Azalaï Foundation: A Vision of an African Entrepreneur

Established in 2015 in Mali, the Azalaï Foundation is the philanthropic division of Azalaï Hotel Group (AHG), founded by Mossadeck Bally. The Foundation acts as a separate entity with regard to AHG and focuses on assisting economic development in West Africa by providing vocational training in the hospitality industry. Despite being a philanthropic organization, the Azalaï Foundation is deeply rooted in AHG`s traditional business strategy. The Group provides employment opportunities to those trained by the Foundation. Utilizing Hambrick and Fredrickson’s Strategy Diamond presents a conventional perspective for understanding the survivability of the organization by contextualizing its market segmentation, expansion initiatives, and stakeholder relationships. Framing the Azalaï Foundation through the lens of a traditional, competitive business demonstrates the effectiveness and sustainability of philanthropic organizations in the broader business world. The Strategy Diamond framework deconstructs Azalaï Foundation's approach to successfully tackle issues and generate change within the communities where it operates: • Expansion initiatives for the Foundation in all locations where Azalaï hotels are based • Assistance from the Foundation for small business support, female empowerment, education, and child development to build trust with local communities • Establishing formal partnerships between the Foundation and international NGOs to gain knowledge, expertise, and access to additional funding. The traditional business framework grants insight into Azalaï Foundation’s future growth initiatives. Rather than diversifying, the organization has a continued interest in playing to its strengths and expanding beyond West Africa. Promoting strong staging measures and risk analysis is a crucial component driving Azalaï Foundation’s continued success in a rapidly developing business environment.