Diaspora Talks with annette abena

In this episode, I'm joined by Gerrad Olisa-Ashar the co-founder of the Diaspora Angel Network (DAN) a UK based business angel network of Angel Investors who live in the diaspora but want to engage in the burgeoning African startup ecosystem. Many of us in the diaspora are keen to invest in Africa. The challenge for us is - How? In Africa. We discuss angel investing in Africa and the role individuals in the diaspora could play as angel investors in Africa's promising tech ecosystem.

In this episode, I'm joined by Benjamin Fernandes Founder and CEO of NALA Money a new kind of money transfer for Africans worldwide. 

Born in Tanzania, Benji became the first Tanzanian to attend Standford Graduate School of business but in 2017 to the surprise of many, he returned to Tanzania to build NALA. We discuss making the decision to 'return home', rejections and restarts + more.

www.iwantnala.com

In this episode I'm joined by Ann-Elise Francis, Head of Growth at Turaco an insure tech startup founded in 2018, providing simple and affordable medical cover to underserved and unserved communities currently in Kenya and Uganda. 

Born in Jamaica and raised in New York, Ann-Elise has taken a somewhat untraditional route into tech in Africa with a non-technical, public sector background. We talk about her life and career transition from New York to East Africa, how Turaco is providing micro-insurance to hundreds of Ugandans and Kenyans + more.  

In this episode, I'm joined by Tiffanie Anderson Founder of Away To Africa a destination management company dedicated to providing guided, cultural tours throughout selected countries in Africa.

In this episode, I'm joined by Afua Osei Co-founder of She Leads Africa, a digital lifestyle platform for millennial multicultural women and Partnerships Strategist helping digital entrepreneurs scale.

www.afuaosei.com

In this episode, I'm exploring the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) alongside Maudo Jallow Associate for the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI) and formally International Development Expert for the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO). 

What is the AfCFTA? What does it mean for African economies and people? What are the potential challenges and opportunities for entrepreneurs?

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China’s relationship with Africa remains misunderstood, often oversimplified or plainly inaccurately reported which makes it difficult for Africans in the diaspora especially to effectively engage.

Is it all debt traps and mask diplomacy? And importantly what will this relationship look like post-COVID-19? In this episode, I'm joined by Benedicte King China-Africa scholar and travel blogger and Runako Celina co-Founder of Black Livity China an online platform documenting 360° of Black experiences both in China and in relation to China. Both have lived, worked, studied and experienced China as Africans whilst Runako is still living in Beijing for 6 years and counting. In this 2 part episode, we discuss the treatment of Africans in Gouzoung, the future of China-Africa relations post COVID-19 and finally demystify Africa's loan agreements with the Chinese.

Link to suggested resources

China’s relationship with Africa remains misunderstood, often oversimplified or plainly inaccurately reported which makes it difficult for Africans in the diaspora especially to effectively engage.

Is it all debt traps and mask diplomacy? And importantly what will this relationship look like post-COVID-19? In this episode, I'm joined by Benedicte King China-Africa scholar and travel blogger and Runako Celina co-Founder of Black Livity China an online platform documenting 360° of Black experiences both in China and in relation to China. Both have lived, worked, studied and experienced China as Africans whilst Runako is still living in Beijing for 6 years and counting. In this 2 part episode, we discuss the treatment of Africans in Gouzoung, the future of China-Africa relations post COVID-19 and finally demystify Africa's loan agreements with the Chinese. 

Link to suggested resources

The Black lives Matter Movement has been at the centre of the fight for racial justice and freedom for black people globally. However, this year the movement has seen a surge of support and reach. Today I’m joined by 3 guests all of whom are members of the African diaspora, to discuss the movement’s impact on Africa: its perception, its cultures and its people.

We discuss The movement's impact on the push to 'return home', the 'Wakandafication' of African cultures and Black economic empowerment. 

Raphael Dapaah: @raphaeldapaah 

Nicole Tagoe: @_arado_

Beni Ngwamah: www.wekainvest.com

66% of Africans are unbanked. This means that people lack access to the most fundamental financial services. However whilst most Africans are without traditional banking services as we know it 97% have mobile phones. This creates a great opportunity for digital banking services to fill in the gaps. Eversend is a pan-African neobank based in Uganda. It provides multi-currency wallets and currency exchange and plans to offer personal loans, savings, group savings, merchant payments and investments in the future.

In this episode, I’m speaking with Co-founder and CEO of Eversend Stone Atwine. We discuss the importance of financial inclusion, Uganda's tech ecosystem and tips for aspiring African fintech entrepreneurs.