ISABEL DOS SANTOS, EMPOWERING WOMEN TO STRIVE FOR SUCCESS

Isabel dos Santos is the richest businesswoman in Africa. She has built an empire for herself from scratch, and now she is globally recognized for her work. Isabel dos Santos spent her early childhood living in different countries, and this exposed her to different cultures and lifestyles. Isabel was able to see the progress that other countries made in terms of technology and infrastructure and wanted to make the same changes back home (TheNewsVersion).

Isabel dos Santos attained an electrical engineering degree from King’s College and used the degree to open a telecommunications business. The company, named Unitel, is headed by Isabel dos Santos. Through the company, Isabel has improved Angola’s infrastructure in terms of communication. Access to cellular communication was made easier in both rural and urban areas by Unitel. C Communication improved a great deal in Angola after the establishment of Unitel.

The company also provided job opportunities to over 50,000 people in Angola. Telecommunications is not the only industry that Dos Santos has ventured into. While many entrepreneurs prefer to focus on one sector and give it their best, Isabel has worked with different industry, including finance and construction. She was also successful in these fields. Isabel dos Santos revealed during an interview that it was no easy for her in the male-dominated society, especially since she was working in Africa.

Women in Africa are given the label of homemakers whose work is to take care of children. Isabel has dealt with the assumption that she is a housewife married to a rich man so many times whenever she goes out in public. The office situation is no better as women tend to be discriminated by their male counterparts.

She admitted that even now her opinions and contributions are second-guessed proving that sexism still exists in business. Fortunately, the practice is slowly wearing off, and women are now given chances to prove their worth. For a woman trying to excel in Africa, Isabel dos Santos has faced sexism and discrimination and advises them to be persistent and patient. They should embrace their talents and skills and use these talents in the business. Agriculture is a growing field in Africa, and young entrepreneurs should invest in it.

Interesting news on Santos´philanthropic projects at https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p039c4x3