The Social Innovators Program honors young changemakers by equipping and empowering them with the necessary skills and resources for establishing long-term social enterprises.
We serve as bridge builders between impact investors and social enterprises.
In 2004, LEAP Africa came to the realization that while negative reports of youth restiveness and crimes were widespread in local and foreign media, the positive contributions of young Nigerians towards national transformation were unrecognized. This understanding birthed the Annual Nigerian Youth Leadership Awards (ANYLA); which was hosted annually in Lagos, Nigeria, to celebrate the youth driving these contributions.
After about a decade, LEAP Africa realized that while Nigeria had witnessed increased youth interest in social innovation, many of them lacked the essential skills and support to establish effective and sustainable initiatives that could accelerate the transformation.
Therefore, in 2013, the programme was redefined to bridge this gap into a yearlong fellowship- Social Innovators Programme and Awards (SIPA).
Eligibility
Aside from the specific eligibility criteria listed above, the ideal candidate:
The ideal candidate is the founder or co-founder of a social enterprise or social innovation. One who has a clear idea of the problem being solved. The ideal candidate is focused on providing a lasting, and sustainable solution to the problem(s) being tackled. has come up with an INNOVATIVE solution and is willing to scale this innovation into an enterprise. The ideal candidate has demonstrated that their work/enterprise has had a measurable impact in advancing progress on the problem being solved. The Ideal candidates demonstrates respect and inclusion to other candidates irrespective of gender, nationality, education levels, races, or religions. They are eager to collaborate and share opportunities with others. Ideal candidates are open to learning from others, regardless of their experience level. They bring curiosity and an open mind and are willing to share their experiences and knowledge with their cohort.
