Kunle Ogunfuyi
24 April 2008
Lagos — Leading African social entrepreneurs with innovating solutions for the world's most urgent social problems would be honoured in Dakar, Senegal next month in what is expected to be a defining moment for the continent. The organisers, Ashoka since 1981, have elected nearly 2,000 leading social entrepreneurs as fellows. Its primary objective is to create communities of innovators while on the other hand, build a vibrant citizen sector that supports those creating changes in the world today.
Ashoka Country Director, Lesley Gene Agams, while briefing the media said twenty leading social entrepreneurs from Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Mali, Senegal, South Africa and Zimbabwe will be inducted as Ashoka Fellows on May 9 in Dakar, Senegal.
The induction of the fellows is part of the four-day pan-African gathering of Ashoka fellows, staff, business entrepreneurs, investors and donor agencies, as well as strategic partners. The event is planned to explore opportunities for greater collaboration and create collective actions for accelerating systemic social change throughout Africa. These African social entrepreneurs will become lifetime members of Ashoka's global fellowship, an international association of their peers in the field of social entrepreneurship. Fellows receive financial support that enable them to focus full-time on continuing their work, and access to pro bono professional and strategic services to help them achieve systems change impact.
Each fellow is also eligible to apply for supplemental funding on collaborative projects, and to receive training as well as technical assistance through Ashoka partners. Inducted members from Nigeria are Mr. Maxwell Marshall for providing access to housing for the urban and the rural poor through the introduction of a new building technology. Lucy Kanu for creating value added, empowering income generating strategies based on local capacity and supported by targeted, strategic resources from outside the community. Others are Joseph Adelegan for protecting the environment and creating jobs and income by introducing a new and sustainable biogas technology system for treating abattoir waste. Princess Olufemi Kayode is recognised for breaking the silence about rampant child sexual abuse in Nigeria and providing support to victims.
"Ashoka is determined that only the highest calibre of individuals and only leading social entrepreneurs are selected to join our fellowship. Fellows are not only selected for their outstanding projects based on its four primary criteria: new idea, creativity, sustainability and social impact, they are also selected for their strong ethical fibre. We at Ashoka are extremely proud to be formally presenting the latest crop of leading social entrepreneurs to the world," says Agams.
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