Bernice Dapaah
{{short description|Ghanaian entrepreneur}}
{{Infobox person/Wikidata | fetchwikidata=ALL}}
Bernice Dapaah is a Ghanaian social entrepreneur who is the founder and chief executive officer of the Ghana Bamboo Bike Initiative in Kumasi.{{Cite web|url=https://www.empowerwomen.org/en/who-we-are/news/2013/12/bernice-dapaah-gets-united-nations-secretary-general-ban-ki-moon-to-ride-her-bamboo-bikes|title=Empower Women - Bernice Dapaah gets United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon to ride her bamboo bikes|website=EmpowerWomen|language=en|access-date=2019-09-08}}{{Cite web |title=Glitz top 100 inspirational women – Page 100 – Glitz Africa Magazine |url=https://www.glitzafrica.com/glitz-top-100-inspirational-women/100/ |access-date=2022-05-28 |language=en-US}} This Initiative addresses environmental degradation through the production of bicycles using environmentally friendly resources such as bamboo.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rejectedprincesses.com/blog/modern-worthies/bernice-dapaah|title=Bernice Dapaah: Bamboo Bike Entrepreneur|website=www.rejectedprincesses.com|access-date=2019-09-10}} She and her company, Ghana Bamboo Bike Initiative have won several awards. In 2016 and 2017 she was listed as one of WomanRising's 100 Most Outstanding Women Entrepreneurs in Ghana.{{Cite web|url=https://www.summit.ng/news/womanrising-announces-2017-100-most-outstanding-women-entrepreneurs-list/|title=WomanRising Announces 2017 100 Most Outstanding Women Entrepreneurs List|last=TheSummit|date=2017-11-22|website=The Summit|language=en-US|access-date=2019-09-08}}{{Cite web|url=https://womanrising.org/2018/08/11/2016-100-most-outstanding-women-entrepreneurs-in-ghana/|title=2016 – 100 Most Outstanding Women Entrepreneurs In Ghana – WomanRising|last=WomanRising|language=en-US|access-date=2019-09-08|archive-date=2019-09-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190904210133/https://womanrising.org/2018/08/11/2016-100-most-outstanding-women-entrepreneurs-in-ghana/|url-status=dead}} Dapaah sits on the advisory board of the WIPO GREEN in Switzerland and is the founding curator of the Kumasi Hub of the Global Shapers.{{Cite web|url=https://www.globalteacherprize.org/person/|title=Bernice Dapaah|website=Varkey Foundation|language=en|access-date=2019-09-08}}{{Dead link|date=May 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} In addition, she is a member of the World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council on Biodiversity and Natural Capital.{{Cite web|url=http://www.gubaawards.co.uk/2014/03/bernice-dapaah-selected-as-young-global-leader-2014/|title=Bernice Dapaah Selected as Young Global Leader 2014|last=|first=|date=|website=Guba Awards|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2019-09-08}}{{Cite web|url=http://aimhigherafrica.com/aha-woman-meet-bernice-dapaah-the-young-social-entrepreneur-who-makes-bicycles-entirely-from-bamboo/|title=AHA WOMAN: MEET BERNICE DAPAAH THE YOUNG SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR WHO MAKES BICYCLES ENTIRELY FROM BAMBOO|last=Africa|first=Aim Higher|date=2018-08-08|website=Aim Higher Africa|language=en-US|access-date=2019-09-08}}
Education
Dapaah graduated from the Christian Service University with a bachelor's degree in business administration.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/may/05/ghana-environment-bamboo-bicycles-seed-award|title=Ghana's bicycle which is creating jobs while it saves the soil|last=Jones|first=Corinne|date=2015-05-05|website=The Guardian|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2019-09-08}} She also holds a diploma in Human Resource Management and Marketing from the Institute of Commercial Management in UK.{{Cite web|url=http://wikipeacewomen.org/wpworg/en/?page_id=5174|title=Bernice Dapaah (Ghana) {{!}} WikiPeaceWomen – English|website=wikipeacewomen.org|access-date=2019-09-08}} She holds a diploma in “Executive education” from Harvard University.{{Cite web |title=Ghana: Bernice Dapaah makes bikes out of bamboo :: AWE - En |url=http://africawomenexperts.com/lng/en/2020/06/ghana-bernice-dapaah-makes-bikes-out-of-bamboo/ |access-date=2024-03-20 |website=africawomenexperts.com}} She currently holds a Master’s Degree in Development Management from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.{{Cite web |title=Management – Ghana Bamboo Bikes |url=https://ghanabamboobikes.org/management/ |access-date=2024-03-20 |language=en-US}}
Career
Motivated by the high unemployment rate in Ghana, Dapaah decided to venture into Entrepreneurship just when she was about completing school. She and her friends wanted to create jobs rather than seek one. And hence she and Winnifred Selby founded the Ghana Bamboo Bike in 2009.
She is also an Ambassador for the World Bamboo Organization in Switzerland.{{Cite web |title=Ghana: Bernice Dapaah makes bikes out of bamboo :: AWE - En |url=http://africawomenexperts.com/lng/en/2020/06/ghana-bernice-dapaah-makes-bikes-out-of-bamboo/ |access-date=2024-03-20 |website=africawomenexperts.com}}
Ghana Bamboo Bike Initiative
The Ghana Bamboo Bike Initiative aside providing employment for the youth, helps reduce environmental degradation through the use of local and environmentally friendly resources such as bamboo in the production of bicycles.{{Cite web|url=https://womenafrica.com/the-co-founder-of-ghana-bamboo-bikes-winnifred-selby-3/|title=The Co-founder of Ghana Bamboo Bikes, Winnifred Selby|date=2019-03-28|website=Women Africa|language=en-US|access-date=2019-09-08}} This Initiative has won several awards including the 2014 UNEP/Dubai International Award, 2013 UNFCCC Momentum For Change Light House Activity Award (Women For Results Category), World Business and Development Award 2012, UN Habitat/Dubai International Best Practice Award 2012, Samsung/Generations For Peace Impact Award 2012, GIZ Impact Business Award 2011, and UNEP SEED Initiative Award 2010.{{Cite web|url=https://www.weforum.org/people/bernice-dapaah/|title=Bernice Dapaah|website=World Economic Forum|access-date=2019-09-08}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.myjoyonline.com/business/2015/October-22nd/ghanaian-among-winners-of-2015-entrepreneur-for-the-world-award.php|title=Ghanaian among winners of 2015 Entrepreneur for the World Award - MyJoyOnline.com|website=www.myjoyonline.com|access-date=2019-09-08}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/presscenter/articles/2013/12/19/un-resident-coordinator-in-ghana-receives-a-bamboo-bicycle.html|title=UN Resident Coordinator in Ghana receives a bamboo bicycle|website=UNDP|language=en|access-date=2019-09-08}}
Awards and recognition
- Vital Voices Lead Fellow{{Cite web|url=https://www.modernghana.com/news/528963/bernice-dapaah-ghana-bamboo-bikes-initiative-foun.html|title=Bernice Dapaah, Ghana Bamboo Bikes Initiative Founder, Named 2014 Young Global Leader By World Economic Forum|website=Modern Ghana|language=en|access-date=2019-09-08}}
- 2014 Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum{{Cite web|url=http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Bernice-Dapaah-named-2014-Young-Global-Leader-303270?gallery=1|title=Bernice Dapaah named 2014 Young Global Leader|website=www.ghanaweb.com|language=en|access-date=2019-09-08}}
- She was awarded “Entrepreneur for the World Award” by the World Entrepreneurship Forum
- She was honored World Ambassador of the World Bamboo Organization.
- She won the 2013 International Women Alliance World of Difference Award.
- Advisory Board Member of WIPO GREEN
References
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External links
{{Wikiquote}}{{DEFAULTSORT:Dapaah, Bernice}}
Category:21st-century Ghanaian businesswomen
Category:21st-century Ghanaian businesspeople
Category:Ghanaian chief executives
Category:Ghanaian women curators
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:Harvard University alumni
Category:Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology alumni