The Sahara Group Foundation has announced twenty (20) social innovators from across Africa to be part of its 2023 Sahara Impact Fund Fellowship programme.
The Foundation is partnering with LEAP Africa, a youth-focused leadership development nonprofit organization, and Impact Amplifier, a South African-based advisory firm, to deliver the program.
The program aims to empower visionary African changemakers with the knowledge and resources required to expand their social enterprises and help address the environmental and social challenges affecting our society.
With a focus on increasing access to energy and promoting sustainable environments, the Sahara Impact Fund program attracted over three hundred applications from nineteen African countries including Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, South Africa, Burundi, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda.
The SIF Fellowship program, launched in 2020, aims to empower visionary African changemakers with the knowledge and resources required to expand their social enterprises and help address the environmental and social challenges affecting our society.
Speaking at the induction ceremony of the new Fellows, Ejiro Gray, Director of the Sahara Group Foundation stated, “We are thrilled to kick off the third Cohort of our Sahara Impact Fund Fellowship programme with this new set of inspiring social entrepreneurs and innovators who are committed to accelerating Africa’s development with their bold and innovative ideas and entrepreneurial spirit”.
In her congratulatory message to the twenty inducted Fellows, Ejiro Gray commended the Fellows for choosing to create business models that support the growth of our society.
She asked them to take advantage of the Fellowship courses, workshops, mentorship, peer support, and networking opportunities to build themselves and their social enterprises to deliver widespread sustainable impact.
This year’s SIF Fellows include 9 leaders from Nigeria: Stanley Anigbogu, Oluwaseyi Moejoh, Kehinde Fashola, Emmanuella Azegba, Muideen Adegoke, Chidozie Igweilo, Joshua Attat, Osato El-Osemwingie and Paul Nnaluo.
Others are drawn from other African countries: Patience Alifo (Ghana), Philipo Kitungano (Tanzania), Erick Mbeva (Kenya), Joyce Rugano (Kenya), Jolis Nduwimana (Burundi), Kachigo Zulu (Zambia), Andrew Mpashi (Zambia), Timothy Munthali (Malawi), Ainomugisha Shifira (Uganda), Tukwatanise Bonnita (Uganda) and Muofhe Ratshikombo (South Africa).
In her remarks to the newly inducted Fellows, Kehinde Ayeni, Executive Director of LEAP Africa stated, “that the most promising leaders are those who dare to challenge the status quo and envision a brighter future for the African continent”. She congratulated the Fellows for coming out successfully following a competitive application process and challenged them to leverage the Fellowship towards shaping Africa’s future.
The Sahara Impact Fund Fellowship programme exposes Fellows to capacity building and investment readiness modules that support business expansion and allows them to create a sustainable impact in society.
The programme is also set up to reward outstanding Fellows at the end of the Fellowship with seed funding of $5000.
This financial investment was created to support social innovators with the resources they require to scale their business model.
Sahara Group Foundation is fully committed to building sustainable societies through strategic partnerships that promote inclusive economic growth.
