ONE Africa Award 2012 | Yipe!

Throughout Africa, there is amazing progress by civil society focused on ending extreme poverty and preventable disease. These new ideas and exciting approaches are designed and implemented by Africans who understand the complexities of bringing about change and transforming lives in their communities.

The ONE Africa Award celebrates these innovations and progress towards achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Learn more about the ONE Africa Award 2012

Project Inspire: 5 Minutes to Change the World Competition

The Singapore Committee for UN Women and MasterCard have come together to organize this joint initiative called “Project Inspire: 5 Minutes to Change the World.” This competition aims to help young changemakers create a better world of opportunities for women and girls in Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa.

The competition seeks entries from 18-35 year olds to submit a 5-minute platform to pitch their inspired idea to the world. There is an opportunity to win a $25,000 grant.The grant must show creativity and sustainable impact in the lives of women and girls across Asia, Pacific, the Middle East or Africa through entrepreneurship.

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Social Entrepreneur Grad Certificate - University of North Dakota

The University of North Dakota has launched a new online Graduate Certificate in Social Entrepreneurship to help students develop the entrepreneurial skills needed to create and manage socially-conscious organizations. The program is fully online, giving working professionals the ability to expand their skills while remaining in their hometown.

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Airtel Kenya takes mass marketing via mobile phones too far

The battle for the hearts and minds of Kenya’s 25 million mobile phone users has literally brought out the worst guerrilla marketing tactics from Airtel.

 

Even though they do not offer free services, Airtel’s local marketing methods mean that paying subscribers are literally inundated with SMS text messages, and as if this was not effective marketing, Airtel are now calling subscribers and subscribing them (note: there is no opt-in!) to its music service dubbed “Ziki Tunes”.

“Dear Lucky Subscriber” ominous text messages announce to unsuspecting paying customers with the latest exhortation to reply to sign up for a service at a daily or monthly rate. Daily texts from Airtel offer “exciting” music; low rate and free calls (which we don’t mind!); downloadable games (again which some of us don’t mind!); lottery cash draw entries; top up chances to win handsets and tablets, etc

There are also messages that begin “Strictly confidential: A message of high importance is heading towards you! Follow the instructions …!”.

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Mobile Web East Africa 2012 to take place in late February 2012 in Nairobi

The Kenya ICT Board and All Amber Ltd, the organiser of premier mobile-related events in Africa, will partner to deliver Mobile Web East Africa for a second time. This senior level and progressive conference will take place on 22nd & 23rd February 2012 at the 5* Southern Sun Mayfair hotel in Nairobi, Kenya.

The main objective of the conference is to facilitate the growth of the mobile ecosystem in the region. It is this synergy with the Kenya ICT Board’s wider vision that is the backbone behind the decision to once again participate as the Official Host Organisation of the conference. Mobile Web East Africa returns to Nairobi after a 24-month gap and is part of a sub-Saharan Africa series of events that is contributing to a greater focus on this vital area of technological potential for the continent.

To ensure sector wide representation at this event start-up companies and application developers are eligible to apply for a 50% subsidy to make their attendance more financially viable. All the different elements of the sector will be in attendance and participants will be encouraged to interact to facilitate the establishment of relationships and enable sector expansion, as was the case at the highly acclaimed inaugural event held in February 2010.

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6th Ogunte Women's Social Leadership Awards

Applications to the 6th Ogunte Women's Social Leadership Awards are now
open!

These prestigious International Awards recognise the achievements of women in the UK and abroad, influential female leaders, connectors, campaigners and social entrepreneurs.

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Ashoka Changemakers’ Innovations for Health: Solutions that Cross Borders Competition

Ashoka Changemakers and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Pioneer Portfolio are seeking health care solutions from anywhere in the world that have the potential to be applied in other countries to improve health and health care.

If you are an innovator with a health care solution that has the potential to be applied in other countries to improve health and health care, then you can submit your entry. This competition is looking for initiatives that have demonstrated impact and help vulnerable and underserved populations. Entries are accepted in English, Spanish, Portuguese, or French.

Participating in this competition also helps you get connected to a global online community that supports the impact you are making, or seeking to make, on the ground; gain visibility with our community and our competition partner, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; and have the opportunity to win cash awards.

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