A mum-of-three from London has been named as Europe’s most important African woman, it emerged yesterday.
Entrepreneur and TV personality Dentaa Amoateng beat stiff competition to receive the prestigious African Women in Europe (AWE) 2013 Award.
Dentaa, founder of the annual Ghana UK Based Achievement (GUBA) Awards and manager of former Sunderland striker Asamoah Gyan, was said to be a “diligent entrepreneur and visionary” and female “icon” to the British-African community for her work promoting Ghanaian achievement in the UK.
She was also praised for her charity work, which includes founding the GUBA Foundation — an offshoot of the awards that supports autistic children within Ghana and the British-Ghanaian community.
Speaking about the award, Dentaa — who was born in the Ashanti Region of Ghana but now divides her time between the UK and Africa — said: “I am honoured, humbled and delighted in equal measures to win the prestigious 2013 African Women in Europe Award 2013.
“Since their formation in 2011, the AWEs have helped empower African women living in Europe and significantly raised awareness of the vast contribution they make both to their native and adopted homelands.
“The awards reflect a positive image of African women as intelligent, hard-working, multi-tasking, ambitious and socially-aware, and I am proud to live up to those ideals and serve as a role model for African women everywhere.”
Now in its second year, the annual AWE Awards recognize the achievements of African women in Europe and aim to “empower African women to bring a positive change in themselves and surroundings.”
Specifically, the awards highlight the positive impact that African immigrants have on the two continents in terms of economic and social development.
Previous UK-based winners of a African Women in Europe award include; Akua Wood owner of Shearbutter cottage, Kanini Mutooni founder of Inuka a micro finance platform. Dr. Wangui wa Goro, a writer and human rights campaigner.
The entrepreneur, 30, was born in Juaso, Ghana, but moved with her family to the UK at the age of five.
She trained as a nurse but soon moved into the entertainment world, first as an actress and gospel singer and then as a TV presenter of popular Ghanaian programmes such as The Dentaa Show and the West African country’s answer to The X Factor — music talent show “Mentor”.
In 2011, she was named the “Young Social Entrepreneur of the Year” in the Future 100 Awards for her work with GUBA, which she founded in 2009 to promote Ghana and the achievements of the British-Ghanaian community.
Remarkably, in addition to her extensive charity work and business interests — including managing the career of Ghana Black Stars F.C. captain and former Sunderland player Asamoah Gyan — Dentaa still finds time to care for the sick as a qualified paediatric nurse AND raise a young family of three.
A spokesperson for the AWE Awards called Dentaa “a worthy recipient“ of the award and added: “As this year’s AWE award winner, Dentaa stands out as an icon and role model to all African women living and working in Europe.
“She has already achieved so much in the worlds of entertainment, sport, business and social change, while also being a devoted wife and mother, and as such is a credit to Ghana and inspirational ambassador for the whole of Africa.”
Dentaa Amoateng will be presented with her AWE award at a glittering ceremony in London on Saturday, June 29 at the Holiday Inn – Kensington Forum.
WELL DONE DENTAA, YOUVE MADE GHANA PROUD.
People like “Juliet the zebra” and other celebs need to learn allot from her at least she don’t go to malls, attractions or other places to snap pictures and show it to the rest of the rolled all because they think they are celebs, congratulations Dentaa even though you guys are late with this well done more news like this will do us good instead of those “WAAKYE mamas” who snap pictures everywhere desperate to get known
Congrats Dentaa,well deserved.