Farana Boodhram
Director
Farana is the founder and CEO of Avita Mining Innovations (a company specialising in underground roof support and ventilation) and MiDesk Global, as well as the managing director of Forever Farana Coveralls with 21 years of entrepreneurial leadership experience in logistics, mining and innovation.
She is responsible for the design and patenting of a protective coverall compliant to policy for women (a one piece overall that becomes a two piece which enables women to maintain their dignity while using ablution facilities underground as they do not need to remove the entire garment). Farana is also the owner of the MIDESK patent – a patent of a revolutionary designed wheelie school bag that converts into a desk and chair with a solar light and USB charging portal for underprivileged kids without desks at schools in rural areas. This allows children to have a desk, chair, bag, solar light with a USB charging portal, both at home and school. The Midesk is in alignment with 6 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals in accordance with the 2030 Agenda.
She has been the recipient of numerous professional and entrepreneurship awards, including the GROW Fellowship 2016 through Vital Voices Global Partnership, the Femina World Women Super Achiever Award 2017, selected for the Global Ambassadors program 2018 by Vital Voices Global partnered with Bank of America 2018, Top100 Global Women in Mining 2019, winner of the 1000 Entrepreneurs Embassy of France Challenge 2020 and Graca Machel Fellow 2020, amongst others.
Farana graduated from UCT’s Graduate School of Business with an MBA in Executive Management, Business Leadership through Harvard Business Publishing and Women’s Empowerment program with Cornell University. She is the vice-chairperson of the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business Alumni Board and a WIMSA patron.
