What is the Anzisha Prize?
The Anzisha Prize is Africa's award for her youngest entrepreneurs between the ages of 15 to 22. It is a partnership between African Leadership Academy and MasterCard Foundation, that seeks to significantly increase the number of job generative entrepreneurs in Africa.
The program kicks off with a continental search for young and brilliant minds and concludes with 20 finalists. The Anzisha Fellows are then flown to the African Leadership Academy in South Africa, for an entrepreneurial/ business bootcamp, each guaranteed a share of $100,000 as funding.
Meet The Two Zambian Finalists.
Name: Kondwani Gabriella Banda.
Nationality: Zambian.
Organization: The Mainstream.
Position: Editor in Chief and Co founder.
Kondwani Gabriella Banda, is a 21 year old Zambian young lady, born and bred in the capital; Lusaka. She is an avid writer driven by her passion for story telling, which she fulfills through her role as Editor in Chief at The Mainstream. A company she cofounded with Publisher; Sobhuza Ziba, dedicated to delivering literary content in an engaging digital manner.
Her core goal as Editor in Chief, includes delivering distinctive and expressive content that instigates empowerment. Kondwani is a student in the school of Media and Communication at the University of Zambia. A course she strategically pursued to help nurture her passion for story telling through media.
Her work as Editor in Chief started off two years ago, and has drastically developed within this time frame. Kondwani has grown from writing basic stories, to writing nifty pieces. Some of which have been revered by prominent locals, and one particularly in the humanitarian category, that caught the attention of Sahwira Africa International — a Finnish NGO. Under her initiative, coupled with the digital expertise of her partner, Kondwani has 'crossed boarders' by networking with and writing stories on a number of prominent figures from African countries, that include; Namibia, Tanzania and Zimbabwe, and the diaspora.
Kondwani is the mother of a little boy, looking to spread a message of hope and Inspiration to fellow young mothers through her work. Reminding them that their dreams are beyond attainable, in a world that often says otherwise.
Name: Alina Lee Karimamusama.
Organization: Youth Arise Initiative.
Position: CEO and Programs Director.
Alina Lee Karimamusama, is a 21 year old Zambian entrepreneur, advocate and media personality. She is an exemplary young lady, fighting against gender inequality and economic marginalization facing women in Zambia.
Alina founded the non profit organization; Youth Arise Initiative, following a realization that lack of skills and education was keeping the vast majority of women from becoming economically liberated. Her organization empowers women with tangible skills they can use to be self reliant and independent.
Youth Arise Initiative seeks to teach women between the ages of 16-35 practical skills like computer literacy, entrepreneurship, catering and beautification (beauticians). Once trained, the women are connected to local businesses for apprenticeships and on the job training, while those who are interested in entrepreneurship are given space to sell their products at local markets and yard sales. Women who have completed the program have gone on to become gainfully employed and to start their own home based and mobile micro- enterprises.
Alina hopes to train at least 500 women with work ready skills in the next 5 years, and expand her training programmes to remote areas beyond the capital of Lusaka. She received the Queen’s Young Leaders Award in 2017 in recognition of her work with Youth Arise.