By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Social innovators and entrepreneurs across Africa, including Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, South Sudan, Rwanda, Uganda, Cameroon, Tanzania, and Zambia, have been urged to register registration for the 2023 Sahara Impact Fund (SIF) programme.
The scheme is an initiative of Sahara Foundation, the corporate citizenship vehicle for the leading energy and infrastructure conglomerate, Sahara Group.
The fund is a strategic partnership between Sahara Foundation and LEAP Africa, which aims to provide support to business ideas and solutions which will increase access to clean energy and promote sustainable environments.
The organisers said SIF is open to African social enterprises and entrepreneurs between the ages of 25 and 40 years and must apply on or before April 30, 2023.
It was stated that all entries for this fund must be in English or French, and only one entry will be accepted per organization, and innovations must show sustainability and scalability.
Once an entry has been submitted, no further changes will be accepted, and winners will be announced via social media channels, and awards will be given at our offices in the countries where the competition is held.
It was further stated that organisations must have been in existence for at least one year and must submit social solutions within the foundation’s key focus areas of Clean and Affordable Energy and Sustainable Environment.
Non-profits or social businesses must be registered with their country’s relevant regulatory and government bodies as funding will not be given to cater for that or to individuals in their personal capacity.
In addition, only technology-based innovative solutions with measurable community impact will be considered, and submissions must show evidence through the provision of web links and other online presence.
It was stressed that all submitted social solutions must have been implemented, must be at the growth stage and have direct beneficiaries and evidence of claim through pictures, news releases, etc must be documented and shared during the application.
A Director at Sahara Group Foundation, Ejiro Gray, said, “The aim of the programme is to better equip the young social entrepreneurs to build sustainable businesses which will, in turn, grow their respective economies, contributing to the growth of the continent at large.
“We believe that entrepreneurs and game-changing business owners are the backbone of the African economy and are essential to its growth and development.
“Therefore, our goal is to provide the resources and support they need to succeed while improving lives and livelihood within their communities and across the Africa continent as a whole.”
Adedapo Adesanya