The African Women in Supply Chain Association (AWISCA) of South Africa has signed an MOU with the Women in Logistics & Transport (WiLAT) organization of the Ivory Coast to collaborate in the delivery of a training in tailor-made entrepreneurial skills in supply chain and logistics and to strengthen these capacities across the African continent through mentoring, training and coaching.
AWISCA is an organization focused on uplifting, empowering and transforming the supply chain skills environment in Sub-Saharan Africa. The partnership aims to address shortages and capacity gaps and provide integrated solutions that address these challenges pragmatically.
Founded by Lebo Letsoalo, a world-renowned supply chain champion and expert, the association also aims to bring the supply chain curriculum in African higher education institutions to a globally competitive level.
In this partnership with WiLAT, both will develop a program to unlock the continent’s potential through entrepreneurship, anchored around the various opportunities within the scope of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement ).
“The program will require the development of relevant skills in entrepreneurship within the supply chain and logistics sectors to effectively harness the opportunities of the AfCFTA agreement, especially for the continent’s youth and women,” says Lebo Letsoalo, founder and director of AWISCA.
The partnership will also foster a student exchange program based on mentorship and training that will see Ivorian supply chain and logistics students visit South Africa on a skills transfer and exchange mission and the same for South African students.
The entrepreneurship element of the training will be delivered to budding entrepreneurs in the same space, with a key focus on technical skills relevant to the AfCFTA agreement and through business and supplier development.
WiLAT Côte D’Ivoire is an organization that promotes the social status of women in the supply chain, logistics and transport industries and coordinates the efforts of other organizations that help the professional development of women and entrepreneurs in Africa .
WiLAT CI President Carine Toure Yemtia says the agreement with AWISCA will allow its programs to scale up and expand to many more women and countries on the continent: “In addition to skills development initiatives, the understanding seeks to develop an advanced curriculum and continuing education. that will benefit women in the sector. We also want to help create relevant policies that will empower and uplift women in our industries, especially in Franco nations.”
AWISCA and WiLAT Côte D’Ivoire will work collaboratively, reaching many SSA economies over the next three years. It will also collaborate with other companies and organizations with the desired expertise to achieve the aforementioned goals.
AWISCA has already partnered with WiLAT SA and CILT SA (The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport) and will expand the partnerships to several African countries.
