The African Visionary Fund in 2021 announced a bumped-up $ 1.5 million commitment to support nine organizations in the continent over the next three years.
The commitment has been used to support African-led organizations by providing them with unrestricted funds which would help the continent maximize its entrepreneurial spirit and accelerate its impact.
Following the announcement of the funds, the organization restructured its criteria for the selection process. This saw them go on a long 5-month research process in 2021, researching over 109 organizations from 200 referrals.
Then, come November, AVF finally found 26 organizations, who were the semi-finalists of the process, with further shortlisting cutting the figures down to 13. That figure would later go down to just nine, with the nine selected organizations all having the potential to be transformative in the continent.
The nine organizations are:
ACADES
ACADES – Based in Malawi, ACADES is a platform for small farmers where they can gain access to markets, funding, and skill development.
AkiraChix
AkiraChix –This organization aims to bridge the global gender gap in tech by providing women with market-ready tech skills across the continent.
Friendship Bench
Friendship Bench – This Zimbabwean organization provides sustainable mental healthcare through psychological interventions. They aim to make mental healthcare accessible and scalable and founded on evidence.
Fundi Bots
Fundi Bots – This Ugandan company works with schools and communities in the country to provide practical STEM education in classes. They mostly target children in rural and underprivileged areas, with an aim to accelerate science learning in the continent.
Kajo-Keji Health Institute – This South Sudan organization aims to address the severe shortage of medical personnel in the country by providing education for high-potential health workers. They offer affordable tuition and a comprehensive curriculum for clinical and lab professionals.
Kidame Mart – Based in Ethiopia, this organization empowers rural female entrepreneurs by helping them with last-mile distribution, especially for fast-moving consumer goods.
Msichana Initiative – This Tanzanian organization is an advocate for the rights of girls, both through empowering the women and also agitating for policy changes. They inspire teenage girls to speak against gendered-social norms that hinder their personal growth.
This-Ability – This Kenyan organization is focused on advancing the Rights and Inclusion of People with Disabilities in the country, especially for women and girls.
WAVE – WAVE aims to tackle youth unemployment by providing young people with work-ready skills and helping employers tap talents for their businesses.
