Isabel Dos Santos champions transformative change in Angola. As an Angolan mother, wife, and social entrepreneur, she does her part to bring prosperity to the country. Her story serves as an inspiration to many, given the obstacles she overcame and the changes she has already introduced. As one of just two electrical engineering graduates in her class at Kings College in London, Isabel Dos Santos set about her mission of developing Africa’s potential. Her efforts, often in the face of overwhelming adversity, ultimately succeeded and positive changes are afoot in Angola.
Isabel Dos Santos is a name that inspires many people across Africa. But it was not always an easy road for her. As a woman in a patriarchal society, her vision for female empowerment was often fraught with challenges. Entrenched systems were resistant to change, yet she persevered. Dos Santos’ business acumen is well known. As the chairman of Unitel, an Angolan mobile telecommunications company established in 2001, Dos Santos has been a pivotal figure in the provision of prepaid contracts, recharge vouchers, and telecommunication services to people throughout Angola. The company actively promotes women from within the ranks, in line with Isabel’s women empowerment initiatives.
More Women Participating in the African Dream
The cultural zeitgeist of Angola is more embracing of egalitarian thinking nowadays, thanks to the hard work of business leaders and empowerment initiatives. Erstwhile systems of education and economy are giving way to more inclusive frameworks which actively encourage women to participate in higher education and skills training, and economic growth and development.
As a case in point, Dos Santos inspired local communities through the strawberry plantations in Humpata in the province of Huila, Angola. By providing the requisite skills training and expertise for local farmers, she assisted 120 females to become financially independent, skilled business owners. The positive spinoff from such actions allows local communities to thrive, through improved family support structures and development.
As a socially responsible leader, her efforts have rubbed off onto many of her fellow countrymen. Women’s rights are now a hot-topic issue in Angola, and this matter receives plenty of attention at the highest levels. As far back as 2007, Angola signed onto the Protocol to the African Charter on Human Rights and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa. The changes are possible through a concerted effort to actively promote education and skills training for women.
Education for the Nation: Building Literacy, Skills and Professionalism
By prioritizing tertiary education, Isabel and her change advocates are effectively boosting numbers in the workforce, driving up GDP, and inspiring a new way of thinking on the continent. To this end, she routinely stresses the importance of making a difference in the lives of everyday people. Her companies have provided 6 scholarships for Angolan students to go and study at the Royal Agricultural University in the United Kingdom.
Her telecommunications company, Unitel has also invested in educational initiatives for university students, namely the ‘Seeds for the Future’ program. Selected candidates will have an opportunity to engage in cross-cultural exchange and learning in Beijing, China. Unitel and Huawei have teamed up to allow for this culturally immersive experience. Candidates will get to experience first-hand how China operates at scale, with cutting-edge technology, innovative design, and efficiency.
Beyond the books, Isabel’s work is also paying dividends at grassroots level. One of her pet projects is the Home Kuzola, in the capital city Luanda. Hundreds of children are provided with a safe, secure, and supportive environment. This initiative is one of many she currently supports. Others include the Global Lives Project, and ZAP TV which is actively working to better the living conditions of young people.
As the face of female empowerment in Angola, Isabel talks about real change on the continent. She speaks of Africa, ‘…. Brimming with entrepreneurs’, and of ‘…Making a difference in the lives of everyday people.’ Her companies, including Unitel, ZAP, Candando, Sodiba and EFACEC serve as empowerment vehicles for women. She has instructed her human resources managers to promote from within, and to provide the skills training and development needed for women to assume managerial positions.
When quizzed about how she plans to tackle unemployment challenges in Angola, her default response is ‘skills training and education.’ Coupled with the provision of equal opportunities for men and women, Dos Santos believes that unemployment can be combated in Angola. By opening up the labor market to everyone who is willing and able to work, she believes ‘…the economy can go from strength to strength.’
