When visibility becomes a driver of growth

For four years, the ‘Awa Prize’ project has supported women entrepreneurs making a significant social and community impact. This initiative, funded by Belgium and implemented by Enabel, aimed to support women’s entrepreneurship in Belgium’s partner countries.

Through three international competitions held in 2022, 2023 and 2024, the project selected 27 female entrepreneurs across 13 countries and provided them with tailored support in the form of grants ranging from €1,500 to €50,000. This support has borne fruit. Today, Enabel invites you to continue discovering, through a series of articles, the impact the Awa Prize has had on the supported female entrepreneurs.

Networking and branding: turning recognition into sustainable business opportunities

Being an entrepreneur is not just about coming up with a good product or service; it also means knowing how to make yourself visible, joining the right networks and building lasting relations. This is all the more so where markets are fragmented and access to opportunities is unequal. For many women entrepreneurs, however, these opportunities are still hard to capitalise on due to a lack of financial resources, time or access to business facilities.

The Awa Prize enabled its winners to gain greater visibility, in particular by giving them access to economic, institutional and sector networks. Alida Ahouandjinou (Benin), Mariama Diallo (Guinea), Rim Machhour (Morocco) and Dative Uwimana (Burundi) were able to capitalise on these opportunities after they were awarded the prize.

Attracting an international clientele to boost the local impact

In Burundi, Dative Uwimana founded Ikaze Ventures, which develops ecotourism with a significant social and environmental impact. A share of the revenue generated by tourism is channelled back to local communities and reforestation initiatives.

Dative won the 2023 People’s Choice Award. She invested the 25,000-euro prize in training and the purchase of equipment for field visits.

But above all, the visibility offered by the award made a difference: By taking part in international sustainable tourism trade fairs, she met tour operators from around the world who cater to customers who are interested in responsible ecotourism. These contacts led to bookings and long-term partnerships.

More customers means greater impact: 5,000 trees planted, 85 children from disadvantaged communities enrolled in school and more than 2,000 people trained in biodiversity conservation.

“Since the winning of the Awa Prize, a new group of customers has naturally come to trust us. Our partners take us more seriously, and government bodies officially recognise us. This enhanced credibility means I am more respected and influential in my field.”

Establishing the credibility of an innovative social e-commerce model

In Morocco, Rim Machhour runs Dealkhir, a social e-commerce platform that allows consumers to support a charitable cause with every online purchase.

As the winner of the Innovation category in 2022, Rim received support from Enabel to boost her company’s visibility and strengthen its market position. Her participation in the GITEX Africa 2025 Trade Fair marked a turning point, providing greater exposure to technology companies, potential partners and international investors.

The feedback and discussions gathered on this occasion enabled the company to adapt its business model and maximise its social impact, whilst launching marketing campaigns targeted at new audiences.

To raise awareness in the market and build trust

In Cotonou, Benin, Alida Ahouandjinou runs OYAYI, a company specialising in natural remedies made from organically grown herbs.

She ended second in the People’s Choice Award in 2023 and received 10,000 euros to boost the visibility and sales of her products.

For OYAYI, trade fairs have been key platforms for raising awareness, enabling the company to promote the benefits of natural solutions and to build trust with customers who are still relatively unfamiliar with this type of product.

Alida also took the opportunity to improve the production processes and make better use of the waste generated, thereby strengthening the environmental sustainability of her business model.

“As well as the visibility I gained following my win, my participation in the ‘People’s Choice Award’ and the associated online vote also helped me to make a name for myself amongst my fellow countrymen.”

Using brand recognition as a driver of change

In Guinea, Mariama Diallo runs Bilinda SARL, a company providing cleaning services to businesses and individuals that is also developing its own eco-friendly cleaning products.

As the winner of the first prize in the Scale-up category in 2023, Mariama received 50,000 euros, which she invested in state-of-the-art equipment, increasing production capacity and staff training.

Her participation in trade events, the organisation of open days and enhanced digital communication have raised the visibility of Bilinda SARL. This was accompanied by the upgrading of service delivery and strengthened the company’s leading position.

“Since winning the Awa Prize, my voice has gained greater recognition and is increasingly sought after within my sector, by my community and amongst institutional and private partners. This recognition has enabled me to secure key contracts with local and international companies.”

Visibility: a catalyst for impact when used strategically

These stories show that visibility is only worthwhile when it serves clear objectives: attracting new customers, winning over partners, entering a market or scaling up.

The women entrepreneurs featured here were among the 27 winners of the Awa Prize reporting having gained greater visibility following their award. By helping these women entrepreneurs to access networks and raise their profile, Enabel allowed high-potential businesses to grow and expand their impact on their communities.