The promoters on the Anzisha Prize 2015 have announced the 12 entrepreneurs in line for the title of Africa’s top young entrepreneur in 2015. These 12 finalists, from 9 countries, stand a chance to win a share of $75,000. The top three winners will be announced towards the end of November, with the grand prize winner taking home $25,000.
Out of the near 500 applicants, 77 were shortlisted for phone interviews, and 23 were later prioritised for site visits.
Here are this year’s 12 finalists:
Blessing Fortune Kwomo, 20, Nigeria – Healthcare solution for low-income families
Blessing Fortune Kwomo is the co-founder of De Rehoboths Therapeutic Studio – a holistic healthcare solution for low income families in Port Harcourt. Partnered with a local hospital to facilitate a post-care option for discharged patients from poverty-stricken families, the centre provides an alternative healthcare solution that supports traditional methods.
Chris Kwekowe, 22, Nigeria – E-learning and skills development
Chris founded Slatecube last year. Slatecube is an innovative e-learning platform enables users to study at their convenience via both free and paid-for online courses, build technology products and connect with opportunities to put their new skills to use.
Currently about 200 individuals are using the service to take online courses, read new books, and serve virtual internships. Slatecube was also one of 50 start-ups selected internationally to attend the 2015 MITx Global Entrepreneurship Bootcamp, recently held in Cambridge, US.
Daniel Mukisa, 21, Uganda – Motorbike delivery service in Kampala
Daniel is a student at Makerere University who has an eye for market opportunities and passion for youth employment. In January he co-founded Transporter Corporation, a Kampala-based motorbike delivery service.
Within just a few months of operation, the service was already being utilised by the companies like hellofood.ug and GoodsExpress.com and carrying out around 150 deliveries per day. The business also has its own fleet of 30 motorbikes, which can better navigate traffic congestions, and employs 35 young people.
Chantal Butare, 21, Rwanda – Dairy cooperative empowering women genocide survivors
In 2012, Chantal Butare launched Kinazi Dairy Cooperative (KIDAKO) after she realised many dairy farmers under President Paul Kagame’s Girinka programme were struggling to sell their milk. The Girinka programme gave women genocide survivors in rural areas a cow to assist them with a source of income. But Butare realised many of these women struggled to gain access to markets.
KIDAKO therefore works through collectors to purchase this milk, process it, and sell it to consumers. The diary cooperative serves over 3,200 farmers and employs 10 milk collectors to supply both Rwanda and Burundi.
Other finalists include Karidas Tshintsholo from South Africa, Fabrice Alomo and Vanessa Zommi, both from Cameroon, Hidaya Ibrahim from Ethiopia; George Mtemahanji from Tanzania, Mabel Suglo, 21, Ghana, Farai Munjoma from Zimbabwe and Sirjeff Dennis from Tanzania