Payment-processing company Mastercard has revealed the winners of its second edition of the Women SME (small and medium enterprise) Leaders Award through an online ceremony, recognizing the achievements of women-led firms in 22 sectors across several industries throughout Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EEMEA).
Moroccan entrepreneur and Managing Director of Ecofertil Mona Alami Merrouni was among the winners, shining in “The Leaders in Agriculture” category. Established in 1992, Ecofertil is specialized in composting organic materials.
Alami took to Linkedin to express her happiness about the recognition when she was shortlisted, saying that she is “grateful to be recognized as an achieving woman who has made significant contributions in the field of agritech.”
“Thanks again for these kicks that help us keep the motivation high to continue making an impact one step at a time,” Alami added.
Launched in partnership with Entrepreneur Middle East, the Mastercard Women SME Leaders Awards is the first program of its kind that celebrates women-owned and run SMEs that shape the region’s future, said Mastercard in a press release.
The award received over 4,000 entries from businesses with less than $13.6 million (MAD 136.1 million) turnover and employing six to 50 individuals.
Amnah Ajmal, Executive Vice President of Market Development, Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa at Mastercard, congratulated all the winners and praised their contributions and dedication to the SME success story.
“The second edition of the awards has once again exceeded our expectations – from receiving entries from diverse businesses to seeing the women of tomorrow raising the bar as we embrace a future that includes more women across industries,” Ajmal said.
In addition to Alami, the winners included 22 women entrepreneurs from Azerbaijan, UAE, Botswana, South Africa, Kuwait, and Nigeria, among other countries.
The Women SME Leaders Award aims to promote women’s inclusion across several sectors as the region embraces a future with greater gender diversity. In addition, it is part of Mastercard’s goal to connect 25 million women entrepreneurs to the digital economy by 2025.
