Do you have an innovative idea that demonstrates positive economic, social and environmental impact? You have until August 22nd to apply for the Supporting Entrepreneurs for Environment and Development (SEED) Awards.
The SEED Awards for Entrepreneurship in Sustainable Development seeks to identify social and environmental entrepreneurs in Africa running innovative start-ups geared towards ending poverty and achieving environmental sustainability. Being profitable doesn’t necessarily mean not being able to make a difference.
Many successful businesses started as NGOs; the vision they had and the impact their service or product made on the communities set the tone for a sustainable and socially involved venture. Do you remember the story of Honey Care Africa? The NGO-turned-into-a-profitable venture is a model of social enterprises with a conscience.
The SEED award does not come with a monetary prize but winners will benefit from expert knowledge and get an opportunity to network with potential investors, key decision makers as well as SEED partners and past winners. Knowledge is an invaluable tool to build a business and this award will certainly be seen as a fantastic opportunity for willing entrepreneurs.
This year, there is a small change though; the winners will be given US Dollars 5,000 to address the initiatives most urgent needs. A great way to fire up one’s project. In addition, another category has been introduced in this year’s awards which focuses on women’s owned projects. The SEED Gender Equality Award will honour initiatives that seek to promote women empowerment. This new Award has been sponsored by the UN Women, a UN organisation that focuses on empowering women.
A total of 39 awards will be issued, 14 to initiatives in South Africa, 20 to Burkina Faso, Kenya, Egypt, Ghana, Rwanda and Senegal and 5 to other countries across the continent. To emerge as one of the winners, you should be innovative and demonstrate the spirit of entrepreneurship. Your start-up should demonstrate the ability to be replicated and be financially sustainable in the near future.
Last year 30 innovative start-up ventures from Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa and other countries outside the continent were awarded the SEED award. Most of the initiatives awarded last year focused on improving food production by supporting small holder farmers, cleaning the environment as well as recycling waste materials.
If you need some inspiration, have a look at one of last year’s winning ideas: Rwanda’s Efficient Charcoal Production and Smoke Recycling initiative. The project seeks to increase the energy output of charcoal by recycling tar. Charcoal burners are equipped with new carbonization techniques thereby reducing their exposure to health conditions as well as air pollution. Clever and innovative, the project had all the key ingredients to seduce the jury.
Another winning initiative was Kenya’s Backpack Farm Agriculture Program. The initiative supports small holder farmers achieve food security and increase their incomes by offering them training, farm inputs and other support services. Once again, a strong, community oriented project that helps empowering local workers and improve conditions of living.
A South African youth organization led initiative which offers a cost effective and convenient method of growing vegetables, herbs, and flowers from seed was also awarded. The Claire Reid Reel Gardening uses organic fertilizer and saves up to 80 percent water use while reducing pollution at the same time. Reel Gardening seeks to reduce food shortage and increase the earnings of poor communities.
So if you think you have all it takes to be both a successful and responsible entrepreneur, enter the competition. The SEED Initiative was started by among other organizations the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) with the aim of supporting small scale innovative entrepreneurs working in partnerships in Africa and other developing nations. Read the application carefully and apply, it’s only one click away! Good Luck!
For more information you can write to SEED through email address: seedawards2011@seedinit.org Good Luck from Africa Report.
Jazlyn
October 13, 2011
That’s a great article.