Ten projects by young innovators with potentially world-changing ideas have been selected as finalists for the Project Inspire: 5 Minutes to Change the World campaign. And in exciting news, three of this year’s finalists hail from Africa.
Project Inspire is an annual joint initiative by the Singapore Committee for UN Women and MasterCard, that calls on young change-makers between the ages of 18 and 35 to pitch ideas that will build sustainable, long-term projects that benefit disadvantaged women in Asia-Pacific, the Middle East or Africa.
Project Can-Do from Zimbabwe, led by Esther Banda, Women’s Empowerment in Pumpkin Value Addition from Uganda, led by Kyalema Joyce and CO-OP46 from Nigeria, led by Anietie Etuk will be joining an additional seven finalists from around the globe to compete for the grand prize.
“2014’s entry guidelines were significantly more stringent than in previous years but that didn’t deter potential applicants. With this year garnering the highest calibre of submissions we’ve ever received, we couldn’t be prouder of the incredible work that is being done by youth around the world to empower women and girls” says Trina Liang-Lin, president, Singapore Committee for UN Women.
The other seven Project Inspire finalists are:
- From ‘Ait Chai’ Collector to Fashion Designer, Cambodia, led by Peo Bona
- Global Sisters – Financial Independence for Female Entrepreneurs , Australia, led by Hawanatu Bangura
- Skills@School for Girls, India, led by Shrutikantha Kandali
- Aakar Social Ventures, India, led by Sombodhi Ghosh
- Supporting disadvantaged young women through vocational training and job placement program, Vietnam, led by Sara Gingold
- Social Impact at Trade Monkey, Thailand, led by Alana Hitchcock Weber
- The Sinag Store Project, Philippines, led by Sheena Rose Jamora
Each finalist receives an all-expenses-paid trip to Singapore, where they will participate in a week-long social business bootcamp. The camp includes workshops run by global consulting firm Bain & Company and academic partner INSEAD.
The Project Inspire Grand Finale will be on Saturday 30th August at INSEAD’s Asia Campus, where a winner will be chosen by a panel of judges.
The winner of Project Inspire will receive a $35 000 (around R350 000) grant for their project, and the runner-up will receive a $10 000 grant (around R100 000).
You can vote for your favourite finalist on the Project Inspire Facebook page. Voting closes on 29th August.
[Image – Project Inspire]
