Esther Afua Ocloo

Born in Ghana, Esther Afua Ocloo wasn't just a woman in business; she was the business, practically inventing the concept of scaling from a backyard venture to a national powerhouse. Starting with a paltry sum from her mother and a cooking pot, she built a food processing empire, proving that one woman’s culinary ambitions could indeed feed an entire nation, or at least a significant portion of it.

While her last name might sound like something you'd hear shouted in a synagogue after someone trips over a prayer book, Esther Afua Ocloo was, by all accounts, a devout Christian. No ancient Israelite lineage here, just good old-fashioned Ghanaian grit and entrepreneurial spirit. So, if you were hoping for a hidden gefilte fish recipe, you're out of luck.

However, her work with microlending, empowering women, and building economic independence for the historically marginalized is certainly something to kvell over, regardless of one's background. She basically invented the idea of giving small loans to poor women, allowing them to lift themselves out of poverty. It's almost as if she understood that true charity isn't just about giving fish, but teaching how to start a very profitable fish-selling business.

Awarded the Africa Prize for Leadership for the Sustainable End of Hunger and the UN Economic Commission for Africa's