Dorcas Apoore is a social entrepreneur and the visionary founder of ASIGE. Raised in a rural community in Ghana’s Upper East Region, Dorcas transformed her lived experiences of poverty into purpose building pathways to opportunity not only for herself but for hundreds of women and young people across the world.

Dorcas is a CAMFED and MasterCard Foundation Scholar, having completed her undergraduate studies at the University for Development Studies (Ghana) and her postgraduate degree at the University of Edinburgh (UK). Her academic journey, combined with her deep rooted commitment to social justice, laid the foundation for the establishment of ASIGE, a social enterprise focused on women’s economic empowerment, fair trade, and sustainable development.

As CEO, Dorcas leads a growing team dedicated to creating dignified, sustainable livelihoods for women through artisan skills training, ethical manufacturing, and reproductive health advocacy. Under her leadership, ASIGE has expanded from a grassroots weaving circle to an internationally recognised social enterprise, working with over 450 women across multiple communities in Northern Ghana.

In 2018, Dorcas was honoured as one of the 16 global Young Leaders selected for the European Development Days (EDD), where she spoke on gender equity and sustainable development. This recognition enabled her to collaborate with global institutions such as UN Women and the European Commission to share ASIGE’s impacts and experience at the global stage.

She has since been selected by the World Bank as a member of the Solutions for Youth Employment (S4YE) network, where she contributes to international policy discussions on youth employment and the green economy. Dorcas also serves on the Plan Action Group of the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO), advocating to improve market access for social enterprises around the world.

Beyond her professional achievements, Dorcas is a skilled negotiator, customer relationship builder, public speaker, and above all the face of the company. Her ability to build meaningful relationships from rural weaving communities to global trade platforms continues to drive ASIGE’s growth and visibility both in Ghana and internationally.

Dorcas is deeply passionate about creating a world where every woman and young person can live a life of dignity, choice, and economic freedom. Her leadership exemplifies the power of grassroots innovation and global solidarity in driving inclusive development globally.