Achenyo Idachaba
Achenyo Idachaba is an entrepreneur specializing in the weaving of useful products from invasive aquatic weeds. She is the Founder and Creative Director of MitiMeth, an award-winning social enterprise that provides sustainable value chain solutions delivering environmental and economic benefits to communities and consumers. MitiMeth creates eco-friendly handicrafts like home décor and personal accessories from invasive aquatic weeds that flourish in Nigeria’s waterways. The company also conducts training workshops for locals on river handicraft product development.
Achenyo Idachaba obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science and Economics from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife; a Master of Science degree in Applied Computer Science from Illinois State University; and a Master of Business Administration from Cornell University – S.C Johnson Graduate School of Management.
Achenyo spent her formative years in America, where she also had a successful career as a Computer Scientist and Business Analyst. She worked at ExxonMobil, Fairfax, and held a variety of regional and global positions before moving to Nigeria in 2009 to build MitiMeth. Achenyo’s journey in sustainable development started when she realized that Water Hyacinth (Eichornia crassipes) which was recognized as an invasive weed could be harvested. In collaboration with local craftspeople, she set up a range of products that were woven from the dried plants.
The social entrepreneur has used her skills to develop an online presence for the company – www.mitimeth.com as well as on various social networks. So far, the company has made sales through its web store and from various domestic and international exhibitions where its products have been showcased. Achenyo has also trained over 400 women from communities across Nigeria and Ghana to make eco-friendly lifestyle products from natural fibres.
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A creative, Achenyo has received several accolades for her passion for creating employment opportunities through sustainable textiles and accessories from renewable materials. She is a recipient of the 2013 YouWIN!Women Award, 2013 Local Raw Materials Content Award from the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), 2014 Cartier Initiative Award Laureate for women in Sub-Saharan Africa, 2015 Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship awardee and she was nominated as the Emerging Female Entrepreneur of the Year 2015 by the Creative Entrepreneurs Association of Nigeria (CEAN).
Achenyo’s works have been featured on CNN’s African Startup, Deutsche Welle TV, CNBC Africa, The Nation. BusinessDay Newspaper, BusinessLife Magazine, BusinessAfrica TV and the Nigerian Field Journal. Additionally, her TED talk had over 1.8 million views as of 2020.