The Anzisha Prize is a premier award focusing on young African entrepreneurs aged 15-22 with innovative businesses or solutions that have a positive impact on their communities. The competition is an initiative of the African Leadership Academy’s Centre for Entrepreneurial Leadership in partnership with the MasterCard Foundation.
According to Anzisha Prize, “The 12 finalists will travel to South Africa for a weeklong entrepreneurial conference and stand to collectively win $75,000 in cash prizes, as well as access to lifelong mentorship that can be provided by Anzisha Prize’s vast network of individual partners, organizations, and youth leaders.”
The Finalists for the 2013 Anzisha Prize include 19 year old David Morfaw from Bafut, Cameroon with Poult-Vault Inc, a poultry project which he believes can usher in a new era for his community financially and give necessary nutrients to people in the community.
EGYPT’s 21 year-old Khaled Shady, a Computer Engineering at Menoufoia University in Egypt has a project called Mubser
to help the blind community. Mubser is a wearable belt fully equipped with Bluetooth and Microsoft Kinect, that guides the individual to navigate safely around objects and obstacles using a system of vibration motors.
Kenya’s 21 year-old Barclay Paul Okari, has a venture called Impact Africa aimed at providing inexpensive, reusable, washable sanitary towels for women.
21 year-old Malawian Gonjetso Chinyama is a student at the University of Malawi studying Management Information Systems with a passion for art, design, and computer programming. He has a creative design agency called Twenty2 Creative which runs an Internet real estate venture, Pakwathu that enables people in Malawi to find property throughout the country and sift through a plethora of properties based on location, price, and other variables.
Nigeria’s 21 year-old Temitayo Olufuwax, a graduate of N.I.I.T. launched Jobs in Nigeria last year to allow users to effortlessly search, find, and apply for new jobs at the click of the mouse or even on the mobile devices.
19 year-old girl, Joie Laurent Sangwa from Rwanda is working on a Domestic Biogas Use Promotion Project from human waste to help the community find affordable energy and improve their economy and the environment.
Donald Bambara also 19 from Dakar, Senegal has a project dubbed Green Act the project installs various measures to separate trash from recyclable materials on campus. And he has been active in cleaning up his campus, and campuses around him doesn’t end there as he funds cleaning services on campuses and tries to educate students and young people in Senegal about the impacts of current waste management practices and future possibilities for recycling.
22 year-old Neftaly Malatjie from South Africa has a project dubbed Diepsloot Youth Project which he launched in 2005, at the age of 14. Diepsloot Youth Projects (DYP) focus on income generating programs for youth.
Also from South Africa, 21 year-old Kolawole Olajide has a project called Funda, an online learning management system that brings together necessary educational resources to make the lives of teachers, students, and parents a bit easier and is currently being used throughout the country.
Tanzania’s Domitila Silayo Moshi, at 21 founded Jatropha Soap Production, a soap made from the jatropha plant with healing abilities. The soap treats various skin problems including ringworm and dandruff.
