The 2015 edition of the Anzisha Prize is now open and young entrepreneurs under the age of 22 have been given nods to make their applications. The Anzisha initiative is on its fifth birthday and involves a social impact programme meant to touch the lives of young entrepreneurs in Africa within high growth economic sectors.
Cohosted by African Leadership Academy and the MasterCard Foundation, the Anzisha Prize has been expanded not only to encompass young entrepreneurs but also strengthen and celebrate the ecosystem of organization that develop young African entrepreneurial talent in this age group. This is meant to drive pan-African economic growth to 2020.
Africa has over 600 million people under the age of 25. With the number of youth being churned out of the universities growing daily, there is need to foster the entrepreneurial culture to make these youth job creators rather than jobseekers. The Anzisha Effect under the Anzisha Prize banner, entails using the power of storytelling about the youngest entrepreneurs in the continent to encourage others to follow in their footsteps.
“We have already seen the #AnzishaEffect at work through the inspirational stories and leadership of Anzisha Fellows like Laetitia Mukungu, Andrew Mupuya and Thato Kgatlhanye. They are now globally recognized and celebrated role models,” says Reeta Roy, President and CEO of The MasterCard Foundation. “We’re excited about expanding our support of the Anzisha Prize so that many more young entrepreneurs in Africa can make a lasting impact in their communities and countries by creating jobs and driving our economies.”
Each year, 12 finalists win a two-week trip to South Africa for a learning experience of a lifetime at African Leadership Academy, and share over Ksh 6.7million (USD75,000) in cash funding. At a Gala Dinner, the grand prize winner is announced and receives a cash prize of Ksh2.3million (USD25,000).
The Youth Entrepreneur Support Unit (YES-U) which is based at African Leadership Academy, is the force behind this year’s initiative. YES-U is working in tandem with business incubators, mentors and consultants across the continent to help the young entrepreneurs advance their businesses. Applications close on April 15 this year.
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