4 Sudanese female entrepreneurs to look out for

In a recent media report published by Nauur media, the female led company stated that only 8% of business owners in Sudan are females while only 3% of them are in senior management positions. The art world is no different when it comes to male dominance, however, many female led initiatives, small businesses and ventures are rising and leaving a print in the Sudanese art scene with their amazing work, creativity, and commitment to achieving something with impact. In this story we introduce 4 magnificent females leading a business in the art scene in our community. 

Sondos Siddig is a Sudanese Painter, Interior, Accessories and Furniture Designer.

She is the founder of Sondos Art Studio, which specialises in awareness-raising and training in various arts and crafts. The studio designs and provides handmade products. Sondos Art Studio provides workshops in different artistic fields, including fashion design, detailing, sewing, drawing, colouring on fabrics and also furniture design covering the basics of simple carpentry, painting and restoration. 

For technical workshops they train on decoupage art, Arabic calligraphy, thermal clay, gypsum works, musical instruments workshops (guitar and violin), drawing (portraits, Mandala and colouring), visual arts, leather products and handmade accessories.  

Since its opening in December 2018, Sondos Art Studio has trained 600 people from different age groups ranging from 7 to 55 years old in various types of arts.

Nisreen is a Jewellery and Interior designer who is the owner of KUKU GALLERY in Katarena st. Khartoum. Opened in December 2018, Kuku Gallery is a fusion of African and Sudanese cultures that utilises copper, brass, silver, ebony and different gem stones. Kuku has been focused on producing jewellery inspired from Sudanese culture, heritage, and history. In 2018, Kuku has been part of Masha Frika Design and Style week through a Fashion show in Mambasa. 

Kuku designs closely study the customs and traditions of Sudan’s various tribes. Through research, they identify cultural jewellery, dresses, ornaments, and habits. They get inspired from ancient heritage and the stunning stories and beliefs. In turn, they design custom jewellery based on these artefacts. They function as an all-in-one design house, from the research, to the design and then the creation of jewellery and artefacts. Kuku gallery has participated in various cultural exhibitions and research projects, which helped in identifying Sudan’s diverse heritage and cultural traditions. Their pieces are inspired by stories and habits form the various tribes and their designs are aligned with the experience of the founder Nisreen Kuku.

Exclusive awards for exhibitions and businesses include:

Coral Hotel, Khartoum, Sudan Coral Hotel, Port Sudan, Sudan Dabanga gallery shop, Sudan

Participating in several other exhibitions to showcase and market designed handicrafts.

Kuku has recently hosted an opening for her newest “Nubian collection”, graced by the French Ambassador of Sudan. 

Ola Hashim is an artist who found her self deep in the tech and digital world from her studies in E-Business. She later on became a certified marketer and launched Colors Services, which is a combination of what any brand or company would need regarding enhancing their digital presence in an attractive, artistic way.

Colors also has a digital store for art supplies and a gallery besides a Facebook and instagram Community for artists only. The future vision for Colors is to be a virtual community that supports artists with publicity and supplying them with affordable high quality art supplies so that they can be presented to the whole world.

Colors states: “Through our artistic theme and rich experience in the field, we will reflect your brand using the best visual and written content. We aim to build authentic long term customers loyalty through your online presence.”

Co-Founder of Albaranda interior design along with her partner Ethar Ammar, Sara Karrar celebrates 4 years of passion and achievements. Karrar is the executive manager in the office that opened in late 2017, she runs the day by day activities, she mentions that they try to do things different in all the right ways in Albaranda. Stemming from their love for design, Albranada creates online content and conducts workshops in addition to their daily operations. 

“We have a clear vision and we chase it everyday , it’s time to step up our interior design game and have things done properly and compete internationally with our arts and cultures and talents.” Sara.

Albranda and its team are big supporters of other start-ups and new businesses as their office is open all day for youth, start-ups, and entrepreneurs. They try to support, collaborate and share knowledge openly and transparently as they believe art is for everybody. 

Karrar states: “Building a brand might seem effortless, but with no funding or resources and in Sudan, you’re forced to realise things and learn quickly. I’m very aggressive and competitive in what I do, it’s the only way I know how! We aspire for so much, but nothing comes easily. I wouldn’t want to do anything else. “

Sara has been awarded her green associate certification for leadership in energy and environmental design (LEED) by the United States green building council this year as following a sustainability path has always been a personal goal for her that she will continue to follow passionately.