Two Africans among 2013 global social entrepreneurs

Anne Githuku-Shongwe of South Africa and Nigeria’s Njideka U. Harry were the only two Africans named in the 2013 global social entrepreneurs by the Schwab Foundation.

Githuku-Shongwe runs Afroes, a firm that creates uniquely African mobile applications and tools for social development agencies and corporate enterprises.

Njideka Harry is founder of Youth for Technology Foundation (YTF), an international non-profit organization that seeks to bridge the digital canyon among disadvantaged communities.

According to the Schwab Foundation affiliated to the World Economic Forum, they were selected in recognition of their innovative approaches and potential for global impact.

Twenty-four persons in all were named social entrepreneurs of the year 2013.

Full list of Social Entrepreneurs for 2013

Salvatore Forello, Addiopizzo (Italy)
Anne Githuku-Shongwe, Afroes (South Africa)
Bedriye Hulya, B-fit (Turkey)
Frederick K.W. Day, Buffalo Bicycle Company (USA)
Janet Longmore, Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT) (Canada)
Jane Chen and Rahul Panicker, Embrace Innovations (USA)
Mois Cherem Arana, Enova (Mexico)
Anshu Gupta, Goonj (India)
Rebecca D. Onie, Health Leads (USA)
Jim Ayala, Hybrid Social Solutions Inc. (HSSi) (Philippines)
Jonathan Hursh, INCLUDED (People’s Republic of China)
Cybele Amado de Oliveira, Chapada Institute (Brazil)
Kristin Peterson, Inveneo (USA)
Chuck Slaughter, Living Goods (USA)
Mads Kjaer, MYC4 (Denmark)
Andrew Youn, One Acre Fund (USA)
Sugianto Tandio, Tirta Marta (Indonesia)
Tristan Lecomte, Pur Projet (France)
Reese Fernandez-Ruiz, Rags2Riches (Philippines)
Kurt Holle, Rainforest Expeditions (Peru)
Tom Szaky, TerraCycle Inc. (USA)
Gopi Gopalakrishnan, World Health Partners (WHP) (India)
Njideka U. Harry, Youth for Technology Foundation (YTF) (Nigeria).

By Ekow Quandzie