Organisations can win up to $15,000 for their educational, entrepreneurial and sustainable initiatives
For immediate release: 6 July 2018
In Africa, the continent home to the largest youth population in the world, educators face a critical challenge: how to teach an ever-growing number of students using limited resources while also helping young people develop skills for the future.
Entrepreneurship is a resourceful approach to funding education while also giving students and out-of-school youth a platform for gaining real-life professional experience.
Now, organisations providing young people with hands-on business experience or using community-based business solutions to fund education have the chance to win $15,000 USD for their work through the Pan-African Awards for Enterprise in Education.
For over 10 years, The Pan-African Awards have recognised organisations harnessing entrepreneurship to improve the quality and relevancy of education across Africa. The awards are generously supported by The Saville Foundation in South Africa and managed by Teach A Man To Fish: an international NGO tackling poverty and youth unemployment through entrepreneurship and youth-led school business programmes.
With a focus on sustainability, the competition looks to award organisations with a demonstrable history of benefiting young people while also looking to continue and grow their impact in the future.
Last year’s winners, the Batonga Foundation, were selected for their innovative “Girls' Club" programme, which helps female youth develop entrepreneurial and life skills through business start-up mentorship, training and a financial literacy curriculum. Now they are using their prize funds to open their programmes to younger girls, which they estimate will double the number of participants!
Past winners have also included a single-mothers’ cooperative funding their children’s school through microcredit savings, as well as a circus company offering students performing arts business training. But whether it is a multinational NGO or a community business, all winners have demonstrated a commitment to educating and empowering young Africans.
“Fostering an entrepreneurial spirit isn’t just about making money right now; it’s about learning how to come up with innovative and impactful solutions for tomorrow,” says Nik Kafka, Founder and CEO of Teach A Man To Fish. “This year, we look forward to learning more about what entrepreneurship can achieve in education across Africa.”
Applications are open until August 14th, 2018 for the chance to win a top prize of $15,000 USD and two runner-up prizes of $5,000 USD each. One organisation will also be selected for the Future Partner Prize: an opportunity to partner with Teach A Man and win $5,000 to implement the School Enterprise Challenge with their network of schools.
To apply, click here and complete the simple online application form. Submitting an application is free of charge and is open to all organisations with programmes or projects in Africa.
Notes for Editors:- The Pan-African Awards for Entrepreneurship in Education was founded in 2007
- In 2017, 477 organisations applied for the Pan-African Awards
- In addition to cash prizes, winning organisations will be profiled by Teach A Man To Fish and will receive a fully-funded spot for a representing delegate to attend the 2018 Education That Pays conference hosted in the autumn by Teach A Man To Fish (exact date and location TBA)
- Teach A Man To Fish is an international non-profit organisation working to improve the relevancy and quality of education in developing countries. Their pioneering approach uses school-run businesses to teach entrepreneurship and livelihood skills. For more information visit www.teachamantofish.org.uk
