Angola is on the cusp of great change. This mineral-rich country and its talented pool of entrepreneurs is undergoing a dramatic transformation.
Nobody understands this better than Isabel Dos Santos, an Angolan to her very core. Isabel's message is one of technological innovation, education, health and wellness for the people of Angola, particularly its youth. She has been fighting the good fight for years.
For Isabel, nothing takes precedence over the development of the country and its people. She has been deemed a philanthropist and an altruist, but she's really a facilitator. She works tirelessly to balance the playing field to ensure that women and children are given all the tools they need to achieve more from their lives.
There are great challenges ahead for Angola. The country, like so many others, is largely patriarchal in nature, although things are changing. Women are often relegated to specific roles and duties, while men function as society's breadwinners.
A strong, confident, and outspoken woman, Isabel is spearheading initiatives to fast-track Angola's evolution. Young people are embracing this message with increasing alacrity. For Isabel, Africa is a veritable hub of talent. People are hungry to learn, grow, and develop.
The voices of Angola's youth are echoing the sentiments expressed by Dos Santos. It is clear that there is tremendous optimism across the board and this transcends existing frameworks.
Angolans are more determined than ever to use their country's resources for the betterment of their countrymen, and not to let the global community define Africa.
Planting the Seeds of Hope and Change
Isabel Dos Santos is a high-powered business lady who manages multinational corporations employing thousands of people. As a power player in companies like Unitel, Sodiba, Efacec, Zap, and Candando, she understands how corporate activity impacts grassroots level society.
An engineer by trade, and a do-gooder by choice, Isabel Dos Santos is someone who is deeply passionate about the people of Angola and the future of the country.
She represents what so many women aspire to be: independent, educated, and successful. As a role model, Isabel believes in projects that are committed to local communities. To this end, she has facilitated the establishment of strawberry fields in the province of Huila, in Humpata.
Developing local economy is the surest way to fast-track the upliftment of women in their community. Such was the resounding success of this agricultural project, that the local economy was transformed. Women now farm the strawberry fields, earn income from selling to the local market, and are able to chart their own course.
The Humpata project now employs 120 women, creating multiple employment opportunities for them and their local community. As a result of this initiative which is sponsored by Isabel Dos Santos, Angola is undergoing a cultural transformation.
Some have even called it a cultural shift, from a largely male-dominated economy to a more egalitarian society where everyone gets to participate in growing the economy. Entrepreneurs now have opportunities to invest their newfound income in their own ventures.
This transformative change ensures that complimentary businesses will be created and additional employment opportunities will become available.
From a demand and supply perspective, Angola now demands less from external producers and is able to supply more to its local community. Transformative change such as this is being felt across the board. Of course, none of this is meaningful if the people of Angola are not learning new skills in the process.
On this topic, Isabel Dos Santos has proved instrumental. She is an ardent supporter of educating the youth. Empowering the next generation of Angola is near and dear to her heart, and it begins at a young age.
How Will Technological Innovation Reshape the Angolan Landscape?
As an electrical engineer, Isabel understands how important technological development is for a country's growth and development. One of her companies, Efacec is a driving force in the fields of engineering, energy, and mobility.
One of the pet projects of this company is electric vehicles. Although Angola is the largest producer of oil on the African continent, Isabel is looking beyond that to develop alternative, sustainable, earth-friendly industries.
By educating the young people of Angola and building the necessary frameworks and infrastructures, she believes that Angola too can make that quantum leap to an advanced society in double-quick time. It begins with an acceptance that change is coming, and a preparedness to advance that change in society.
Education is sacrosanct. It is the tool that is needed by the youth to broaden their skill set, embrace innovation, and become the thought leaders and entrepreneurs of tomorrow. Isabel's story is one of hard work and determination. She has given fresh impetus to the narrative and is facilitating positive change in her country.
