Leap Africa has reiterated its commitment to entrepreneurship and recognition for social innovators in Africa as it marks its two decades of operation.
The event, held in Lagos, was an opportunity for LEAP Africa to also celebrate the 10th Social Innovators Programme and Awards (SIPA) during which over 1,500 people, including partners and other dignitaries, from various sectors across over 10 countries were recognised.
Delivering the keynote address entitled “Scaling an Organisation; Secret to growth in the organisation’’, Managing Partner of Sovereign’s Capital, Henry Kaestner, emphasised three key elements to note when starting a business – Mission and vision, Resources, and the right people.
He admonished the social entrepreneurs to focus on doing the work and says, money only comes in when the mission, passion and fruit of the labour are well communicated.
Also speaking in the Speed Talk session, Director of Global Prosperity at the Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation, Efosa Ojomo, described the major problem most
entrepreneurs face as the inability to approach social issues to a conclusive end consistently.
Speaking on the prosperity paradox, he shared that fixing visible signs of poverty does not create prosperity. He further disclosed the need to employ core mechanisms to ensure social solutions become sustainable.
Co-founder, GirlTrek, Vannesa Garrison advanced the historical dimension of social innovation. She shared how African women pioneered the most disruptive innovations that have stood the test of time. She encouraged more women to be their own most significant cause and encouraged them to prioritise their lives.
A panel session which was moderated by a LEAP Board member, Michelin Ntiru, featured S.I.P. Alumni Damilola Ashaleye, Isaac Damian, Akorfa Dawson and a guest panelist, Saeed Jumah from The Smile Shop Dental Clinic, all shared their unique social entrepreneurship journies, the challenges and what they have learnt in the process.
At the conference, 23 fellows were honoured and received certificates of completion, while three Fellows were recognized in three award categories: The Innocent Chukwuma Award for
Youth and Gender Empowerment in South-Eastern Nigeria, The Seyi Bikersteth Award for Financial Integrity and Accountability as well as the Outstanding Fellow Award. Amanda Obidike, Evelyn Odeh, Idris Ola and Akorfa Dawson won these awards in different categories.
The Social Innovators Programme (S.I.P.) supports creative young Africans (ages 18 to 35) from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Cameroon, Burundi, Uganda, and Tanzania with ideas and initiatives to proffer practical solutions to identified challenges in local communities on the continent.
The initiatives of these Fellows cover various aspects of society, such as Agriculture, Youth Empowerment, Education, Science & Technology, Health, Law, and Human Rights, among others. S.I.P. is a one-year fellowship which provides fellows with skills and tools to aid the growth and sustainability of their social enterprise, such as mentoring, one-on-one coaching, learning and funding. At the end of the fellowship year, LEAP Africa and partners – Union Bank, Sahara Foundation, and Ford Foundation honours deserving Fellows with various awards in different categories.