It’s towards the end of the week, but it’s not too late to get motivated! Today, The Sisters Show—is celebrating four fearless and hardworking Gambian businesswomen. These women didn’t not only work hard to earn a decent income but also inspired a whole generation of young female Gambian entrepreneurs.

Ida saine Conteh

Founder of Ida’s Idea, Ida Saine Conteh’s achievement cannot be substituted for anything in the Gambian business industry. With over three decades of doing business, Ida Saine Conteh—was among the first Gambian women—to sell African made clothes in Europe.
Her long-termed dream of opening a professional fashion design school in the Gambia came to reality in 2018. Today, Ida Saine Conteh trains youths, especially girls, to have a profession using the skills through Ida’s Tailoring and fashion school.

Over the decades, Ida Saine has contributed immensely to the fashion sector of the Gambia—she was once the vice president of the Gambia fashion association.

Aji Daffeh

Aji Daffeh is the founder of the Aji Daffeh brand, a Gambian clothing fashion, since 1996. Formerly named L’Excellence, the Aji daffeh brand has transcended creative boundaries. Taking fashion as a business when many dare not to such profession, AJi Daffeh has inspired many young women through her achievement. Her designs have been worn by many public figures including, the Gambia’s first family. Apart from adding profit to her business, aji is a generation giver and has manifested through her philanthropic acts. She uses her work to champion women and youths empowerment.

Awa Conateh

In 2007, Awa Conateh launched the YAWS Creation label as a home-based business—that was the birth of a brand celebrating and inspiring many young fashion designs in the Gambia. Over the years, Awa Conateh has taken her space in the country’s business industry, whiling using African prints in contemporary ways to produce her designs. YAWS Creations designs were among the first designs to walk on the Fashion Weekend Gambia—Gambia’s most prominent fashion platform. She recently expanded the label to Yaws Interior designs offering elegant interior decorations inspired by African heritage.

She also uses her label to mentor and trains upcoming designs and startups to inspire young women i=for a career in fashion.

Ajie Yaye Ceesay

Ajie Yaye Ceesay is the only woman on this list who is not into fashion *winks*
With a unique niche of business, Aja Yaye Ceesay was an enterprising woman, a farmer—a woman who invested all her time and money into cultivating and cattle rearing. As a result of her work and resilience, she made it to major News Papers in the Gambia. Despite losing her farmland, Ajie Yaye Ceesay acquired another farmland to continue her farming business.

The daily observe newspaper described her as an “astute businesswoman” in an article published in 1998.

Please share with us some of the great Gambian women in business who have for decades not only provide for their families but also contribute to national developments and inspired the youths through their work.