By Juliette Chantitch

DIT Aungier Street recently hosted a forum aimed at providing information, resources, networking, connections and opportunities to current or future African entrepreneurs in Ireland.

The African Diaspora Entrepreneurship Forum Ireland (Adefi) on Tuesday 27 November was organised by the Africa-Irish Development Initiative (AIDI) and the African diplomatic missions in Ireland, in partnership with African-led businesses and Irish support agencies.

Unlocking potential, achieving success and how to find tailored support were among the main themes of the day discussed in panels and workshops.

The forum received positive feedback from participants and involved strong contributions from the likes of Zile Sibs, founder of Zile Organics, who reminded that perseverance and having faith in your business project is the key to success.

“If you have a dream, go out and do it. Don’t listen to anybody who tells you that you can’t, how do they know you can’t?” she said.

“I think this type of event is crucial to engage the entrepreneurs of the African diaspora in Ireland,” said Imma Ndey, a senior credit analyst and former employee with PayPal.

“It shouldn’t finish here. If we have a value chain from one event to another, then progress can be achieved.”