The Belgian Government Awa Prize 2022 for African Women Entrepreneurs (€65,000 in Prizes)

Application Deadline: 24 October 2022

The Awa Prize is an annual competition that selects inspiring female entrepreneurs from selected countries in Africa and the Middle East (including partner countries of Belgian governmental cooperation). The aim is to reward the excellence of women entrepreneurs to foster female leadership and entrepreneurship by promoting role models.

The Awa Prize is a competition organised by Enabel which highlights women entrepreneurs from Belgian development cooperation countries and their projects. The Awa Prize is a contest which sheds the light on businesses and the women who lead them. But beyond this competition, the Awa Prize aims at federating a community of entrepreneurs around shared values, in order to fight against socio-economic inequalities.

Through the Awa Prize, many events will be organised at the local and international levels in order to raise awareness for men and women about the opportunities that women’s entrepreneurship can create. These events will enable progress on actions which can be developed to remove the persistent obstacles.

The Awa Prize celebrates the work of women who have a positive impact on their communities through their business.

Eligibility Requirements

• Be a woman of legal age in her country
• Have the nationality of one of the following: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, DRC, Guinea, Jordan, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Palestine, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda.
• Be the (co-) founder and/or non-minority shareholder of a company which has been registered for at least 1 year in a participating country.

Each year, 12 entrepreneurs from the Belgian development cooperation are awarded a prize.

In each category, three entrepreneurs will be highlighted and will receive the first, second and third prize respectively.

Prizes

The first prize

Up to €50,000*

Spent to support/coaching, based on your company’s needs.

One week in Belgium

To meet entrepreneurship circles and inspire one another.

The second prize

Up to €10,000*

Spent to support/coaching, based on your company’s needs.

The third prize

Up to €5,000*

Spent to support/coaching, based on your company’s needs.

^{*Prizes are awarded after an assessment of the needs of the Winners by the Organiser or by an entity designated by the Organiser. The support plan is to be formalised by the Winners or the Candidates receiving a prize and the Organiser.}

Timeline

Awa Prize 2022

Register to the Awa Prize as of 1 October 2022!

1 October 2022 – 24 October 2022

Registration for Awa Prize 2022.

24 October 2022 – 6 November 2022

Pre-selection of the candidates.

7 November 2022 – 25 November 2022

Interviews with the selection committee.

28 November 2022 – 2 December 2022

28 November 2022 – 11 December 2022

Interviews with the final jury.

Public vote.

21 January 2023 – 28 January 2023

Knowledge transfer and networking in Belgium.

24 January 2023

Award ceremony in Brussels.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the Awa Prize for African Women Entrepreneurs