Swedish investment company Kinnevik had started non-profit organization Reach for Change to focus on improving the lives of children and youth by investing in social entrepreneurs. Through an incubator program, the organization provides social entrepreneurs with salary funding and coaching by advisors and experts from the network companies within the Kinnevik Group.
The organization began in Sweden in 2010 and has expanded to Ghana and Russia in 2011. Now, they are looking for social entrepreneurs in Rwanda in a partnership with telecommunications provider, Millicom, also known as Tigo.
According to AllAfrica, they are looking for two people with an early-stage, innovative, and scalable idea that improves the lives of children to give each person $25,000 each year for the next three years. Applications began yesterday and are accepted until September 21.
There is preference for ideas that can leverage Tigo’s competencies or technologies. While addressing the press, corporate social responsibility officer at Tigo Nina Claudia Ndabanenze emphasized that this initiative is beneficial for both the company and the country as a whole.
Tigo, which operates in 13 emerging markets in South America and Africa, is said to be the first company in all of Africa to introduce this kind of corporate social responsibility activity.
Photo from Reach for Change.