(Business in Cameroon) – Naomi Dinamona, the founder of Leelou Baby Food, was honored with the 2024 Pierre Castel Award for Cameroon on October 3 in Algiers, Algeria. Her company makes baby cereals using locally grown ingredients like rice, maize, and sorghum. Audrey Clarisse Ekollo, who runs Acquaki, a business focused on fresh and smoked fish, was also recognized at the event.
Naomi received a cash prize of €15,000 (CFA10 million) from Gregory Clerc, Managing Director of Castel Group. Along with the prize money, she will get personalized mentoring, coaching, and training. Audrey, who came in second, was awarded €10,000 (CFA6.5 million) and will also receive coaching and training.
The Pierre Castel Award is organized across six African countries—Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Madagascar, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It aims to support young African entrepreneurs in agriculture, agrifood, agritech, and agro-resources, fields that are seen as crucial to creating value and reducing poverty on the continent.
