Meet GES Delegate: Iris Nzolantima (Princess)
If we could provide girls and women with the ability to manage themselves, we will unleash a generation of strong, fearless, confident, healthy and united women — House Of Irico.
Organization Name: House of Irico
Twitter Handle: Iris Nzolantima
IG Handle: @missnzolantima
Country of Origin: Democratic Republic of Congo
Org website: houseofirico.com
Brief Description of Organization: HOUSE OF IRICO (HOI) is a for-profit platform (half enterprise and half foundation) founded to alleviate through social actions, emergencies and challenges born from the violence faced by Congolese (DRC) refugees expelled from Brazzaville - the Republic of Congo. Our organization educates girls and young women from 10 to 25 years old from rural communities and it has created an awareness campaign for Congolese women in the need, across the DRC in particular and later in Central Africa at large, to have access to free recyclable sanitary pads.
We distribute free sanitary pads on a monthly basis to up to 400 girls and young women through selected schools and universities and churches now and we plan to reach up to 4,000 by year-end 2016. Our next milestone is to reach up to 400,000 girls and women by 2018.
We also seek to assist and orientate these girls and young women with personal growth and towards living a purposeful life with coaching and leadership.
My vision: help women of color own tomorrow. One day, my organization will have the premier Center for Innovation where girls and young women could learn and practice about Personal Hygiene and other health issues, High Technology skills such as Coding, Programming, web development, etc. to name a few, and Entrepreneurship.
Our Mission statement: we aim to educate underprivileged girls and young women from rural communities of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) about personal hygiene with an emphasis on menstruation cycle and other health issues such as ovarian, cervical and/or vaginal cancers.
To earn and maintain a rating as the premier Center for Innovation with excellent facilities and tutors for young women in Kinshasa Educational Business and empower girls and women to become accountable citizens and acquire certain skills such as Entrepreneurship and High Technology (Coding, programming, web development, etc.).
To capture a major percent of the market share by calendar Year one, establish 35% minimum gross profit margins from inception, and achieve a profitable ROI within three years.
To generate profit within the first 24 months of operation and repayment of all financial obligations within the first 60 months. Earn 14% internal rate of return to investors over the life of the lease.
To alleviate the high rate (96%) of unemployment and teen prostitution and contribute to economic growth and social development such as jobs creation, positive impacts, the growth of GDP, and to end poverty.
What inspired me to start this organization: In 2014, I attended the IIF Africa Financial Summit in Lagos — Nigeria, where the answer of Mr Dangote to my question “how did you do to become the #1 in Africa”, serves as a motivation to my everyday activity “in the journey of entrepreneurship, Dedication and tenacity of purpose are supreme”. His journey to building a successful empire is where everything started. Then when I saw a huge gap between suburban and rural communities in DRC, I’ve decided to build a bridge between these two communities to allow every woman from rural zones from 10 to 25 years earn at least a Matric Certificate and/or a Graduate Degree, by solving one of the main problems seen as a barrier and one of the reasons for absenteeism and school drop out: Lack and inaccessibility to sanitary pads and tampons. My society has talent. Unfortunately, we don’t have enough opportunities for young women of color.
What has been my biggest obstacle as an entrepreneur? Raising funds to provide free sanitary pads of on a monthly basis to up to 400 girls and young women across the DRC. My country needs hope, guidance and leadership. One of the greatest challenges seen as a huge barrier my organization faces is 65% of absenteeism and school drop out due to the lack and the inaccessibility of sanitary pads and tampons.
The other challenges are 1. High rate of Teen prostitution due to the lack of physiological needs (Maslow’s pyramid). 2. Low rate (14%) of Girls and Women in Technology due to the lack of good training and knowledge, experts, skilled staff and trained tutors.
What advice would you give to other emerging entrepreneurs? To every emerging entrepreneur “Start small and dream big” as said by Mr Aliko Dangote. Do not look out on being the first, rather stand out and make a difference.
I live in a society who is depressed by war and atrocities for more than a decade. Women especially learned to carry the burden of their families upon themselves. I am a part of associations such as the Yali Network, Forbes Under 30, Premium Kinshasa, Business Women Association of Southern Africa and most especially the "Women Empowerment Club" where I conduct meetings and seminars for women to voice their stories and frustrations. A senegalese quotes says: "when you educate a woman you educate a nation".
I’d also advise every Womeneur to seek to have a positive impact which will contribute as a backbone to enable women with enough skills and values both in a personal and technical level in order to overcome and compete against issues such as poverty alleviation, child and women abuse, teen prostitution, etc. Join the global entrepreneurship mouvement!
