Magatte Wade: Why it's too hard to start a business in Africa -- and how to change it
Magatte Wade creates jobs in Africa -- and calls attention to the obstacles to job creation on the continent. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
is something that happened to me,
weeks ago, it happened.
I would ever hear it said to my face
they filled it with so much hope.
renewed my commitment
to share with you today.
that I am a haunted person.
laying at the bottom of the ocean,
that's the best we can do?
who are trying to migrate to Europe --
to Europe to find a job.
when we're trying to cross through Libya
maybe sometimes 500 dollars.
of bodies that fall off an airplane.
the landing gear of a plane
from the moment you were a little girl,
and they keep repeating themselves,
as my people are dying,
we have this culture inferiority,
that comes from us is not good enough.
by creating, it's Michelangelos.
come to me with problems
of a couple alternatives.
that you thought of something."
something is wrong, find a way to fix it.
the businesses that I start,
the very best of my African culture.
21st century, world-class tendered,
sophisticated markets in the world,
third one is launching next month,
where they are, there's no jobs.
is the root cause of why they're leaving.
because they have no money.
because you have no source of income.
what is a source of income?
source of income, what is it, tell me?
and medium size enterprises, SMEs --
for a small-business person
at the Doing Business index ranking
it is to start a company,
it is literally impossible
in these countries of ours.
what it means on the ground
facility in Senegal.
that I can't find in the country,
on everything that comes in?
even to look for fine cardboard
are not going to come here
3000 dollars' worth of cardboard
so that I can have cardboard,
for another five weeks.
with the most nonsensical laws out there.
said to me words that marked me,
to my employees in Senegal.
her name is Yahara.
because I had come to believe --
represented as poor people --
yes, maybe we are inferior.
in the begging situation?"
just what I explained to you,
that I am not the problem.
that's my problem."
they now change their outlook on life.
of our solutions, then?
that we should be simplifying
of all of these countries?
from the other 50 countries
to do the same thing.
what are you doing?
everybody here in this room,
is educate yourself,
for e-government solutions.
how do we fight corruption?"
I'm here to tell you
by the stroke of a pen.
when and how to do that.
for anyone to do, so do it.
that you want to fix corruption.
from the other 50 countries
to get my stuff in the country,
that I would have to go a pay a bribe?
you don't need to wait for anyone.
that maybe you have no sovereignty,
I have simple words for our "leaders."
of millions of young people
and everything is good,
you get out of my way,
we create all these jobs we need,
this very prosperous country
it should have been for a long time.
we move on with our lives.
the calm, productive way.
ever even try to think
if we don't go there.
happiness, human flourishing --
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Magatte Wade - Brand creatorMagatte Wade creates jobs in Africa -- and calls attention to the obstacles to job creation on the continent.
Why you should listen
Magatte Wade's first company, Adina World Beverages, brought Senegalese bissap to US consumers through Whole Foods Market, Wegmans and United Natural Foods, Inc. Her second company, Tiossan, brought Senegalese skin care recipes to US consumers through Nordstrom and boutique beauty retailers. Her third company, SkinIsSkin, manufactures lip balms based on Senegalese ingredients in Senegal and markets them in the US to reduce racial bias.
Based on her experiences creating consumer brands and building agricultural and manufacturing capacity in Senegal, Wade has spoken at dozens of universities including Oxford, Harvard, Yale, Columbia and MIT, among other, as well as at global conferences on innovation and economic development in France, Dubai, Guatemala, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and many more. She writes for the Huffington Post, Barron's, and the UK Guardian. She is a Young Global Leader with the World Economic Forum at Davos and has appeared on the cover of Forbes Afrique. She was also named one of the "Twenty Young Power Women of Africa" by Forbes US.
Magatte Wade | Speaker | TED.com