Foundation Empowers African Social Entrepreneurs With Seed Funding

Wema Bank has emerged the overall winner in the just concluded 2022 edition of the Nigeria Bankers Games with a record-breaking 22 medals.

At the end of the games, reputed as the most prestigious sporting competition in the Nigerian banking industry, the bank stood at the top of the medals table having garnered a total of ten gold, seven silver and five bronze medals.

The organizers of the sports fiesta, Media Vision Limited, Nigeria’s leading sports marketing and activation company, in a letter to the bank, congratulated the bank for the feat and commended the Wema bank staff for representing their bank creditably.

“We congratulate Wema Bank for emerging Overall Champions of the Nigeria Bankers Games for the first time with a total haul of 22 medals – 10 Gold, 7 Silver and 5 Bronze. Special commendation must also go to the staff of your organization for their performance, dedication and professionalism throughout the tournament. They have represented your brand excellently and Wema Bank’s involvement was crucial to the success of the tournament,” said Opeoluwa Adeyemo-Anjorin, the Group Head of Media Vision Limited.

“The spirit of sportsmanship and quality of competition exhibited on and off the field of play by the players and supporters of your bank were indeed commendable and aligned with our vision for the Nigeria Bankers Games,” Adeyemo-Anjorin went on to say.

Sahara Foundation, the personal and corporate social responsibility vehicle for Sahara Group has announced the award of $5000 each as seed funding to African social innovators who have successfully completed its 2022 Sahara Impact Fund (SIF) Fellowship programme.

The beneficiaries of the seed funding include Ayilara Assurance Oluchi, CEO of OnePad Reusable Pad, Nigeria; Lamin Ceesay, CEO of Karakunku Farm, the Gambia; Aminu Moses Rex, CEO Delfak Nigeria Ltd; Claude Albert Moghomaye, CEO, Bertec, Cameroon; Michael Osumune, CEO, Moon Innovations, Nigeria; Adeyemi Tunde, Ceo, D-Olivette Global Enterprise, Nigeria and Olawale Thompson, CEO, Planet Savers Global Ltd, Nigeria.

Other beneficiaries include James Thuch Madhier, South-Sudan; Ligare Allan, Kenya; Siwelwa Lazarous, Zambia; and Gerasia Laurent Andrea, Tanzania.

The three-month Fellowship was organized by Sahara Foundation in collaboration with LEAP AFRICA, a youth-focused leadership development nonprofit organization; and Impact Amplifier, a social enterprise that accelerates the investment readiness, growth and capital provision of high impact, innovative social enterprises in Africa.

Speaking on the motivation behind the Fund during the SIF close out ceremony, Pearl Uzokwe, Director, Sahara Foundation commented that Sahara Foundation is committed to impacting lives and building sustainable societies across Africa. She said, “The Sahara Impact Fund was set up to help close the gap in energy equality in Africa, as well as promote sustainable environment through the empowerment of creative social entrepreneurs working to move Africa from a continent of potentials to actualization”. Uzokwe urged the social entrepreneurs to use the training and funds received from the programme to advance their business dreams and congratulated all 21 Fellows who participated in this year’s programme.

Also addressing the Fellows at the close out ceremony, Ndidi Nwuneli, Founder, Leap Africa, congratulated the Fellows for successfully completing the programme.