Catch the Major Highlights from the Social Innovators Program and Awards 2022 by Leap Africa

On Thursday, September 8, 2022, at Eko Hotel and Suite, Lagos, LEAP Africa hosted over 1500 people; including partners and other dignitaries, from different sectors across over ten countries around the world, including Nigeria, at the tenth edition of the Social Innovators Programme and Awards (SIPA) 2022.

The Social Innovators Programme (S.I.P.) supports creative young Africans (ages 18 – 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- honour deserving Fellows with various awards in different categories.

Delivering the keynote address titled ”Scaling an Organisation; Secret to growth in the organization, Henry Kaestner, Managing partner of sovereign Capital, emphasized three key elements to note when starting a business – Mission and vision, Resources, and right people. For social entrepreneurs, he admonished them 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, 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.

While delivering her session, 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 prioritize 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 panellist, 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.

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