Two Tanzanian tech entrepreneurs have been crowned winners of the fifth Tigo Digital Changemakers Competition, taking home US$20,000 each from Tigo Tanzania.
Disrupt Africa reported in October Tigo called for submissions to the annual competition, which rewards social entrepreneurs using digital tools to improve communities and impact future generations.
Run in partnership with the non-profit organisation Reach for Change, this edition of the competition focused on innovations in education, entrepreneurship and broadening digital inclusion.
This year’s winners are Sophia Mbega, and Nancy Sumari.
Mbega has created a mobile app providing a collaborative financial platform targeting women’s self-help “Village Community Bank” – or VICOBA – groups, allowing users to transfer money from their mobile wallet to their VICOBA group account, view all of their financial records, profit generated, weekly reports, and more.
Sumari’s initiative, JENGA HUB, focuses on foundation knowledge for children. Through her hub and co-creation space for kids, she teaches computer programming, robotics and coding skills to primary school children.
“Digital technology is not only changing the way we do business in Africa but also revolutionizing the way we perceive and solve social development challenges. It is therefore with great honour that we will once again create an opportunity for such ideas to be recognized, supported and transformed to maximize social and economic impact,” said Diego Gutierrez, Tigo Tanzania managing director.
“Our portfolio of social entrepreneurs is very impressive. To date, we have supported a total of eight Digital Changemakers in Tanzania and we look forward to supporting more social entrepreneurs every year to propel this movement forward.”
In addition to the cash prizes, both will join the Tigo and Reach for Change Incubator Programme, which will provide them with advice, expertise and access to global networks, in a bid to build out and scale their sustainable businesses.
