Established in 2022, WLIAfrica started as an idea by its founders who wanted to build a community of impactful women to shape the future of the risk and insurance landscape in Africa. In June 2022, two of our founding members, Sheila Wristberg and Esther Siale were honoured as finalists for the maiden NextGen Insurance Award by the African Insurance Organisation (AIO) and Young Insurance Professionals Network Africa (YIPS Africa) which planted the seed for WLIAfrica. The award was a maiden award instituted by AIO and YIPS to honour insurance professionals in Africa below 35 years who were contributing to the development of the industry.

Acknowledging the uniqueness of their journeys in a field with a majority older, male leadership the two women deliberated on how they could use the acknowledgment to catalyse the presence of young leaders. Months later after researching into the leadership dynamics within the insurance space, the stark revelation of the dearth of female leadership became a catalyst for promoting change. They invited another professional within the insurance space in Ghana Jessie Affram to join the movement, and together, the story of WLIAfrica begun.