In the lead up to the 2021 Africa Shared Value Leadership Summit, we asked our Africa Council of 8 how they, as young leaders and entrepreneurs, are making a difference and building back better for the next generation.

DR MUMBI WACHIRA (ACADEMIC):

I see my contribution to building back better from a teacher’s perspective. We cannot hope to create a more equitable and sustainable world if we do not shift the way we teach economics and business management. Businesses are core to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, however, the buy-in needed for business leaders to shift towards an inclusive and stakeholder driven approach to creating value requires a different approach to education. It is imperative that universities create courses that demonstrate the embeddedness of socio-ecological concerns in the longterm viability of businesses.

As a faculty member at Strathmore University Business School and as a member of the Council of 8, I co-create graduate degree and executive education programs that provide frameworks and tools for enterprises that aim to implement sustainable business models. I am also involved in research projects that showcase how companies working in Africa view sustainability and the shift towards sustainable financing showcased by select financial institutions on the continent. 

REGIS UMUGIRANEZA (THE CARL GROUP):

Personally what am doing now, am trying to create the value that works alongside the value chain, from supporting small scale farmers to the creation of very healthy product made from orange fleshed sweet potato which is a biofortified sweet potato rich in beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A, mostly needed by the children and women pregnant. we do this in the line of reducing postharvest losses as we keep our environment to be more healthier. 

TALIFHANI MAMAFHA (ANALYTICS ADVERTISING):

We are creating a platform of employment for the current generation and growing exponentially. We are looking to expand the business across Africa and employment opportunities. 

We also collaborated with 2 NGOs are supplying Blankets and food to the less fortunate to help them get warm in winter. We are planning to donate more summer clothes to help the community. 

NICHOLE YEMBRA (THE CHRYSALIS CO.):

I believe that I’m making a difference and building back better for the next generation in two ways; first, by helping those around me be the best version of themselves, and secondly, by being long term greedy.

It’s amazing to me how many people don’t realize that the values they think drive them or their interests are based on external expectations vs a true alignment with their purpose. When I work with my team and with founders, it’s to help them get comfortable with who they really are and what they can offer the world.

I believe people create better from a place of clarity and joy and I push them to discover their true selves. I consider myself as long term greedy in that I will sacrifice a lot of wins today for the ultimate win in the future. That means discipline, focus, etc.

When we look at a lot of our African governments or businesses, the leaders rarely invest enough in infrastructure or education or other things that will pay dividends once their reign is over and instead are looking for short wins today. But those long term investments are what truly make a difference for the next generation.

With the companies I help support, I am always pushing them to be long term greedy and invest in systems that will outlive them.

ALAA MOATAMED (TASLEMA):

Starting your journey early is not a piece of cake, Like everything it has its pros and cons. It allowed me to have a deeper look at my generation. We – at presto- are building on demand, same day and scheduled delivery service for individual distributors in underserved cities empowering thousands of SMEs and informal businesses to build a constructive business without needing to pay lots of cash in operations. We work with restaurants, retailers, and e-commerce businesses to fulfil their orders.

We deliver the products by bikes or motorbikes allowing hundreds of youth to have freelance jobs and improve their income. We are building a healthier community by allowing these businesses to use our service, otherwise they deliver the products on their own using cars. But with our professional courier service, we deliver hundreds of orders by bikes to reduce the carbon usage. 

Using our service allowed our partners to save up to 80% in costs, reduce their delivery time by 20 -minutes, and because now they can deliver any time to any customer their revenues grew by 100% in just 3 months helping them to be more sustainable and profitable 

ELIZABETH OKULLOW (AAFRI FUDI):

With increased population, there is increased demand for food resulting in increased food insecurity since the majority (80%) of households are living below $1. In addition to that, lack of activity and eating of junk foods in Nairobi has led to increased lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, cancer etc. Junk foods such as sodas, chips, and cakes are readily available at affordable prices.

While people living in Nairobi recognise the fact that they are living unhealthy lifestyles, the fact that the increased population in Nairobi has led to an increase in food prices due to overdependence on rain-fed agriculture from the outskirts of the city is fascinating. Crops produced through conventional farming methods are full of chemical pesticides that are harmful to the body.

The problems occur when the majority of people living in Nairobi depend on food supply from the outskirts of Nairobi. The farmers who are supplying the food to the city are using chemical pesticides that are harmful to the body.

Also, with increased consumption of junk food, unhealthy lifestyles cannot be avoided.

Our solution is by working through an IoT-based hydroponic technology that allows users to grow food from anywhere to save 90% of water, grow food 2x faster year along, and save time. The value we offer is high-quality product with a unique way of solving a problem; and ease of use and convenience. You don’t have to worry about getting dirty or spending so much time growing crops.