UNCTAD WOMEN IN BUSINESS AWARD 2008

One of Enterprise Uganda’s three entrants to the competition Ms. Sapphira Nyabunwa, CEO of Safi Cleaners Ltd. made it to the top 10 finalists and emerged the overall second runner-up winner of the prestigious inaugural Award which was presented in Accra, Ghana.

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) recently launched the First Women in Business Award in Accra, Ghana on the occasion of the 12^th Ministerial Conference of UNCTAD. The 10 finalists selected from all over the world were evaluated according to selected criteria by a panel of experts in the fields of entrepreneurship and private sector development. The selection criteria used included: innovation; entrepreneurial talent; outcomes and achievements.

The 10 Finalists were: Elba Rosa Torrado, (Argentina); Lea Edith Medji Dede (Benin); Paola Borges Barcellos Tucunduva (Brazil); Messeret Belihu (Ethiopia); Augustine E. Hammond (Ghana); Paully Apea-Kubi (Ghana); Irene Bacchus (Guyana); Sana Zaal Burgan (Jordan); Sapphira Nyabunwa (Uganda); and Emelda Nyasha Nyamupingidza (Zimbabwe).

Safi Cleaners Ltd, is located on Ground Floor, Postel Building on Plot 67/75 Yusuf Lule Road, Kampala City.  It  provides cleaning, compound maintenance, Fumigation/Pest control, Garbage collection and disposal, Dry cleaning and Laundry services to Government ministries and institutions, NGO’s, Embassies, Banks, TNCs in Uganda, private companies, leading Hotels, Factories, Supermarkets ,Hospitals, Schools, Offices, Commercial Buildings, private residences etc.

 Employment Created 

Her operational work force are drawn from mainly the semi-illiterate and disadvantaged groups like : women and girls; street children; people who are HIV/AIDs positive; sex workers; orphans; widows; retrenched employees, etc. Currently, Safi employs over 800 and 75% of them are women and girls. 

Other Wards Won by Safi

In addition to the UNCTAD WIB Award, Safi has also received 3 National Business Achievers Awards: Best Young Business Woman of the Year 2000; The Presidential Transformers and Business Achievers Award 2005; and Woman Achiever of the Year 2006.

The annual Award will be granted to women-owned businesses that have benefited from the business development services of the empretec programme – a model used by Enterprise Uganda for the promotion of entrepreneurship in Uganda and other 27 developing countries. The award highlights the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in developing countries and provides incentives for women in all countries to rise to the challenge of entrepreneurship.

Copyright © 2008 Enterprise Uganda

Home | Webmaster: cgoumo@enterprise.co.ug
Design: Creative Solutions Limited

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ms. Sapphira Nyabunwa