Speaking during the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES)
at the UN headquarters in Nairobi’s Gigiri, Obama said the Kenyan centre will be launched later in the year.
“We are launching three women’s entrepreneurial centers one in Zambia, one I will bring later this year in Nairobi
and I am proud to announce that the third centre will be located in Mali,” he announced amidst cheers and claps.
He said the US had contributed $1 billion to support the
three centers.
Capital Fm reports that while emphasizing the importance of public-private
partnership, Obama appreciated the support by private
investors who had contributed $100 million to boost the
kitty set aside to support women entrepreneurs in the three
African countries.
The decision to open the centers to support women,
Obama explained, was anchored on their strength to
organise themselves in groups and identify business
projects that not only propel their lives but also those that
uplift their communities socially and economically.
“Women are powerhouse entrepreneurs. The research
shows that women are entrepreneurs and they succeed,
they drive economic growth and they invest more back in
their families and communities,” he acknowledged.
In recognition that women had supported establishment of
1,600 women entrepreneurs across Africa, Obama said it
was important to support their efforts to help them achieve
their goals.
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