Aisha Addo

Aisha Addo is a Ghanaian-Canadian social entrepreneur and the founder and chief executive of Power to Girls Foundation, a non-profit that supports Black and marginalised girls. She also founded DriveHER, a ride-sharing service in the Greater Toronto Area that offers rides for women, driven by women.

From Ghana to Toronto

Addo moved from Ghana to Canada at the age of 14. She studied business administration in accounting at George Brown College, and it was during college that she noticed how few mentors were available to girls from backgrounds like hers.

Power to Girls

What began as a handful of girls from her church talking about their experiences grew into a structured programme. Power to Girls creates safe spaces focused on leadership, personal and emotional development, entrepreneurship and mentorship, and its programme ran in five schools with the support of the Toronto Catholic District School Board. Through its Ghana Project, the foundation extended its education and leadership work to girls in Ghana.

DriveHER

Addo launched DriveHER to give women a safer and more comfortable option for getting around the city, with women behind the wheel.

Recognition

CBC named her among the Torontonians expected to change the city in 2017. She has received the Young, Black and Gifted Award for community service, was named a Black Diversity Group role model, and has been listed among 100 Black Women to Watch in Canada and 150 Black women making history in Toronto. She is also a fellow of the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative.