Seven Africans from Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, Kenya and Mozambique have emerged winners of the Schwab Foundation’s Social Entrepreneurs of the Year 2014 awards.
The Schwab Foundation Social Entrepreneur of the Year 2014 awardees are leading 30 organisations operating in more than 20 countries that are pioneering solutions for social and environmental challenges including urban revitalisation, renewable energy and unemployment.
The African winners are Gbenga Sesan of Paradigm Initiative Nigeria (Nigeria), Patrick Awuah of Ashesi University (Ghana), Ashifi Gogo of Sproxil (Nigeria), Martin Kariongi Ole Sanago of Institute for Orkonerei Pastoralists Advancements (Tanzania), Jay Kimmelman and Shannon May of Bridge International Academies (Kenya), and Allen Wilcox of VillageReach (Mozambique).
Hilde Schwab, chairperson and co-founder, Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, Switzerland said: “Social entrepreneurs are the driving force behind innovations that improve the quality of life of individuals around the world, and they represent an integral and dynamic community of the World Economic Forum.
“It therefore gives me great pleasure to announce the 2014 Schwab Social Entrepreneur awardees.
“The 37 outstanding social entrepreneurs we have selected into the Schwab Foundation community this year are designing transformative models in collaboration with government and business partners to generate truly inclusive growth.”
Winner Sesan said: “This is both a pat on the back for the work that the PIN team did with 12 people working in Abuja and Lagos Nigeria, and a call to do more. None of these milestones would have been possible without the support of our board or the commitment of our partners. This goes to appreciate them really.”
