The Mandela Rhodes Foundation (MRF) has announced this year’s four finalists for the prestigious 2024 Äänit Prize. The Äänit Prize is a social impact initiative, recognising exceptional Mandela Rhodes and Rhodes alumni for delivering positive social impact for some of Africa’s most marginalised populations.
Äänit means ‘common work’ or ‘joint effort’ in Koalib, a minority language spoken in Sudan. The name speaks to the belief of coming together to take collective responsibility for Africa’s future. The finalists (three Mandela Rhodes and one Rhodes alumni), include two visionary leaders from Zimbabwe, one trailblazer from South Sudan and a dynamic innovator from South Africa. Each is doing ground-breaking work aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for Africa.
The finalists are: Mr Cephas Svosve and Ms Chido Dzinotyiwei from Zimbabwe, Mr Ismail Dumutu from South Sudan and Ms Jordan du Toit from South Africa.
The Äänit Prize consists of funding up to U$80 000 for up to four alumni who have demonstrated extraordinary commitment to addressing some of the continent’s most pressing challenges, with their ventures showing real scalability, replicability and sustainability.
The four projects
- Cephas Svosve (EcoWealth): His venture is accelerating green energy adoption in Zimbabwe by offering solar accessibility, upfront financing and affordable instalments to marginalised communities with severe power shortages. EcoWealth is also developing a cash wallet app to exchange energy units for goods
- Chido Dzinotyiwei (Vambo AI): Vambo AI is a cutting-edge platform aimed at bridging language barriers in Africa. It offers multi-lingual AI solutions – including translation, transcription and content generation – for better communication to empower education, business and governments
- Ismail Dumutu (Asili): 95% of the population in South Sudan relies on farming however, half of the harvest is lost. Asili empowers smallholder farmers by reducing post-harvest losses (through transforming surplus fruits into organic snacks to provide vital income) and ensuring fair prices for their produce
- Jordan du Toit (Neuronetwork): Neuronetwork is a scalable social enterprise providing mental health support for the neurodiverse and the LGBTQIA community. Initially offering online support, it aims to build a network to enable accessible digital psychoeducation to marginalised communities
Final round and awards ceremony
In the final build up to the awards ceremony, the Mandela Rhodes Foundation will be spotlighting the four finalists, their impactful work and the significant social challenges they are addressing. The announcement of the winner/s of the 2024 Äänit Prize will be announced in Cape Town on September 14, at an event that promises to be a celebration of African leadership, innovation and the unwavering drive to create a better future for the continent.
More about the Äänit Prize
The Äänit Prize underscores the Mandela Rhodes Foundation’s commitment to empowering leaders who embody Nelson Mandela’s vision of ethical leadership and social justice.
