African Education Projects Awarded $50,000 in International Awards

Online, April 26, 2013 (Newswire.com) - UK-based charity Teach A Man To Fish have announced the winners of the 2012 Pan-African Awards for Entrepreneurship in Education. The competition has awarded organisations from 33 different countries with a total of $50,000 in prizes.

The competition was established to reward organisations in Africa that are taking an innovative, entrepreneurial and sustainable approach to Education. Over 350 different organisations from across the continent, from Sudan to South Africa, Nigeria to Namibia and Botswana to Burundi, took part in the competition.

"All the evidence shows that programs which are innovative, sustainable ... are the most effective way to address educational challenges. This competition draws international attention to organisations' achievements so others can learn from their success and imitate their approach," commented Nik Kafka, Director of Teach a Man To Fish

The 1st Prize of $10,000 is being awarded to The Clothing Bank, from South Africa who runs an Enterprise Development Programme that uses excess merchandise from retail outlets in Cape Town to help single mothers start their own retail trading businesses. In less than three years The Clothing Bank has assisted over 250 women whose enterprises have collectively generated over $1 million.

"Our motto is "Don't give a woman a fish, teach a woman to fish and teach her how to sell her fish". Everything we do is designed to move the women from a life of dependence on others to being financially and socially independent." explained Tracey Chambers, CEO The Clothing Bank

A Runners up Prize of $5000 is been awarded to World Partners for Development from Ghana, who train high school students to manufacture and sell solar lanterns. This enables the students to earn their own income, and it also provides an affordable source of light, which helps students study after dark.

A second Runners up Prize of $5000 is being awarded to Femina from Tanzania, whose reality TV show 'Ruka Juu' provides its young audience with the financial education, business knowledge and skills to help them earn an income and make better life choices. Femina also run two magazines and a radio show that feature entrepreneurial themes, inspiring its audience of 11 million to start their own businesses.

A further 30 organisations are each receiving $1000 as 'Country Winners' of the competition. The judging panel, which was made up of international business and development experts, recognised these organisations as outstanding in their countries, and as having large impact on their communities.

The 'Country Winners' varied in their approach to tackling poverty and youth unemployment, from the Be The Change Academy in Kenya that gives entrepreneurship training to students from slum areas, to the Akilah Institute in Rwanda which houses social enterprises such as a recruitment service and tourism company that are run by its students.

As well as receiving prize money and international attention, the top three winners will attend the Education That Pays For Itself conference run by Teach A Man To Fish later in 2013.