The 2023 Savvy prize for impact-driven entrepreneurs has come to a close, and three winners have been selected out of over 3 000 applications from 130 countries. Now in its second year, the prize recognises and supports Savvy fellows who are making a significant impact in their communities through innovative and sustainable projects.
Daniel Oseni, the overall winner, walks away with $1 450 while Kobusingye Mackline (second prize) and Mahmoud Hachicha (third prize) receive $1 000 and $550, respectively. They were selected based on a combination of public voting and a one-minute pitch video submission.
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The Nigeria-based Oseni developed PeriPES, a natural cooling system made of clay bricks and sand water. This system can store tomatoes for up to four months without spoiling, providing a solution to the food waste problem in his community.
Mackline founded the Mother Support Foundation, which provides maternal healthcare services to pregnant women in rural Uganda through a mobile clinic. Her organisation offers antenatal, delivery, and postnatal services, ensuring that mothers receive quality and timely care.
Hachicha, Tunisia, created a buy-now-pay-later solution for low-income households. Karni enables individuals to access funds instantly for their basic and urgent needs, giving them the flexibility to pay back the loan over time.
Finalists were judged based on their project’s potential for impact, innovation, sustainability, originality, and community-based approach. The selection process was challenging, given the high quality of the applications received.
Despite not being selected as finalists, the Savvy prize team encourages all semi-finalists to continue growing their projects and applying for the awards in the future. Besides its cash benefits, the prize offers product development support, and marketing endeavours. It aims to encourage and support social entrepreneurship, providing changemakers with the resources they need to make a difference in their communities.
Oseni expressed his gratitude for being selected as a finalist and winning the prize. “I am grateful to the Savvy prize team for recognising the impact of PeriPES,” he said. “This prize will go a long way in helping us scale our project and reach more communities in need.”
Mackline also shared her excitement. “Winning the Savvy prize is a huge honour for me and my team. This prize will enable us to expand our mobile clinic services to more remote areas, ensuring that more mothers receive the care they need.”
Meanwhile, Hachicha expressed his appreciation for the support provided by the prize. “Karni is committed to providing financial access to low-income households,” he said. “The Savvy prize will help us reach more people in need and provide them with the financial support they require.”
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