What motivated you to start your business and what is your vision for the future of the company?

My business started as a result of demand from people in my community. I have always loved feeding people even before Afrofusion was established. Annually, I had a cookout for everyone in Kamloops to come to eat free of charge. People came out in the hundreds, and it was surreal. This is an ongoing event that started in 2016. In 2020, there was increased demand for my food beyond free foods, and it got to a point where people wanted my food for a price. I realized the impact I had on society as people of all races and backgrounds enjoyed the various meals I made. Hence, Afrofusion started. Afrofusion was established on the backbone of community service using unique foods as a medium to bring people of the community together. We believe that unique home-style tasty meals that everyone can enjoy are a necessity in the community; hence, we are a business of service to the people of Kamloops and beyond. We are driven by the passion to provide tasty unique meals to our community and beyond. Our unique food selection sees that we have to import a lot of our ingredients from West Africa which makes what we produce authentic and the process even more tasking. However, the response to our food has been so great, it makes it all worth it. The vision for Afrofusion is to be the first-ever successful African food franchise in Canada and expand its reach to more cities within Canada and eventually the US without losing its core stance on what tasty food should feel and taste like. We hope to be an inspirational model to generations to come and trend paths where others dare to go. We envision a world where unique African foods are not hard to come by while still being authentic and welcoming and giving the homemade feeling that everyone loves.

Why do you deserve to win the Best Youth Entrepreneur Award?

Afrofusion deserves to Win the Best Youth Entrepreneur Award for so many reasons. Afrofusion being started by a 22yr old international nursing student; speaks volumes to the passion behind the brand itself. Afrofusion started as a community endeavor to give to the community and in the process, we have been rewarded with a brand that is about satisfying the needs of its community in an authentic way. Afrofusion as a brand depicts hope to women of colour, immigrants, black, Muslims and anyone who dares to follow their dream. Its story from inception till date is an inspirational one that leaves a long-lasting impression on the minds of many. Being a community member myself, I can show people that hard work does pay off and that no dream is too big to go after. We have come a long way from home to 3 locations later and now have a team of over Ten community members. Not only do we cater to the needs of our community members, but we serve as a tourist destination for tourists to Kamloops who want to try foods they would otherwise have limited or no access to. As we hold our unique stance of being both Fully Halal and African, we recognize the hurdle and challenges that such a niche brings. We hope that recognizing our effort would put us more in the spotlight necessary to take our dreams to the next step. Afrofusion deserves this award as it is the best representation of what it is to be empowered despite all odds and to not give up on one's dreams and ambitions despite one's background.

Why do you think you should win the Premier’s People’s Choice Award?

Afrofusion started as a result of demand from people in the community. As a business in the service of people's needs, we are in constant close relationships with community members and provide services that pull on the heartstrings of our community members and beyond. From a home business to opening 3 locations in 2yrs, the community attests to the fact that our service is indeed needed and appreciated. We believe our unique stance as relatable community members makes us an even more deserving winner of this award. Having been started by an undergraduate immigrant, we depict hope and resiliency to immigrants alike, students, women of colour and anyone who dares to dream. Afrofusion should win the Premier's people's choice Award to show recognition of our contribution to society and to further emphasize the notion that hard work does pay off and no dream is too big to go after.