Women dominate Anzisha entrepreneurship program

According to a statement issued by Anzisha, a total of 30 young African entrepreneurs aged 15-22 have been chosen to participate in its three-year Venture Building Program, a fellowship program aimed at advancing the movement of entrepreneurship as a viable career choice for young people.

Of the 30 chosen young entrepreneurs, 17 are women, making up for 57 percent of the total number of participants.

Its next cohort of entrepreneurs comprises an exciting mix of changemakers in the agriculture, health, education, and fashion industries. The 30 entrepreneurs join the ranks of 172 young African entrepreneurs who have benefited from the fellowship since its inception in 2011.

Businesses and entrepreneurs that show exemplary growth and initiative receive benefits and services such as short courses, cloud services, and cash stipends valued at $140 000 USD over the course of three years.

“This year, we received a record number of 1,888 applications. This is particularly encouraging, as we have remodelled the program slightly to award progress and achievement over some time. Young people are looking for committed support that improves the longevity of their businesses and it’s been especially exciting to see young women take up this opportunity with 17 young women being part of the top 30,” the Executive Director of Anzisha Prize, Josh Adler, said.

He added: “This is also bolstered by a few fintech businesses, showing a growing trend. Having worked with early-age entrepreneurs over the last decade and seeing their impact on the economy, we continue to create an enabling environment – making it easier for them to do business through support programs like ours, which build debt-free instruments that are useful for these entrepreneurs.”

The Anzisha Prize seeks to award young entrepreneurs who have developed and implemented innovative solutions to social challenges and started successful businesses within their communities. Now in its twelfth year, the program has been redesigned to run for three years per cohort. At the end of the three years, the fellows will graduate and join the Anzisha Prize alumni network.

The 30 business owners were selected from across the continent following rounds of rigorous evaluation. The entrepreneurs who applied were assessed on their leadership potential, as well as the scalability and job-creation potential of their business models. The entrepreneurs represent 11 sectors such as health and education with agriculture and consumer products having the highest representation. Additionally, 17 African countries and all five regions within the continent have a representative in the top 30, including Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Egypt, Mali, and more.

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