On July 7, 2021, Innovation Eye Centre and Fanset International were recognized as the two companies winners of the Gian Marco Moratti Award 2021 edition, the award in memory of Gian Marco Moratti’s commitment for young people.
This year the Award was focused on the Sustainable Development Goal n. 8 of the United Nations 2030 Agenda, “Decent Work and Economic Growth”, and rewarded the best job-creating entrepreneurial ventures with a money prize (3,000€ per winner) and visibility in Europe and Africa through E4Impact’s local and international social media channels.
Jacqueline Kiage and Spencer Matonhodze, the two winners of this 3rd edition of the Award, have been recognized for their innovative practice, the actual job creation and the future prospects of their companies. Jacqueline Kiage from Kenya is the co-founder of Innovation Eye Centre, an Eye care clinic that offers high quality, affordable and accessible eye care services to the community in the South Western Region of Kenya. Thanks to this work, she has contributed to the job creation in her Country, employing 131 people, 100 contractual, 29 women and around 1,000 people along the total value chain. Spencer Matonhodze is from Zimbabwe and is the co-founder of Fanset International, a logistic company that offers IoT solutions. The company comprises three verticals: optimization for trucks, on-demand farm equipment and a delivery partner for moving goods and packages in Zimbabwe. He employs 59 people, of which 29 women.
In the first stage, the competition saw 23 candidates running for the prize through a video to tell their entrepreneurial achievements. All of them obtained remarkable results over the years: 948 direct jobs overall (45% for women), more than 6,000 indirect jobs, and approximately 1,300 occasional employment contracts. Only five entrepreneurs were selected for the first round: Louisa Gathecha, Bottle Logistics E.A from Kenya (waste management), Mohammed Samier, Al-Shehab Factory from Sudan (manufacturing), Denis Kimbugwe, Pure Products Ltd – Sparkles ATMs – from Uganda (water management) and of course Jacqueline and Spencer, the two winners.
During the final competition these five entrepreneurs pitched their businesses in front of a jury made of international professionals from investment realities, gathered in the presence of Angelo Moratti, member of the steering board of E4Impact Foundation and son of Gian Marco Moratti.
The topic of job creation is in harmony with E4Impact’s mission to promote, through its activities, the development of African entrepreneurship, leading to a big impact on the continent in terms of entrepreneurs trained, new enterprises launched, and new jobs created in the formal economy. Thanks to the Foundation’s commitment almost 1,200 entrepreneurs have been trained in Africa creating more than 10,000 new jobs.
The Gian Marco Moratti Award is always an occasion to recognize E4Impact Entrepreneurs’ role in changing Africa and supporting the sustainable development of the continent!