Entrepreneur Advice from Jennifer Riria: Expect to make mistakes

October 3, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Dr. Jennifer Riria, Group CEO of Kenya Women Holding — **Dr. Jennifer Riria**, Group CEO of Kenya Women Holding

“Have the humility to accept your failure so that you can use that as a basis as you move on. I never say I have a problem, I say I have a challenge. A challenge is like a pearl [which] grows in an oyster and it is an irritant to the oyster but when they come out they are precious. So you, as an entrepreneur, must find out what your pearls are. I use challenges as a basis to springboard to a better standard.”

Dr. Jennifer Riria, Group CEO of Echo Network Africa (ENA) & founding member of Kenya Women Holding and Kenya Women Finance Trust Microfinance Bank

100 LIONESSES: Jennifer Riria recognized with two prestigious awards in Kenya

September 2, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Dr Jennifer Riria, the founding member of Kenya Women Holding and Kenya Women Finance Trust Microfinance Bank, and the CEO of Echo Network Africa, has been officially recognized for her longstanding impact and contribution to Kenyan society with two awards.

Quote of the Day by Jennifer Riria

April 26, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Dr. Jennifer Riria, Group Chief Executive of Kenya Women Holding — **Dr. Jennifer Riria**, Group Chief Executive of **Kenya Women Holding**

"Women disproportionately face financial access barriers that prevent them from participating in the economy and from improving their lives."

Dr. Jennifer Riria, Group CEO of Kenya Women Holding

Quote of the Day by Jennifer Riria

November 8, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Dr. Jennifer Riria (Right), founder & group chief executive of Kenya Women Holding — **Dr. Jennifer Riria** (Right), founder & group chief executive of Kenya Women Holding

“Leadership is not about you. It’s about us. I believe women are God-made leaders.”

- Dr. Jennifer Riria is the Group CEO of Kenya Women Holding and one of Africa's leading women entrepreneurs who has always been on a mission to transform the lives of women and their families in her native Kenya. She is distinguished as a microfinance banker and practitioner, researcher and gender specialist. She has served in many leadership roles for which she has been recognized locally and internationally. In 2013 she was awarded the Ernst & Young (EY) Entrepreneur of the year, East Africa 2013, and subsequently, the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2014, at which point she was admitted to EY’s Global Hall of Fame.

DR. JENNIFER RIRIA '100 Lionesses' Profile - Meet the woman who has committed herself to empowering Kenya's women

October 8, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Dr. Jennifer Riria is the Group CEO of Kenya Women Holding and one of Africa's leading women entrepreneurs who has always been on a mission to transform the lives of women and their families in her native Kenya. She is distinguished microfinance banker, researcher and a leading gender specialist. She has served in many leadership roles for which she has been recognized locally and internationally. In 2013 she was awarded the Ernst & Young (EY) Entrepreneur of the year, East Africa 2013, and subsequently, the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2014, at which point she was admitted to EY’s Global Hall of Fame.

100 LIONESSES: Dr Jennifer Riria, a business leader empowering Kenya's women

September 24, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Dr. Jennifer Riria is the Group CEO of Kenya Women Holding and one of Africa's leading women entrepreneurs who has always been on a mission to transform the lives of women and their families in her native Kenya. She is distinguished as a microfinance banker and practitioner, researcher and gender specialist. She has served in many leadership roles for which she has been recognized locally and internationally. In 2013 she was awarded the Ernst & Young (EY) Entrepreneur of the year, East Africa 2013, and subsequently, the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2014, at which point she was admitted to EY’s Global Hall of Fame.

Quote of the Day by Dr. Jennifer Riria

June 7, 2017 Melanie Hawken

“I think one of the things that women suffer from is talking about themselves... We grow up to serve and never to think about ourselves. Women are the last to admit their accomplishments.”

Quote of the Day by Jennifer Riria

April 10, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Jennifer Riria, group chief executive of Kenya Women Holding — **Jennifer Riria**, group chief executive of Kenya Women Holding

“There are many poor people in Africa and the majority of them are women. We chose to work with women because they are the mainstay of the economy. We want women to transform the way the world works for them and their families. You cannot transform it for them but you can build their capacity to transform their own lives. That is what is sustainable.”

Quote of the Day by Jennifer Riria

March 21, 2017 Melanie Hawken

“... the woman is the core. She holds us up. In Africa, you just have to deal with the issues that affect the productivity of women. They bring food to the table. They bring education to the household. They bring medical care in the household... It is essential to support women, if we want to make a difference, if we want to transform the way the world works, for them and their families.”

- Dr. Jennifer Riria is the Group CEO of Kenya Women Holding and one of Africa's leading women entrepreneurs who has always been on a mission to transform the lives of women and their families in her native Kenya. She is distinguished as a microfinance banker and practitioner, researcher and gender specialist. She has served in many leadership roles for which she has been recognized locally and internationally. In 2013 she was awarded the Ernst & Young (EY) Entrepreneur of the year, East Africa, and subsequently, the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2014, at which point she was admitted to EY’s Global Hall of Fame.

Quote of the Day by Jennifer Riria

January 11, 2017 Melanie Hawken

"Women disproportionately face financial access barriers that prevent them from participating in the economy and from improving their lives."

Quote of the Day by Dr. Jennifer Riria

October 31, 2016 Melanie Hawken

“Growing up, I learnt a lot from my mother because she was a go-getter. She is my role model, my rock and my mentor. She encouraged me to believe in myself.”

Jennifer Riria set to address the 4th Athens Democracy Forum on September 14-18

September 11, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Jennifer Riria, Group CEO of Kenya Women Holding Company — **Jennifer Riria**, Group CEO of Kenya Women Holding Company

Is democracy good for business? Is liberal democracy compatible with religion? Should the major institutions of global governance be reformed, or scrapped? Do terrorist attacks justify giving greater powers to security forces? These and many more questions will be raised and discussed during the 4th Athens Democracy Forum, which will be held in the Greek capital on September 14-18. Organized by The New York Times this illustrious gathering is set to bring together individuals leading the way in their respective fields, including Jennifer Riria, Group CEO of Kenya Women Holding Company.

Quote of the Day by Jennifer Riria

August 25, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Dr. Jennifer Riria is the Group CEO of Kenya Women Holding — Dr. Jennifer Riria is the Group CEO of Kenya Women Holding

"We have proven women are bankable. That you can invest in women and they can be trusted to pay back and grow their business."

Quote of the Day by Jennifer Riria

May 6, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Jennifer Riria is group chief executive of Kenya Women Holding — Jennifer Riria is group chief executive of Kenya Women Holding

“Women in Africa do not need charity to finance the issue. Control of the resources that they create is the issue, and respect in the financial sector is the issue.”

Quote of the Day by Dr. Jennifer Riria

March 29, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Dr. Jennifer Riria, CEO Kenya Women Holding — **Dr. Jennifer Riria**, CEO Kenya Women Holding

“You need to believe that tripping is not falling. You trip, you get up and you move on. Sometimes you break a toe, you wrap it and you move on.”

Jennifer Riria wins the 2016 Oslo Business for Peace Award

March 12, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Dr Jennifer Riria, Group CEO of Kenya Women Holding (KWH) — **Dr Jennifer Riria**, Group CEO of Kenya Women Holding (KWH)

March 8, 2016 – Oslo, Norway: On International Women’s Day, UNDP Administrator Helen Clark highlighted the role of female business leaders in driving positive societal change as she announced this year’s Business for Peace Honourees.Helen Clark, Administrator of the United Nations Development Program, announced the three winners of the 2016 Oslo Business for Peace Award; Sarah Beydoun from Lebanon, Dr Jennifer Nkuene Riria from Kenya and Tore Lærdal from Norway.

Entrepreneur Advice from Dr. Jennifer Riria - Find your passion

June 16, 2015 Melanie Hawken

My message to Africa’s young aspiring business people and entrepreneurs...

"What are they passionate about? What can you die for? That is the first thing they should find out and go die for it."

Dr Jennifer Riria named 'Africa Economy Builders – Entrepreneur of the Year for 2015'

April 27, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Dr. Jennifer Riria, founder and Group CEO of Kenya Women Holding has been named as the Africa Economy Builders – Entrepreneur of the Year Award for 2015. She will be the first woman from East Africa to win this prestigious pan-Africa award that seeks to reward and recognize persons who have contributed significantly to Africa’s growth.

Entrepreneur Advice from Dr. Jennifer Riria - Mentorship, like any good business plan, needs to be structured and done in levels

April 16, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Women need to see that it can be done....

"My definition of mentors is people who will get women to move to the next level. It is not the ones who say ‘be good and be nice,’ no. Whatever it takes to move you to the next level, take it. Mentorship is a slow process, perhaps even slower for women being mentored into leadership roles because they will also be breaking the barriers of culture and the ladders of tradition at the same time."

Kenya'S Jennifer Riria wins EY Entrepreneur Award

February 12, 2015 Melanie Hawken

Dr. Jennifer Riria (Right) with her EY Award in the master category for the Kenyan region — **Dr. Jennifer Riria** (Right) with her EY Award in the master category for the Kenyan region

Source: CNBC Africe | by Elayne Wangalwa | 12 February 2015

The award was won in the master category for the Kenyan region. The internationally acclaimed entrepreneur awards being held in Monte Carlo, Monaco saw Riria represent East Africa alongside other regional master category winners from more than 145 cities in more than 60 countries across the globe.

"Women disproportionately face financial access barriers that prevent them from participating in the economy and from improving their lives."

“Leadership is not about you. It’s about us. I believe women are God-made leaders.”

“I think one of the things that women suffer from is talking about themselves... We grow up to serve and never to think about ourselves. Women are the last to admit their accomplishments.”

"Women disproportionately face financial access barriers that prevent them from participating in the economy and from improving their lives."

“Growing up, I learnt a lot from my mother because she was a go-getter. She is my role model, my rock and my mentor. She encouraged me to believe in myself.”

"We have proven women are bankable. That you can invest in women and they can be trusted to pay back and grow their business."

“Women in Africa do not need charity to finance the issue. Control of the resources that they create is the issue, and respect in the financial sector is the issue.”

“You need to believe that tripping is not falling. You trip, you get up and you move on. Sometimes you break a toe, you wrap it and you move on.”

"What are they passionate about? What can you die for? That is the first thing they should find out and go die for it."

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