Rwanda Selected as new Entrepreneurship Home for Allan & Gill Gray. In the photo, Minister Biruta and AGGP CEO Farr after the signing. Photo/Courtesy.
Rwanda has signed a Host Country Agreement with Allan & Gill Gray Philanthropy (AGGP) to promote entrepreneurship skills development and employment for young persons after the country was selected to host the hub in the Sub-Saharan region.
The agreement signed on Tuesday between the Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Vincent Biruta and AGGP Chief Executive Officer Anthony Farr will also make Rwanda a regional hub of the organisation in the sub-Saharan region.
According to AGGP, the new project will include running two programs in form of Accelerators and Entrepreneurship Challenge where youth innovative ideas in these areas will be central in driving youth as the next generation of global leaders, change-makers and innovative thinkers.
These are Jasiri and Wavumbuzi, in which the former will offer a one-year Talent Investor program for high potential individuals who display exceptional entrepreneurial potential and drive to take their aspirations towards launching and growing their businesses.
The other- Wavumbuzi Entrepreneurship Challenge, will be an online program, to nurture entrepreneurial mindsets and shift perceptions of the value of entrepreneurship among secondary school students.
Anthony Farr, CEO of Allan & Gill Gray Philanthropy, said their move to Rwanda was needed to harness the full potential of the entrepreneurial spirit across the continent.
“After 15 years in this field, in establishing a regional hub in Rwanda and launching the Jasiri and Wavumbuzi programs, we seek to give further energy and support to the increasing momentum of the entrepreneurial activity and leadership in the country.” Farr said.
Clare Akamanzi, Chief Executive Officer of the Rwanda Development Board said Rwanda understands the importance of entrepreneurship and for Allan & Gill Gray Philanthropy choosing Rwanda as their Eastern Africa hub was a right choice to make.
“This kind of investment is critical and their entry fits into Rwanda’s strategy of becoming a Pan-African innovation and entrepreneurial hub. We are all excited about the future of entrepreneurship in Rwanda,” Akamanzi said.
Allan & Gill Gray Philanthropy is part of the Gray philanthropy ecosystem which thrives on driving entrepreneurship for the common good especially creating jobs and contributing to addressing high unemployment and poverty in its areas of operation.
About the challenge
Currently the AGGP is lined to hold challenges in Kenya, Rwanda (for the years 2020 and 2021) with an exclusive pilot challenge to be held in Rwanda, with lucrative prices for eligible young Secondary school (S1 – S6) learners while in Kenya it will take in all form 1-4 learners in the Allan Gray Entrepreneurship Challenge 2021.
The 6-week Wavumbuzi Challenge is open and all one needs is to express interest to register here http://wavumbuzi.africa/register/
Learners across Rwanda will compete against each other by completing weekly challenges in a web browser and mobile app-based game, which tackle some of the country’s most important problems.
Each challenge requires learners to apply new concepts in real-world situations and submit their experiences for review.
Points earned place learners, teachers and their schools on live leaderboards, with the top performers being rewarded with weekly incentives and a selection of exciting grand prizes.
The Awards
In Rwanda, the Wavumbuzi partner schools will have to qualify to receive learner, teacher and school prizes/incentives which will be awarded on a weekly basis and vary from cash prizes to mobile data bundles but with Grand Prizes for top performing learners, teachers and schools at the Wavumbuzi National Awards Ceremony- to be named.
In Kenya, prizes will include over KSh 1million worth of prizes (including the Grand prizes) to be awarded throughout 2021 to learners, classes, teachers and schools with the highest scores in web browser and mobile app based game challenges applied within a variety of real-world scenarios.
