Johannesburg, March 4, 2025 — This International Women's Day, a powerful duo—a cancer survivor who found her voice through adversity and a young adult PhD candidate driving innovation—are launching the 'Voice Bank' initiative to amplify women entrepreneurs and promote circular economies across Africa.
Vanessa Perumal, a cancer survivor who underwent a total laryngectomy, and her daughter Taynita Harilal, a PhD candidate at Wits Business School in Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation, co-founded ECAfrica to build a technology-driven Resource Bank and an investment pipeline. Their goal is to transform underrepresented voices into powerful catalysts for change, building a digital ecosystem where stories become assets and resources flow to entrepreneurs who need them most.
The Voice Bank is a core component of ECAfrica’s Resource Bank, a tech-enabled platform inspired by disruptive models like Uber and Airbnb, which offer access without ownership. The platform will digitally match underutilised assets—from office furniture and unused buildings to skills and mentorship opportunities—with validated entrepreneurs in local communities.
"Our platform acts as a virtual marketplace, ensuring that resources are banked and redistributed to drive inclusive economic transformation," says Harilal, who is focusing her PhD research on succession planning in family-owned businesses. "By leveraging digital technology, we’re not just telling stories but creating a repository of real-world solutions for entrepreneurs."
For Perumal, who is redefining leadership through her journey as a cancer survivor, the Voice Bank initiative is deeply personal:
"After losing my natural voice, I found a new strength in advocating for others. This project isn’t just about banking voices—it’s about building a legacy of empowerment, where every story contributes to a circular economy that creates opportunities for generations to come."
Pioneering new ground, Perumal and Harilal lead by example through their legacy brand, JTComms. The dynamic duo made their first investment last week in tech startup Aflu Med, marking the launch of Techlevate, the investment wing of ECAfrica.
How to Participate
Women entrepreneurs, founders, and changemakers are invited to contribute to the Voice Bank in two ways:
Submission Deadline: March 6, 2025 Submit to: hello@ecafrica.net or media@jtcomms.co.za
Driving the "Accelerate Action" Theme
This initiative aligns with the International Women's Day 2025 theme, “Accelerate Action for a More Inclusive World”, by turning resource limitations into opportunities for collaborative innovation. The Voice Bank will serve as a living archive, preserving entrepreneurial insights and innovations that inspire future generations and support climate change interventions.
About ECAfrica
ECAfrica is a Pan-African business development platform revolutionizing entrepreneurial support through strategic mentorship, market linkages, and innovative digital solutions. The Resource Bank is the latest addition to ECAfrica’s tech pipeline, designed to build circular economies and create inclusive opportunities that drive Africa’s economic transformation.
Media Contact: media@jtcomms.co.za or 083 954 6133
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