Echegwisi Wins $10,000 Grant from Women in Africa’s JAMII Femmes Initiative

Mrs. Chioma Echegwisi, Chief Executive Officer of Davichi Farmtech, has emerged overall winner of the ‘JAMII Femmes’ initiative, the first cohort, organized by Women In Africa (WIA) for female entrepreneurs in Nigeria, with a grant of 10,000 dollars.

Out of the 20 top participants, Mrs. Chioma Echegwisi emerged as the overall winner of the initiative and was presented with a cheque of $10,000 alongside her husband. Her remarkable journey as an entrepreneur and her dedication to driving positive change was recognized and made her an exemplary candidate for the valued award.

Mrs. Hafsat Abiola, President, Women In Africa (WIA), announced the winner of its $10,000 grant prize in the closing ceremony of the first cohort of the 2023 JAMII Femmes initiative of Women in Africa and Coca-Cola Foundation.

Excited and full of gratitude to the organizers, Mrs. Echegwisi praised WIA and Coca-Cola Foundation for the opportunity to learn and expand her business. She opined, ‘your expertise and insights have been invaluable in helping me restructure my business. The mentorship session has been a game-changer, allowing me to envision a clear path forward. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to learn and apply these strategies’

Mrs. Hafsat Abiola stated that the Coca-Cola Foundation and WIA in 2022 joined forces to support 20,000 African women entrepreneurs through the “JAMII Femmes” initiative. The initiative aims to increase the impact of African women entrepreneurs on the African economy and to support the creation of innovative solutions.

“JAMII Femmes is a combination of languages, JAMII is Swahili, which means community and Femmes is French, which means Women, so the phrase JAMII Femmes means a ‘community for women’.

Congratulating WIA, Mrs Funke Opeke, the keynote speaker told the beneficiaries to stay focused and guided by the preparation and support they have received from WIA to produce greater results.

Present at the ceremony was Mr. Femi Falana, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) who congratulated WIA for the laudable achievement and admonished the female entrepreneurs to build the nation as they build their homes.

Also in attendance was Mrs. Nwamaka Onyemelukwe, the Public Affairs and Sustainability Director of Coca-Cola Nigeria. She stated that the initiative is significant to Coca-Cola Foundation because women are resilient and have great economic multipliers. ‘As such, we will do more to exploit with the proper support’ she opined. Other programme sponsors recognized at the occasion included Honoris United Universities, Deloitte, Sterling Bank, and Touchpoint.

Mrs. Echegwisi expressed her excitement and eagerness to support other female entrepreneurs. She is committed to fostering economic growth, providing mentorship, and creating opportunities for women-led businesses. According to her, “This is a privilege and I don’t take it for granted. I intend to equip other female entrepreneurs with all I have learned. There is so much we can accomplish to move the country and the continent forward, and we need each other. I am truly grateful for your support and look forward to continued collaboration and growth together. I am so grateful to WIA, The Coca-Cola Foundation, Honoris United University, and Touch Point for the opportunity”