Investing in green and EdTech enterprises in Ethiopia

Welcome to the first edition of The Letter of Change! Every month, we'll share news, insights and stories on social entrepreneurship and collective impact. This time, we're focusing on Ethiopia, where we're launching a new partnership and we're scaling a proven collaboration. We'll also share highlights from our programs in Europe and tips on impact management and communication.

♻️ Building waste and circular enterprises in Ethiopia

We're proud to be continuing our partnership with the IKEA Foundation, investing in green entrepreneurship in Ethiopia! Over the next three years, we'll be supporting waste and circular enterprises that create employment for young people and reduce the amount of waste in the environment through two programs: an Incubator and an Innovation Lab.

🌱 Last week during our launch event in Addis Ababa, we announced the first cohort of 10 local entrepreneurs selected for our Green Business Incubator. They will receive equity-free funding of up to USD 10,000, practical hands-on training, individual coaching, investor advisory, and access to our network in order to sustain and grow their operations.

🔔 We also opened for applications our 2024 Green Innovation Lab - we're looking for 45 local entrepreneurs with ideas for waste and circular solutions. The program will help them develop, test, and validate a Minimum Viable Product, and where successful - register an enterprise.

“Our partnership with Reach for Change has been critical to unlocking opportunities for green entrepreneurship in Ethiopia. Building on a successful pilot, we’re excited to support Reach for Change in scaling solutions that work. "

Patrick Obonyo, Programme Manager, IKEA Foundation

📖 Explore more:

• More about our program with the IKEA Foundation

• What did we achieve with our pilot project with the IKEA Foundation?

• Creating a green and equal future through social entrepreneurship: The case of Ethiopia

📚 💻 Scaling inclusive educational technology solutions in Ethiopia

📣 We’re excited to announce that we’re joining forces with Mastercard Foundation, implementing The Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship in Ethiopia. Together we will be supporting and scaling local innovative EdTech enterprises that enhance inclusive learning!

❗ Applications for the first cohort of EdTech Fellows in Ethiopia are now open! We are looking for 12 local EdTech enterprises with the potential to address the needs of underserved communities, including girls, out-of-school learners, young people with disabilities, and those who are internally displaced.

💡 They will be supported to scale their impact through one-on-one coaching from specialists, peer learning sessions, investor advisory, access to science of learning courses from Carnegie Mellon University, impactful storytelling and equity-free funding of USD 60,000.00 for each enterprise.

💛 Investing in Nordic mental health solutions for emerging adults

A year ago we joined forces with Tim Bergling Foundation and The Inner Foundation with a common mission to create an innovation-driven response to tackle the mental health challenges for emerging adults (18-29) in the Nordics. It's a complex issue that needs a holistic and collective approach, in which we consider every step of the ladder - from individual viewpoints, to the overarching support system and its policies. 🌐

🚀 We will together support 20 remarkable entrepreneurs and their organizations to expand their impact, through a Nordic-wide incubator program and through cross-sector advocacy initiatives.

💥 We will announce the selected entrepreneurs soon! Stay tuned for more news and learn how to join us.

Demystifying Impact Measurement

We believe that impact measurement is not only statistics or impressive diagrams. It's where numbers meet the heart and reveal the ripples of change you create in the world.  It's also a continuous learning journey, showing us what works and what needs improvement. And of course, impact measurement is about walking the talk, and ensuring every effort and every penny counts!

The video we made within the project Measuring Civil Impact reveals that impact measurement is easier than many of us think, especially with concrete tips and tools one can find in Reach for Change Toolkits. 

Social Procurement for Corporate Managers

Are you a procurement manager interested in turning the buying power of your company into a force for good? Join the social procurement support program of #BuySocialEuropeB2B and get access to an exclusive online course, tailored mentoring, and best practices.

Learn more and register here.

Insights on Impact and Communication

We know that being a social entrepreneur can be a lonely journey. So, helping social entrepreneurs find their tribe is a big part of our work. Our new project in Sweden, funded by Allmänna arvsfonden, will allow us to offer support not only to the current Change Leaders but also to our alumni network through network gatherings. 

🗣️ In our first event in the middle of April, we invited our Director of Programs & Impact, Shifteh Malithano, and the remarkable entrepreneur and our Advisory Board member David Orlic to share insights on impact and communication. Here are a few key takeaways from their conversation:

💡 Don't wait until you have a perfect product/service; just go for it - preferably yesterday. It will never be finished or perfect, and there's no perfect timing.

💪 Have confidence and courage when it comes to partnerships; don't ask people to join (don't put them in a position of power). Instead, have the confidence to say that you will do this, with or without them, and that they have a chance to be part of the journey.

🔄 It's possible to relaunch your product/service if the first or tenth attempt didn't go as planned; no one cares except yourself.