#29untoldstoriesin29days #100Conversations 100 Female Entrepreneurs in Africa, from Sierra Leone meet Mariama Seray Marrah

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29 Untold stories in 29 Days Campaign (active) #100conversations projects  (active)

Story Time

The coming months, content that will be explored are stories of female entrepreneurs in Africa. 100 Female entrepreneur’s stories will be published from Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Botswana,  Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Angola.

NB: Every Wednesday and Friday please be on the lookout for female Entrepreneurs!

Some of the stories of the female entrepreneurs will explore the following:

o             How highly conducive and enabling conditions that helps fuel women as business owners?

o             Entrepreneurial failure and risk taking, gender discrimination,

o             Lack of confidence and poor mentorship and networking support,

o             Affecting women in otherwise highly favourable and supportive entrepreneurial markets.

Our first Female Entrepreneur, please meet Mariama Seray Marrah an Entrepreneur from Sierra Leone,

“Ghana in recent times has been ranked highest globally as the country producing the most female entrepreneurs, with an estimation of about 46.4% according to the Mastercard Index of Women’s Entrepreneurship (MIWE)”. 2019

Who is Mariama Seray Marrah and where are you from?

Mariama Seray Marrah is from Sierra Leone 🇸🇱, a student at the Institute of Public Administration and Management (IPAM), University of Sierra Leone (USL). She is an Activist, Entrepreneur, Brand Influencer and a member of Women in Crisis Response.

Mariama is a Youth Ambassador for both Women in Innovation & Entrepreneurship and Convection on the Rights of Child (UNCRC). As a young activist, she uses her platform to create opportunities for other women who share a passion for self-owned businesses and ensures that children have a constant source of support as part of their human security needs whilst growing up.

Please share with us the inspiration behind Support Women and Children Initiative?

SUPPORT WOMEN AND CHILDREN INITIATIVE is a non-government and non-charitable organization. It promotes and protects the rights and well-beings of deprived, marginalized and vulnerable women and children in Sierra Leone 🇸🇱.

The Inspiration behind Support Women and Children Initiative is when she finally realized how vulnerable she was growing up as a child, without any strong financial support at the age of 14 to 15. Mariama was inspired by her own story!

How has the journey been like establishing the Support Women and Children Initiative (highs and lows)?

Promoting the welfare of Women and Children has always been my passion as a young lady growing up. The journey to establish “Support Women and Children Initiative” has afforded her the opportunity to interface with women and understand the numerous challenges confronting them in Sierra Leone. On the flip side of it, we encounter serious resource challenges. Thus, limiting our potential to impact more lives.

Please share with us that one turning point in your personal life, career or business?

The turning point in her career was when she took up the case of a 10 year old girl who was born with sever spinal cord defect. Since birth, they said the baby couldn’t sit nor walk. She was touched by her sad story and decided to mount an advocacy to mobilize resources for her medication. We raised about $3,000. That was a turning point in my career.

According to Business Today (2019) “80% of women who own small/micro scale business ventures have a hard time getting credit”.

Please speak to the above in relation with Support Women and children initiative?

It is indeed true that a huge percentage of women in businesses or other career ventures face monstrous challenges in securing credit. This sad state of affairs accounts for women doing poorly or even dropout of business as a result of frustration.

SWCI-SL has had it fair share of the challenge. As a women and children driven initiative, we find it almost impossible to secure credit or grants in order to roll out our activities and programs.

Why is it important that young female entrepreneurs be empowered?

Women entrepreneurs can best identify and associate themselves with the challenges confronting their counterparts. It is, therefore, very important to empower young female entrepreneurs with the necessary skills and resources (financial and/or material) in order to be able to execute their mandates effectively and efficiently.

Family, friends, work and health how do you meet a balance and still remain sane?

It’s quite tough to reconcile one’s official work with demands of family, friends and personal well-being. There are times when competing interests may clash but what keeps one sane and going is the passion and sincerity of purpose.

Words of wisdom to young female entrepreneurs in Africa?

“I encourage young female entrepreneurs in Africa to be very strategic and courageous in positioning themselves in different human endeavours. So therefore, your approach to life is what will determine your future”.

How can we connect with you? (Social media handles and website)

https://www.facebook.com/mariamseray.marrah

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariama-seray-marrah-3308a9204

https://www.instagram.com/seray_marrah?r=nametag

https://twitter.com/SerayMarrah?s=08

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