Young African entrepreneurs honoured at Anzisha summit
Didi Onwu, managing editor at Anzisha, said the summit brings together people and organisations from across the continent's entrepreneurship space. 'It's a chance to celebrate the young entrepreneurs we support through our fellowship,' she said.
Read more: G20 Summit the ball gets rolling
Anzisha started in 2011 with backing from the African Leadership Academy and Mastercard Foundation. It offers a two-year fellowship for entrepreneurs aged 15 to 22. The programme supports a wide range of sectors such as agriculture, fashion, health, education, climate, and manufacturing and focuses on young people already running real businesses.
'We select 30 entrepreneurs per intake,' said Onwu. 'They get business coaching and go through leadership training to help build sustainable businesses that can grow and create jobs.'
In 2021, Anzisha changed the format of the event to include a knowledge-sharing session in the morning and a celebration in the afternoon. Before then, it was mainly a gala event.
The summit programme included panel talks, networking, and break-out sessions, giving attendees a full day of learning and engagement.
Onwu explained that the name 'Anzisha' is a Swahili word meaning 'to start' or 'to ignite', a reflection of their mission to support youth-led businesses.
The summit has become one of Anzisha's biggest annual events, offering learning, networking, and recognition for Africa's next generation of business leaders.
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