LADOL Pledges Support for Young Entrepreneurs

Tayo Oladipupo |

LADOL has said it is supporting young entrepreneurs who create sustainable development and businesses in their communities.

This is as it also pledges its commitment to the young entrepreneurs and the UN Sustainability Goals

According to a statement, LADOL is supporting this new and important initiative which awards female entrepreneurs who are creating sustainable development and businesses in their communities.

Managing Director of LADOL, Dr Amy Jadesimi, was a member of the panel of the judges for The WE Empower UN SDG Challenge.

Five female entrepreneurs were selected, one from each of the five UN regions, as awardees of the first WE Empower UN SDG Challenge.

The judges convened with the awardees in New York City during the UN General Assembly on September 24 – 29. During this week the finalists gave dynamic pitches to the Chairperson of the event, fashion designer, activist and Vital Voices Board Member Diane von Furstenberg.

The five awardees of the first WE Empower competition were Habiba Ali, Founder, Managing Director and CEO, Sosai Renewable Energies, Nigeria; Hadeel Mustafa Anabtawi, Founder, The Alchemist Lab, Jordan; Marijana Savic, Founder and Director, NGO Atina and Bagel Bejgl Shop, Serbia; Marta del Rio Villanueva, Founder and CEO, Wasi Organics, Peru; Dr.Shimrit Perkol-Finkel, Co-Founder and CEO, ECO ncrete Tech Ltd., Israel.

All the awardees gave impressive pitches and we are pleased to announce that Habiba Ali, a brilliant female Nigerian entrepreneur won the top prize of the night.

Habiba is a pioneer in the renewable energies field. She is the founder, managing director and CEO of Sosai Renewable Energies, an innovative company that brings reliable and affordable renewable energy products to those in Nigeria who need it most. Her sustainable energy solutions provide communities with unforeseen economic growth, increased capacity and the potential for greater business development.

Sustainable Development Goals 1 (no poverty), 7 (affordable and clean energy) and 10 (reduced inequality).

This competition aims to raise awareness of the valuable contribution women entrepreneurs are making and can make towards achieving the SDGs by 2030,by building sustainable businesses and inspiring others to follow suit.

It also supports the innovative work being undertaken by these entrepreneurs and provides capacity-building training sessions and high-level advocacy opportunities to the awardees.

Dr. Jadesimi said, “Women are not simply beneficiaries of SDG Goal 5. They are also leading the achievement of all SDGs. If the world commits to gender equality, equal engagement in the workforce adds $28 trillion US dollars to annual global GDP in 2025.Competitions like WE Empower raise awareness of the great work female leaders are doing to support the Sustainable Development Goals and will encourage more of us to come forward and follow in their footsteps. –

Congratulations to all the women who competed, to the five awardees and Habiba Ali. We look forward to seeing how LADOL can provide more support for her and other female entrepreneurs.”