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By Olushola Bello
Sahara Foundation has announced the award of $5,000 each as seed funding to African social innovators who have successfully completed its 2022 Sahara Impact Fund (SIF) Fellowship programme.
The beneficiaries of the seed funding include CEO of OnePad Reusable Pad, Nigeria, Ayilara Oluchi; CEO of Karakunku Farm, the Gambia, Lamin Ceesay; CEO Delfak Nigeria Limited, Aminu Rex; CEO, Bertec, Cameroon, Claude Moghomaye; among others.
The three-month Fellowship was organised by Sahara Foundation in collaboration with LEAP AFRICA, a youth-focused leadership development non-profit organisation; and Impact Amplifier, a social enterprise that accelerates the investment readiness, growth and capital provision of high impact, innovative social enterprises in Africa.
The objective of the Fellowship is to better equip African social entrepreneurs with the knowledge and skill sets required to build sustainable businesses, capable of addressing the continent’s challenges.
The Foundation noted that the need to accelerate Africa’s growth in access to energy and promote sustainable environments across the continent, inspired the creation of the Sahara Impact Fund Fellowship programme.
“We believe that Africa’s biggest challenges need diverse, local problem solvers and Sahara Foundation is helping to identify and empower these social solution providers,” it said.
Speaking on the motivation behind the Fund during the SIF close out ceremony, director, Sahara Foundation, Pearl Uzokwe said, Sahara Foundation is committed to impacting lives and building sustainable societies across Africa.
She said: “the Sahara Impact Fund was set up to help close the gap in energy equality in Africa, as well as promote sustainable environment through the empowerment of creative social entrepreneurs working to move Africa from a continent of potentials to actualisation.”
Uzokwe urged the social entrepreneurs to use the training and funds received from the programme to advance their business dreams and congratulated all 21 Fellows who participated in this year’s programme.