Winifred Selby, the young entrepreneur from Ghana building bicycles from bamboo

At an African Leadership Academy event in Johannesburg last year, I asked a young Ghanaian entrepreneur, Winifred Selby, what motivated her to co-start Ghana Bamboo Bikes Initiative when she was just 15. The award winning company makes bicycles out of bamboo and has caught the attention of global organizations.

Her answer? She was fed-up. Whilst at school Selby discovered a number of things about Ghana, and the continent in general, that deeply upset her. “I always say Africans are the richest there are so many things we have and can add value to make a change. But Africans always seem to think they cannot do something extraordinary, but rather only people from foreign countries can,” she said sternly.

“It’s so sad and so serious that a common toothpick in my country has to be imported from other countries. We don’t do it ourselves because we look down on ourselves. We think foreigners are the people to make changes. It’s something that pains me because we have been blessed with so many things.”

She also realized there was demand for an affordable mode of transport in her country after learning many students in Ghana have to walk miles to get to school.

She also realized farmers faced a similar challenge and often had to walk great distances carrying heavy loads to get produce to markets, due to a lack of transportation in agricultural areas. And in addition there is the high unemployment levels and the reality that Ghana needs many more growing businesses and entrepreneurs to provide much needed jobs. All of these things frustrated Selby, and she desperately wanted to be part of as many solutions as possible.

Read more: How we made it in Africa