SANKALP AFRICA SUMMIT 2019
Sankalp Awards Summit 2019 panel discussion
The summit kicked off with 4 panellists in conversation about unlikely alliances for an inclusive Africa with the host Jeff Koinange. A celebration of diverse thoughts, backgrounds & ideas.
IDRC & Intellecap launched the Global Landscape of Gender Lens Investing, the report examines the strategies used by gender lens investors examines ways in which businesses promote social and economic empowerment of women and correlates investment strategies to them. It also studies patterns and draws insights about the evolution of the gender lens investing strategies, the financial instruments used in adopting them and regions where they are implemented. It also highlights the challenges gender lens investors face in emerging geographies both in terms of raising capital and accessing an investible pipeline for the adoption of this strategy. It is notable that almost 70% of the funds using this strategy were seeded by women investors and/or raised funds from women.
Moreover, a report was launched by SDG Partnership Platform & Intellecap, the whitepaper brought out the need for innovative health financing models in Kenya and how these models can work towards achievement of Universal Health Coverage. It highlights that broader approach to look beyond social impact bonds and how models like Advance Market Commitments, Asset Lease Financing can facilitate better delivery of primary healthcare services in Kenya. The white paper highlights that the Government should continue to significantly increase its budgets for health to deliver on the Country’s ambition to realize UHC, while it is tapping into other sources of financing to optimize the existing resources and bridge critical gaps.
KWANGU KWAKO BAGS FIRST PLACE
Simon Dixon and Winnie Gitau – Founders of Kwangu Kwako
Kwangu Kwako enhance and save lives through providing a safer, healthier and more secure housing alternative to the current widespread mabati and bush pole shacks. They improve the quality of life for families living in informal settlements. Our product is a simple, modular precast structure made by local people from locally available materials.
SEED FORUM, ANTLER AND NORAD VISIT:
GrowthAfrica, Norad, Antler and Seed Forum team
The three companies visited us we and discussed the challenges entrepreneurs face upon launching of their business ventures. One of the main challenges was the inability to re-invest their revenue to fuel their own organic growth, hence bringing the need for private equity investment.
GROWTH ACCELERATOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP CHALLENGE:
Kevin Thion’go, Growth Catalyst at GrowthAfrica
The first cohort of the Growth Entrepreneurship Accelerator challenge kicked off in Malawi on the 17th of February 2019, and ran for two days, the theme of the event was Customer & Market workshop, 11 companies from different sectors took part. The challenge was carried out by GrowthAfrica in partnership with mhub, Grow Malawi and UNDP Malawi.
