21 year old Yannick Kimanuka from the Democratic Republic of Congo has emerged the winner of the 2019 Anzisha Prize. She beat 19 other finalists to win the first prize of $25,000.
The Anzisha Prize, an African Leadership Academy and Mastercard Foundation partnership, is dedicated to identifying, supporting and celebrating young African entrepreneurs between the ages of 15-22 on the continent whose ideas, ventures and businesses harness the power to redefine and reimagine Africa’s growth trajectory.
Yannick Kimanuka is the founder of The KIM’s School Complex, a nursery and primary school which aims to reduce the trend of intellectual disability found in children from her community.
“I am so happy. I cannot believe this. Thank you to the Anzisha team and my fellow finalists. Tonight, I am not only filled with joy but I am filled with hope for the future of this continent. My fellow entrepreneurs have fuelled my passions and desires for a better continent,” said Yannick Kimanuka during her acceptance speech at the 2019 Anzisha Prize Forum held in Johannesburg.
You can watch her pitch below:
Osvaldo Mokouma emerged the first runner-up and went home with $15,000 while 21 year old founder of Eco Makaa, Cecil Chikezie took home $12,500 for being the second runner-up.
This year the Anzisha Prize Forum was a half day curated experience that included workshops on the Anzisha Scenario which gave stakeholders an opportunity to rethink their approach to youth entrepreneurship.
On the journey to crowning the winners, the 20 finalists were put through their paces participating in an 11-day boot camp at the ALA campus where they were coached by industry experts on how to run successful businesses.
This boot camp aids in fostering collaborative synergies between the young entrepreneurs and will hopefully continue after their time together in Johannesburg. After returning home, each finalist will receive US$2,500 in prize money and join the prestigious Anzisha Fellowship. The Fellowship package consists of eight tailored opportunities to help fellows scale their businesses. This year, the Fellowship package will include a new consulting initiative and job shadowing projects that are aimed at providing unique opportunities for all fellows.
For the past nine years, the Anzisha Prize program has continued to champion Africa’s youngest entrepreneurs. This year was no different as the program managed to reach very young entrepreneurs in remote areas. During the due diligence trips, the Anzisha team had the unique opportunity to meet all top 20 finalists in their home countries and see their businesses first hand. After travelling to over 23 countries and reaching more candidates in remote areas, the Anzisha Prize program is invested in supporting very young entrepreneurs as the program will celebrate their decennial next year.
Applications for the next cycle of the Anzisha Prize will open on 15 February in 2020. If you’d like to nominate young entrepreneurs visit anzishaprize.org/nominate. Entrepreneurs’ nominations are welcome all year round.
