Last month, The Global Food and Drink Initiative’s executive director Sheree Williams accepted the role of mentor for nine women who are fellows as part of the 2024 Leading Women in African Food Fellowship program (LAWFF).
LAWFF is a program offered yearly by African Food Changemakers based in Nigeria. Each year, the program welcomes over 40 women from throughout the continent who are doing amazing work within their own organizations or within companies. Fellowship categories into which women are placed include:
- Top Chefs in Africa
- Trailblazers
- Food and Beverage Narrative Changers
- Disrupters
- Ecosystem Enablers
As a mentor, Sheree will work with women working in Kenya, Ghana, Burundi, Nigeria, Egypt and Uganda to address pain points in their businesses or careers and how to grow and expand opportunities.
“I am so excited to learn about the work each fellow is doing to enhance and make food accessible to all. It is a very exciting time in food and in Africa, so I look forward to learning from them as much as they will hopefully learn from me,” says Sheree.
Building a Legacy in Publishing
In addition, Sheree will also extend her publishing expertise to a fellow up-and-coming publisher through the Black Owned Media Equity and Sustainability Institute (BOMESI). Using your voice to tell stories is one thing, and publishing them in digital and print publication is another.
“When I started over 14 years ago, I had no clue what I was doing. In addition, the landscape has changed so much, especially going from print to digital. It is another game. But I am excited to share what I know so that the next publisher following their dreams will be able to avoid some of my mistakes and make technology your friend vs. foe.”
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