SEASON 2 OF THE ANZISHA PRIZE AFRICA YOUTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP DOCUMENTARY LAUNCHES
The Second Season of Anzisha Prize’s The Journey Documentary features some of Africa’s young entrepreneurs Noreen Mutavhatsindi and Collins Kathuli
Johannesburg, 02 July 2024: The Anzisha Prize today launched Season 2 of its flagship Africa youth entrepreneurship documentary series The Journey. The Journey is a compelling 8-episode documentary that follows the inspiring journeys of 30 young African entrepreneurs chosen in 2022, aged 15 to 22, over two transformative years. This season captures the dynamic and often challenging world of youth entrepreneurship in Africa, highlighting these young visionaries’ determination, innovation, and resilience.
The documentary series is produced by the editorial team at Africa’s premier youth entrepreneurship initiative, the Anzisha Prize – as part of the important work of identifying, supporting, and developing young entrepreneurs on the African continent. The Anzisha Prize is a leading entrepreneurship initiative for people aged 15 – 22 years, and hands out over USD $140,000 in business support and prize money. It is a multi-year fellowship which finds and equips young entrepreneurs with tools and resources to run successful businesses and celebrate their endeavours.
Speaking of this important milestone, Managing Editor Didi Onwu emphasised that this is not just another documentary about Africa, but a collection of evidence of jobs-generative and enterprising ingenuity among African youth: “It is more than just a story. The Journey represents the future these entrepreneurs want and how they are going about building it,” she says, adding that it is not an ordinary documentary, “it highlights their desire and resolve to realise a change in their socio-economic circumstances, and a tenacious drive to achieve entrepreneurial success.”
From Nairobi to Johannesburg, the series highlights the challenges, trials and tribulations of these entrepreneurs and highlights their stellar achievements with 1075 jobs created including 312 permanent employment and $1,4 million in revenue. These entrepreneurs have secured over $5 million in investments.
“Daily, across the continent, we face a myriad of issues from youth unemployment to the lack of critical infrastructure. African governments and investors should gain a great deal from watching this documentary series, as one way of accessing insights and scenarios to inform policymaking on entrepreneurship education and investing in small businesses on the continent”, says Didi Onwu.
It is divided into eight episodes with the first six profiling two young entrepreneurs in each episode and their business. The final two episodes focus on the competitive aspect of the pitch process when all entrepreneurs arrive in South Africa. The Journey concludes in a high stakes pitch competition where the young entrepreneurs display their business ideas and contend for shared $40 000 in prize money which will help scale their business and bring it to life.
“We want everyone to see the possibilities. African parents need to watch and see the enterprising spirit of the youth so that they can understand that entrepreneurship is indeed a viable career choice”, says Onwu.
She adds, “We also want the youth on the continent to see success in entrepreneurship as emulated by those that not only look like them but have similar socio-economic backgrounds as them. We believe this would instil a belief in themselves and grow their aspirations, and hopefully enable a culture of entrepreneurship in an environment mired by structural unemployment. We want the youth to think of themselves as job creators, not job seekers.”
The documentary series includes interviews and on the ground footage of contestants and covers their ongoing journey across their various business interest from education, food security, fin-tech, Agri-Tech, health-tech, confectionery, and logistics services. This year, The Journey focuses on the 2022 Anzisha Prize cohort and their businesses. Watch The Journey on YouTube from June 27, 2024. Here is an episode synopsis:
· Episode 1: Seeds of Innovation featuring Noreen Mutavhatsindi and Mathias Yabe
· Episode 2: Growth Hacks featuring Collins Kathuli and Mariana Mahitiko
· Episode 3: Building Connections featuring Joseph Ssempembwa and Willine Ikirezi
· Episode 4: Tales of Triumph featuring Amina Nakiboneka and Abubakar Sadick Fuseini
· Episode 5: Tech Toolbox featuring Vanessa Fongwa Ngwi and Ivo Bonfirm
· Episode 6: Milestones and Challenges featuring Sharon Yayra Alornyeku and Sheil Chivura
· Episode 7: Race to the finish
· Episode 8: A grand event
Follow The Anzisha Prize on social media for commentary and more information about The Journey:
· https://www.facebook.com/anzishaprize/
· https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-anzisha-prize/?originalSubdomain=za
· https://x.com/anzishaprize?lang=en