A Pretoria entrepreneur Rabia Ghoor was announced as the winner of this year’s Forbes Young Achievers Award.
The awards were broadcast virtually and were held after a two-day virtual interaction focused on this year's theme, Africa Reloaded: The Power of The Collective.
The 6th annual Forbes Woman Africa Leading Women Summit honoured some of the continent's most impactful women. The awards had eight categories.
Ghoor who owns a company named Swiitch beauty said winning the award has opened doors for her.
Here products include skin mist, serum, and sunscreen.
“After being announced as the winner, I received tons of emails for collaborations and of opportunities for further interviews.
“That is exposure for my brand and myself. I think winning opened networking opportunities,” she said.
“During the coronavirus pandemic networking was difficult because we were not attending conferences and events.
“I am grateful for this opportunity to network,” she said.
Ghoor’s company which she has been running for six years is an online-based digital e-commerce beauty brand.
“We make affordable, good quality, trendy beauty products for the South African consumer.
“We have an Instagram page with over 100 000 followers, and a website where people can directly shop the products,” she said.
Ghoor said she never thought she would win the award.
“I have been attending this event for the last three years as a guest, this year, I was informed about a month ago that I would be nominated because so many people get nominated, I didn’t think I would win.”
Forbes Africa and Forbes Woman Africa managing editor Renuka Methil said: “I’d like to congratulate all the 2021 award winners for being such incredible leaders in their respective fields, particularly after such a tumultuous year.”
Methil said while this year’s awards were adapted to an online format, they were able to reach a bigger audience.
“While we do miss the face-to-face interaction, the digital space allowed us to expand the #LeadingWomanSummit footprint and reach a much bigger audience,” she said.
Methil said: “the global pandemic creating so much disruption worldwide, this summit was a welcome opportunity to get insight from these grounded, inspiring women who’ve all given us a renewed sense of hope.”
Ghoor said when Covid-19 hit, some of her competitors were scrambling to hop onto the internet.
“During the lockdown, people were home and using social media a lot, which allowed my brand to be discovered. 2020 was my best year yet, financially.”
Last year’s winners included Aisha Pandor, co-founder of SweepSouth; DJ Zinhle; Olajumoke Adenowo, founder of Ad Consulting; Bafana Khumalo, co-founder of Sonke Gender Justice; and Irene Charnley, founder and Deputy Chairman of Smile Telecoms Holdings; among others.
BUSINESS REPORT ONLINE