Springbok Women head coach Louis Koen made nine changes to his starting team and 11 overall when he named his squad to play Kenya in the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup at Stade Makis in Antananarivo on Wednesday.

Free State Women outside back Sikholiwe Mdletshe will earn her first cap after being named on the left wing, while regular starter Sinazo Mcatshulwa returns at flanker for South Africa’s second match of the tournament, after they outplayed Cameroon 55-0 in the opening match on Saturday.

Koen selected a new midfield, where Jakkie Cilliers will link up with Aphiwe Ngwevu, a try-scorer off the bench against Cameroon. Tayla Kinsey, South Africa’s most capped scrumhalf, will swop places with Rumandi Potgieter after playing her 33rd Test match off the bench at the weekend.

Squad personnel Azisa Mkiva, Roseline Botes and Xoliswa Khuzwayo swap their opening match bench role for starting positions in the front row against Kenya.

Botes (hooker) swops places with Lindelwa Gwala and Khuzwayo (prop) with Sanelisiwe Charlie. Mkiva replaced the injured Aliyah Tchogna-Njamen early in the Cameroon game, which means Amber Schonert, who made her Test debut at the same venue last year, will provide tighthead cover against Kenya.

Vainah Ubisi and Nomsa Mokwai also swop jerseys, with Ubisi starting and Mokwai moving to the bench where she will be joined by Unathi Qolo, who will be keen to start her contribution to the Springbok Women’s quest to qualify for next year’s Rugby World Cup in England.

The Springbok Women’s last Test against Kenya was in September 2023 at the University of Western Cape Stadium in Bellville, where South Africa won by 77-12.

Only five players who started against Kenya in that Test are back and will run out in the starting line-up again: Cilliers, Mcatshulwa, Botes, Byrhandrè Dolf and Lusanda Dumke.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of South African Rugby.

Note to editors: Audio notes of Louis Koen can be downloaded here (https://apo-opa.co/3JLdzjg).

November 2024 — Celebrating a decade of impact, the Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) (https://www.AWIEForum.org) proudly announces the AWIEF2024 Conference and Awards. This milestone event is scheduled for 28th and 29th November at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), under the theme “Future for All: Collaborate for Growth. Solve Inequity. Act on Climate”.

The AWIEF2024 conference will convene global thought leaders and industry experts to drive discussions on sustainable growth and equitable business practices. Notable among the contributors are the esteemed members of the AWIEF2024 Advisory Committee comprising industry pioneers and influential figures.

Over the years, AWIEF has hosted an array of distinguished speakers from various sectors. Past speakers include Dr. Monique Nsanzabaganwa, Deputy Chairperson at the African Union Commission; Fatma Samoura, former Secretary-General of FIFA; H.E. Paula Ingabire, Minister of ICT&Innovation of Rwanda, H.E. Rania Al Mashat, Minister of International Development of Egypt, and Dr. Agnes Kalibata, President, Alliance for Green Revolution for Africa (AGRA), and Aida Diara, Senior Vice President&Head of Sub-Saharan Africa at Visa, underscoring the forum’s reputation as a premier gathering for influential voices in entrepreneurship, leadership, and policy-making.

The conference promises to be a vibrant hub of ideas and collaborations, featuring a series of high-profile keynotes, interactive panels, and masterclasses.

This year’s event will also feature the prestigious AWIEF Awards, recognizing leading women entrepreneurs who have made significant contributions to their industries. The gala dinner will celebrate these achievements and foster connections among attendees from across the globe.

Registration and Early Bird Discounts

Registration for AWIEF2024 is now open, with a 30% super early bird discount available for proactive registrants. Participants can expect a dynamic agenda, including access to all conference sessions, exhibitions, workshops, and masterclasses. Deadline for the super early bird is 8 May 2024.

For more information on registration, detailed event information, and opportunities to become a sponsor or exhibitor, please visit AWIEF’s official conference page (https://apo-opa.co/4dupM9G).

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF).

The African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) and Invest in Africa have jointly launched the MicroGREEN project to provide livelihood opportunities for marginalized and vulnerable groups in Ghana and Senegal.

Titled “Strengthening Women, Youth and People with Disabilities’ Micro Entrepreneurship for Green Jobs in Natural Resources (MicroGREEN),” the project seeks to generate up to 500 green job opportunities while delivering essential business development services.

The African Development Bank, through its Youth Entrepreneurship and Innovation Multi-Donor Trust Fund, has allocated a $1 million grant to support the MicroGREEN project over two years. It will provide entrepreneurship capacity building and business skills to at least 1,000 youth aged 15-35 years, with a target distribution of 60% young women, 10% persons with special needs, and 30% other youth in both countries.

Speaking at the launch event on Thursday,  Eyerusalem Fasika, Ghana Country Manager for the Bank, emphasized its commitment to addressing climate change and poverty challenges in alignment with Nationally Determined Contributions and Sustainable Development Goals.

Fasika highlighted several bank initiatives to foster inclusive development, particularly its gender strategy to empower women through access to finance, accelerating employability, and increasing access to social services. She also underscored the Bank’s collaboration with UN Women to empower women in the natural resources sector.

“It is our conviction that applying a gender lens to job creation and local economic development can lead to an inclusive transition to a green economy which offers unique opportunities to reduce gender inequalities in the African labor market,” she stressed.

Carol Anang, Country Manager for Invest in Africa (https://apo-opa.co/3yi0jjm), Ghana, noted that the project’s rollout was timely and would serve as a magnet to attract and increase opportunities to improve livelihoods, particularly for vulnerable groups.

“Our priority is to facilitate increased synergy between large international organizations and local entities to work together to spur inclusive growth,” Anang stressed, adding that the project will enhance skills for employability. 

The project will utilize value chain-based small and medium enterprise development models to enhance employment creation, ensure the sustainability of micro-enterprises, and integrate beneficiaries into economic systems. Invest in Africa will spearhead the implementation, leveraging its expertise in market access and skills development to drive sustainable business growth and job creation.

Solomon Amponsah, representing Ghana’s Finance Ministry, expressed the government’s support for the successful implementation of the project. “Your commitment to inclusive growth and sustainable development is truly inspiring. I am confident that together, we will make a meaningful impact on the lives of thousands of marginalized individuals in Ghana and Senegal.”

The hybrid launch event rallied together government representatives from Ghana and Senegal, program leads from the African Development Bank and Invest in Africa, civil society organization representations, and other social sector partner agencies.

Presenting an overview of the project, Salimata Soumare, Bank Task Manager for MicroGREEN, said the project would also benefit intermediaries that provide support and financing to entrepreneurs and MSMEs, such as mentoring programs, training programs, project development support, and advisory services.

During the event,  the Bank’s initiative to create 25 million jobs for the youth and equip 50 million to accomplish their goals by 2025, as well as its support for green initiatives through the African Natural Resources Management and Investment Centre, were highlighted

The Bank is currently working on a tool to track and monitor green jobs from the Bank’s projects portfolio, especially those relating to climate action, environment, circular economy, and biodiversity activities, the country manager said.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

Contact:
Communication and External Relations
media@afdb.org

About the African Development Bank Group: 
The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) is the premier multilateral financing institution dedicated to Africa’s development. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NSF). The AfDB has a field presence in 41 African countries, with an external office in Japan, and contributes to the economic development and social progress of its 54 regional member states. For more information: www.AfDB.org

After 100 years of existence, our association enters its new century with some new professional challenges to face. Our founders saw clearly into the future, they were driven by a correct vision of the evolution of our profession and now it is up to us to respond to the new needs, which are dictated by the use of advanced technology.

AI

We cannot deny it, we are under attack. The improper use of Artificial Intelligence can cause us very serious damage and the paradox is that they are using our production of years of work without asking our permission or even remunerating us adequately. Indeed they are also sometimes arrogant and go so far as to use the product of our work against us…. Furthermore, let’s not forget that the organizations that deal with doping and matchfixing have criminal purposes and want to pollute sport in order to manage it and for them Artificial Intelligence is a gift from heaven..

Rules

We welcome all the rules that international organizations are introducing or studying in depth, but we must also react and collaborate with those who believe that technology must help us progress and not ghettoize or destroy the foundations of a healthy and important profession .

Laws

Legislators must pass laws that defend our work and ethics to avoid the massacre of press freedom. We must also regulate the new journalistic and para-journalistic figures. Now the number of CCs (Contents Creators) is growing and in many cases the press conference rooms and mixed areas have experienced moments of heavy tension due to their unregulated presence.

The rights

The right to work for everyone is sacrosanct, but it is also necessary to regulate it to protect the rights of everyone, of the Content Creators themselves to prevent them from becoming slaves to logics, which have little to do with the freedom and independence of information . We must study new category frameworks and we must do it quickly, because the world of communication is constantly evolving. Let’s not forget that at the time of our birth as an organization controversy was raging, because the written press wanted radios out of stadiums… Every era must adapt to the evolution of the means of communication.

Tensions and horrible violence – The world is experiencing a moment of terrible tension and horrible violence: We will always be against invasions, the horrors of wars and we will always try to create bridges to re-establish relationships burned by bombs and hatred.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Sports Press Association (AIPS).