Karidjata Diallo is the only girl among seven brothers. She lives in Ivory Coast. Her parents, very traditionalist Peuhls, did not really see the point of sending her to school.
For her, it was a resolution. From CM2, she spent her holidays working in families or in small businesses to buy her books and school supplies. Knowledge, she knew, would be her freedom. Her mind formed, she said, in the confrontation. To get what she wanted, she always had to fight. So she learned “to dare and hang on”. She built her future victory after victory and she led her little brothers in her wake.
At the end of her studies, Karidjata spent eight years in a multinational, as a sales engineer in charge of key accounts.
During a mission, she spots flaws in the system, “hiccups”. She advocates solutions. But no one really listens to him. Nothing changes. It’s frustrating. “I don’t like the word frustration, I prefer to say motivation. “And indeed, it is there, in the realization that nothing wants to move, that she decides to leave.
On her way, she faces “great moments of solitude”. Just before launching her first business, she loses her future partner. He withdrew “because it was too risky. Here, having a good job is already an opportunity in itself. Letting go of it for a dream is practically madness. Worse when you have a family. We tell ourselves that if we fail, we take everyone with us. “
But her, her considerations did not stop her. She already has a child when she takes the plunge: from employee to business owner. During the first twelve months of its activity, it was robbed seven times. “Seven times in a year! This is the fate that hangs over you. It must be said that at the time the Ivory Coast was emerging from a period of war. People were walking down the street armed with Kalashnikovs. Fear is not enough to discourage her. She adapts, changes clients. The main thing is to hold on. She knows that she must continue for her brothers, her children, and for all the little girls who are victims of the stereotypes she wants to encourage to move forward.
She never gave up. And finally, luck kindly smiled on him.
Today, it employs fifteen people, spread over two companies, the first in telecom and the second in events www.pw.ci. Last year, at the African Diaspora Days in Bordeaux, she met Éric Bazin and his LAB. This business incubator, unique in its kind in Africa, allows it “to access the right information, to a global network and also to contribute to the emergence of talent”. Her greatest ambition now is to help, support and inspire the women of her country. She therefore founded the Actives association, which aims to encourage them to become entrepreneurs. A fight that is close to his heart in this Ivory Coast where still so many women are abused, excised, forced into marriage, where those who try to break the norm are quickly put back on track.
And when asked if she has a message, to whom she would like to address: “To the women and girls of Africa, all over the world: never stop dreaming”.
Karidjata Dalio, Éric Bazin discovered her a year ago in Bordeaux, where she pitched her business model. Immediately seduced by her “incredible energy”, he invited her to the Global Conference in Chantilly. She still dazzled the participants with her strength. She represents a model for the LAB, explains Éric Bazin, who told us that the young woman would soon be invited to participate in the Jury of the African Rethink Award.
In addition, she is the proud patron of Edit Africa International. This small company of fifteen employees, whose turnover reached 700 million CFA francs in 2014 (1.07 million euros).
idja
Source: JeuneAfrique.com/ opinion-internationale.com

About The Author

CEO AfrikaTech

Comme beaucoup de personnes j’ai connu l’Afrique à travers des stéréotypes : l’Afrique est pauvre, il y a la guerre, famine… Je suis devenu entrepreneur pour briser ces clichés et participer à la construction du continent. J’ai lancé plusieurs entreprises dont Kareea (Formation et développement web), Tutorys (Plate-forme de e-learning), AfrikanFunding (Plate-forme de crowdfunding). Après un échec sur ma startup Tutorys, à cause d’une mauvaise exécution Business, un manque de réseau, pas de mentor, je suis parti 6 mois en immersion dans l’écosystème Tech au Sénégal. J’ai rencontré de nombreux entrepreneurs passionnés, talentueux et déterminés. A mon retour sur Paris je décide de raconter leur histoire en créant le média AfrikaTech. L'objectif est de soutenir les entrepreneurs qui se battent quotidiennement en Afrique en leur offrant la visibilité, les connaissances, le réseautage et les capitaux nécessaires pour réussir. L'Afrique de demain se construit aujourd'hui ensemble. Rejoignez-nous ! LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/boubacardiallo

Related Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.