African women entrepreneurs are a dynamic force who are increasingly transforming their communities and driving economic growth on the African continent. Some 63 percent of women in the non-agricultural labor force are self-employed in the informal sector in Africa, more than twice the worldwide rate, according to the World Bank.And what we find equally amazing at Village Enterprise, a nonprofit organization that equips people living in extreme poverty with resources to create sustainable businesses, is this rising trend: A previously unimagined number of African women--a long-untapped economic force-- not only are lifting up out of extreme poverty, but themselves are doing much of the heavy financial lifting to help fuel growth in entire communities.
![African Women Entrepreneurs Leading the Way in Fueling Africa's Economic Growth African Women Entrepreneurs Leading the Way in Fueling Africa's Economic Growth](/sme-d8/dev/index.php/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/blogs/496859_sme_finance_forum_41541714103685002014-09-09-angelaandgrace-thumb.jpeg?itok=fo78thZ0)