Kenyan firm among 10 startups to benefit from Sh7.5m Sahara Group funding

A Kenyan firm that uses waste to develop organic fertiliser is among 10 organisations in Africa to benefit from $50,000 (Sh7.5 million) seed funding from Sahara Group to improve their businesses.

Ecorich Solutions, a smart hub company has benefited from the fund owing to its innovations in usage of waste to develop organic fertiliser which is 75 per cent cheaper than normal fertiliser enabling African smallholder farmers to increase their yields.

During the awarding ceremony in Nigeria, 10 smart companies out of 20 that submitted their applications in the fellowship received a grant of $5,000 (Sh755, 500) each. The seed funding was established to empower young African social innovators whose enterprises are dedicated to improving access to clean energy and sustainable environments across the continent.

In her remarks on behalf of the graduating fellows, Joyce Rugano, Founder and CEO, Ecorich Solutions thanked Sahara Group Foundation, and LEAP Africa for the inspiring learning experience.

Meaningful change

She expressed gratitude for the invaluable knowledge and skills acquired during the fellowship and pledged to utilise them for meaningful change. The fellows applied for the funding through the Sahara Impact Fund (SIF) Fellowship programme which is a corporate social sustainability vehicle for Sahara Group. Sahara Group is a leading international energy and infrastructure conglomerate with operations in over 42 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

This is the third year SIF has welcomed a total of 20 fellows from various African countries who participated in a rigorous six-month fellowship.

Sahara Group Foundation director, Ejiro Gray, commended the beneficiaries for their remarkable dedication and resilience throughout the program.

She emphasized that, ‘’The SIF was established to bolster Africa’s development by identifying and empowering young, creative social innovators working to create sustainable environments and bridge the energy gap in Africa.”

Ejiro urged the innovators to apply the knowledge and experiences gained to deliver lasting impact across Africa through their businesses. LEAP Africa Executive director, Kehinde Ayeni congratulated the Fellows for their successful programme completion and encouraged them to persevere in their commitment to innovation and social progress.

She emphasised that the investment in their growth by Sahara Group Foundation and LEAP Africa reflects confidence in their potential and the power of their ideas to advance Africa’s development.