- The second season of Anzisha Prize’s ‘Journey’ documentaries will feature young African entrepreneurs Noreen Mutafhatsindi and Collins Katuri.
Anzisha Prize today launched season two of its African youth entrepreneur documentary series, “The Journey.” “The Journey” is a fascinating eight-episode documentary that follows the inspiring two-year journey of 30 African youth entrepreneurs aged between 15 and 22, selected for 2022. This season captures the dynamic and often challenging world of African youth entrepreneurship, highlighting the determination, innovation and resilience of these young visionaries.
This documentary series was produced by the editorial team of Anzisha Prize, Africa’s premier young entrepreneurship initiative, as part of its important work to discover, support and nurture young entrepreneurs on the continent. Anzisha Prize is a leading entrepreneurial initiative for young people ages 15-22 that has awarded over $140,000 in business support and prize money. It is a multi-year fellowship that identifies young entrepreneurs, provides them with the tools and resources to launch successful businesses, and recognizes their efforts.
Commenting on this important milestone, Editor-in-Chief Didi Onwu stressed that this is not just a documentary about Africa, but a collection of evidence that showcases the job creation and enterprising spirit of African youth. “This is not just a story. ‘The Journey’ charts the future these entrepreneurs want and how they are going to build it,” she said, adding that this is no ordinary documentary, “highlighting their desire and determination to change their socio-economic circumstances and their dogged drive to succeed as entrepreneurs.”
The series highlights the challenges, trials and tribulations of these entrepreneurs from Nairobi to Johannesburg, and their stellar achievements of creating 1,075 jobs, including 312 full-time jobs, and generating $1.4 million in revenue. These entrepreneurs have secured investments of over $5 million.
“Across the continent, we face challenges every day, from youth unemployment to a lack of critical infrastructure. African governments and investors will benefit greatly from watching this documentary series as a way to gain insights and scenarios that can help inform policymaking on entrepreneurship education and investment in small and medium-sized enterprises on the continent,” said Didi Onwu.
The show is split into eight episodes, with the first six episodes showcasing two young entrepreneurs and their businesses in each episode. The final two episodes focus on the competitive aspect of the presentation process once all the entrepreneurs arrive in South Africa. The journey culminates with a high-stakes presentation competition where the young entrepreneurs will showcase their business ideas and compete for a $40,000 prize that will help them scale and bring their businesses to fruition.
“We want everyone to know what’s possible. African parents need to look closely at the enterprising spirit of their young people and help them understand that entrepreneurship is a real and viable career choice,” Onwu says.
She added: “We want young people on the continent to see others who not only look like them but who come from similar socio-economic backgrounds as successful entrepreneurs. We believe this will inspire their confidence and aspirations and foster a culture of entrepreneurship in an environment plagued by structural unemployment. We want young people to see themselves as job creators, not job seekers.”
The documentary series includes interviews with the contestants and on-the-ground footage, covering their ongoing journeys across various business sectors including education, food security, fintech, agritech, healthtech, confectionery and logistics services. This year’s “The Journey” will focus on the 2022 Anjisha Award winners and their businesses. To watch “The Journey” on YouTube: June 27, 2024. Here’s a synopsis of the episode:
Episode 1: Seeds of Innovation Starring Noreen Mutavatsindi and Mathias Yabe
Episode 2: Growth Hack Starring Collins Caturi and Mariana Mahitiko
Episode 3: Make connections Starring Joseph Ssempembuwa and Uylin Ikirezi
Episode 4: A Triumphant Story Featuring Amina Nakiboneka and Abubakar Saddiq Husseini
Episode 5: Technology Toolbox Starring Vanessa Fongwa Ngwi and Ivo Bonfilm
Episode 6: Milestones and Challenges Starring Sharon Yayla Aroniek and Shayle Tsivra
Episode 7: Race to the finish line
Episode 8: A grand event
For commentary and more information on The Journey, follow Anzisha Prize on social media.
https://www.facebook.com/anzishaprize/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-anzisha-prize/?originalSubdomain=za
https://x.com/anzishaprize?lang=en
