask diplomacy? And importantly what will this relationship look like post-COVID-19? In this episode, I'm joined by Benedicte King China-Africa scholar and travel blogger and Runako Celina co-Founder of Black Livity China an online platform documenting 360° of Black experiences both in China and in relation to China. Both have lived, worked, studied and experienced China as Africans whilst Runako is still living in Beijing for 6 years and counting. In this 2 part episode, we discuss the treatment of Africans in Gouzoung, the future of China-Africa relations post COVID-19 and finally demystify Africa's loan agreements with the Chinese.  Link to suggested resources

The Black lives Matter Movement has been at the centre of the fight for racial justice and freedom for black people globally. However, this year the movement has seen a surge of support and reach. Today I’m joined by 3 guests all of whom are members of the African diaspora, to discuss the movement’s impact on Africa: its perception, its cultures and its people. We discuss The movement's impact on the push to 'return home', the 'Wakandafication' of African cultures and Black economic empowerment.  Raphael Dapaah: @raphaeldapaah  Nicole Tagoe: @_arado_ Beni Ngwamah: www.wekainvest.com

66% of Africans are unbanked. This means that people lack access to the most fundamental financial services. However whilst most Africans are without traditional banking services as we know it 97% have mobile phones. This creates a great opportunity for digital banking services to fill in the gaps. Eversend is a pan-African neobank based in Uganda. It provides multi-currency wallets and currency exchange and plans to offer personal loans, savings, group savings, merchant payments and investments in the future. In this episode, I’m speaking with Co-founder and CEO of Eversend Stone Atwine. We discuss the importance of financial inclusion, Uganda's tech ecosystem and tips for aspiring African fintech entrepreneurs. 

AfriBlocks aims to create a diverse network of qualified & skilled African Professionals; & to connect them with remote jobs from across the world. In this episode, I'm speaking with Tongayi Choto Founder of AfriBlocks live from Harare, Zimbabwe. Post- Covid-19 the future of work will look very different. The freelancing could be the key to addressing Africa's high unemployment rate. Tongayi and I  discuss how he plans to support Africa's untapped professional and technical talent, the future of work and insight into the Zimbabwean tech scene. For more content like this subscribe to my weekly newsletter

The Ugandan youth unemployment rate sits at 13.3%. According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics over 75% of young people are engaged in vulnerable work or are underemployed meaning low earnings, low productivity, and working within difficult conditions. Youth underemployment is a HUGE problem across the continent. In 2015 Vanessa Atim left London to start ProInterns an online internship platform connecting Ugandan students and graduates to employers through internship, volunteering and placement opportunities. She shares her top tips for making a move, starting a business and keeping it sustainable.

On this episode, I’m joined by Chibuzo Ofulue Founder of Africlaim. For over 2 years Africlaim has been dedicated to ensuring air passenger rights are protected in the airline industry all across Africa.  We discuss Africa's travel and aviation industry delving into how it could be a catalyst for growth in African economies and of course the impact of COVID-19 on the industry.  https://www.africlaim.com Subscribe to my newsletter for more content like this. 

Female entrepreneurship rates in Sub-Saharan Africa are the highest in the world.  Yet several women find it difficult to access credit because they don’t know how financial services work, or where to go to for a quick confidential loan. Shecluded was created to help close the financial inclusion gap for women in Africa.  It is not only providing women-led businesses in Nigeria with access to credit and other financial services but financial education too. In this episode, I speak to Ifeoma Uddoh the founder of Shecluded. She talks about her experience as a Nigerian woman in tech and her plans to improve the lives of her fellow female founders. Subscribe to the Diaspora Talks Newsletter 

Philanthropy usually doesn't have a face that looks like the people it is serving.  Umutoni is the founder of Kaleidoscope Beauty a contemporary jewellery brand with philanthropy at its heart. The unique pieces are hand-made by Kenyan artisans determined to turn their lives around. Umu is a British Kenyan- Rwandan who decided to combine her cultural heritage with a cause close to her heart. We talk about how she has been able to build an international e-commerce business with an Africa focus from London, how she is creating impact, tips for managing a side hustle + more. https://kaleidoscopebeauty.co.uk/

Remittances (sending money back home) make up a significant part of Africa’s income and one of its main sources of foreign currency.  Taptap Send is an app that lets immigrants send money back home to Africa instantly and at very low prices. Today I’m speaking to Nana Adomako, Head of Growth. We discuss the emergence of digital remittances and what this means for Africans sending money back home, how she became a founding team member of an Africa focused fintech, the future of digital payments in Africa + more. You can download Taptap Send on iOS and Android devices today.

In this episode, I speak to Yanmo Omoragbe the Co-founder and Director of Growth at Bamboo. Bamboo is Nigeria's newest investment tech startup giving Nigerians unrestricted access to over 3,000 stocks listed on both the Nigerian and US stock exchanges. We talk about Yanmo's journey to tech entrepreneur, the problem that Bamboo is solving for young Nigerians, her YCombinator experience + more. You can download Bamboo on all iOs and Android devices and start investing today! #WhiteCalling is available to download on iOs and Android 

Welcome to Diaspora Talks

Welcome to a very special episode of Diaspora Talks. This is the Year of Return debrief a collection of conversations with individuals who returned to Ghana in 2019 sharing their experiences from varying perspectives. The Year of Return was a year-long event created by the Ghanaian government which commenced at the beginning of 2019 inviting the diaspora and Global African family to mark 400 years of the arrival of the first enslaved Africans in Jamestown, Virginia. - Diallo Sumbry Founder, The Adinkra Group - Josy Baroness Founder, Baroness Gardens - Julian Boatiey  - Mika Abraham 

Welcome to a very special episode of Diaspora Talks. This is the Year of Return debrief a collection of conversations with individuals who returned to Ghana in 2019 sharing their experiences from varying perspectives. The Year of Return was a year-long event created by the Ghanaian government which commenced at the beginning of 2019 inviting the diaspora and Global African family to mark 400 years of the arrival of the first enslaved Africans in Jamestown, Virginia.  - @Ajiayorinde Founder of MIA Marketplace and Ubuuru x @Justcallmebaba Founder of @BabasFlightClub -  Maame Fosuaah Founder of @AzareeTastebar - Cherae Robinson Founder of Tastemakers Africa (@TstemakersAfrica)  Sponsors of the episode: @DapaahChocolates

In this episode, I speak to Beni Ngwamah (@beni.ngwanah) CEO and Founder of impact investment platform WEKA. Beni is a former investment banker turned social entrepreneur looking to address the desire of the diaspora to make profitable and impactful investments back home as well as the financial needs of African SMEs. We discuss how WEKA is solving this problem, what investing in Africa could mean and finally, exploring Beni’s personal entrepreneurial journey: the highs, lows and everything in between. Donate to The Charity Projects who are raising money for mentally disabled children in Africa here

What will continental free trade mean for Africa? What are the challenges? What are the benefits for African people? In this episode, I'm joined by Raphael Dapaah Founder of The Dapaah Group and Madamfo Club and Josy Baroness finance blogger and founder of Baroness Gardens. We discuss the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (The AfCTA), fleshing out the most pressing questions amongst the diaspora and making sense of what's to come. Check out Afro-Latino Travel for African diaspora focused travel to Latin America and the Caribbean

In this episode I speak to Co-founder and COO of Hive Earth Construction Joelle Eyeson. Hive Earth are on a mission to build eco-friendly, sustainable and affordable housing in Ghana and across Africa. Using locally sourced materials Hive Earth incorporates the traditional method of ‘rammed earth’ into its building technique. We discuss the huge housing deficit in Ghana, being a woman in construction, building a team and much more. Apply for the Cornerstone 2.0 Programme powered by Foundervine for Black British Businesses here: https://www.foundervine.com/cornerstone

 In this episode I speak to lawyer turned tech entrepreneur Rashida Abdulai. Rashida left her role in a London city firm last year to launch Strand Sahara an online legal platform which services Africa focused start ups and SMEs. We talk about leaving her job in the city, some of the legal challenges faced by African start ups, how she’s incorporating tech into her business and more.   

In this episode I speak to London based media entrepreneur Danny Wonders. We talk about his journey into media and photography, what keeps him going, how his Ghanaian heritage has influenced his work and much more. If you're interested in getting into media and creative industries this ones for you! IG: @Dannywonders Twitter: @Dannywonders

In this episode I speak to the founders of AFROCHELLA - Africa's biggest music festival: Abdul Karim Abdullah and Kenny Agyapong. We talk about the story behind the making of Afrochella, celebrating the culture, overcoming challenges, key learnings and much more. Afrochella will be held this year on 28 December 2019 in Accra, Ghana. Check out the website for more details. 

In this episode I talk to London born, former Investment Banker Stephanie Adu who packed up and moved to Ghana where she launched cosmetics brand, ColourBox Cosmetics, Stephanie also heads 'move2ghana' initiative which is equipping the Diaspora with vital, unbiased knowledge and practical tools necessary to explore the real opportunities of moving back to Ghana. www.annetteabena.com IG: @annetteabena Twitter: @annetteabena info@annetteabena.com 

In this episode I talk to entrepreneur, writer and Co-founder of Africans on China a platform to elevate dialogue by Africans on China, Bridget Boakye and Benedicte King China-Africa scholar and travel blogger.  Check out Benedicte's latest article on race in sino-African relations published in the Republic journal.  Benedicte recommends: "Will Africa Feed China?" by Deborah Brautigam  annetteabena.com  IG: @annetteabena  Twitter: @annetteabena  info@annetteabena.com