The 30 semifinalists for the 2022 Savvy Prize for Impact-Driven Entrepreneurs, have emerged. The Prize seeks to recognize and support the efforts of impact-driven entrepreneurs working to solve some of the world’s most pressing problems through innovative and sustainable ways. This year’s Prize is being supported by The Roddenberry Foundation and Because International, which comes with a lot of benefits including up to $4,450 in cash prizes, product development support, and marketing endeavors.

Nearly 3,000 applications were submitted for the Savvy Prize, and after a rigorous judging process, 30 semifinalists have emerged from 11 countries. These amazing changemakers will have the opportunity to proceed to the next and final round. They include people providing cleaner and more affordable energy, promoting African languages worldwide, and providing quality education to marginalized communities.

This final round includes a public voting process and a one-minute pitch video submission of their projects. You can take part in selecting the 4 finalists for the Savvy Prize by voting for your favorite semifinalist here. Below is a brief about each semifinalist.

1. Stanley Anigbogu – Nigeria
Through STEM training and documentaries, Stanley is solving the injustice of gender inequality in STEM in Africa.

2. CHERNOR SULIAMAN BAH – Sierra Leone
Chernor is preventing climate change and hunger through the use of Sulcon Erosional Drainage Farming System.

3. ABDALAH NYAMBI – Tanzania
Abdalah is recovering and recycling plastic waste materials to produce plastic flakes and eco-friendly bricks.

4. Ifenna Obimkpu – Nigeria
Using QR code technology, Ifenna is driving the payment sector in Africa; making it fast, secure, cheap, and reliable.

5. Kokou Mawuli Toto AKPALO – Togo
Kokou provides professional orientations to graduates looking for their first jobs, and business creation services to those who want to be entrepreneurs.

6. Swi Innocent Che – Cameroon
Using artificial intelligence, Swi built a system to translate recognized international languages to African indigenous languages.

7. CATHERINE NAKAYEMBA – Uganda
Catherine manufactures and distributes reusable, washable sanitary pads to girls and women for menstrual protection, to be reused for a duration of up to one year.

8. Ahmad Khaled – Lebanon
Ahmad wants to help people easily and accurately get blood donations by making the entire process as fast and smooth as possible.

9. Chisom Obidigbo – Nigeria
Facilitated by successful thought leaders, Chisom trains millennials with the skills of the new economy.

10. Jobert Ngwenya – Zimbabwe
Jobert provides experiential teaching of financial literacy and entrepreneurship education to high school students.

11. Victor Nta – Nigeria
Victor has simplified the process through which startups and SMEs in Africa raise pre-seed funding, through online pitching competitions, voting, and donations.

12. Grace Amuzie – Nigeria
Grace enables low-income families to afford their children access to basic quality education through her recycle pay project initiative.

13. Rufai Salihu – Nigeria
Using charcoal briquettes made from agricultural waste, Rufai has provided an alternative environmental-friendly energy source that is smokeless and odorless, with fewer health risks and cleaner combustion.

14. Tolulope Olukokun – Nigeria
Tolulope manufactures electric road and cargo bikes to move goods and leases them through a ride-sharing app.

15. Adedayo Adeniran – Nigeria
Adebayo has built a platform that allows farmers to farm, while it handles marketing, distribution, and collection of payment for them.

16. Bright Lemchi – Nigeria
Bright incentivizes the handling of waste to encourage residents to turn in their waste on a daily basis.

17. Avinash Rogye – India
Avinash has built an application to help people consume and post local news and current affairs in remote locations in India that may have been under-represented by conventional media outlets.

18. Velache Coker – Sierra Leone
Velache provides opportunities for smallholder farmers to access technology and real-time information to manage their crops from soil preparation until he gets to the final consumer.

19. Peter Daniel – Nigeria
Peter has built a digital lending tool for microfinance institutions to automate the process of customer onboarding and account reconciliation, ensuring the auto-populating and auto-validating of customers’ KYC details.

20. Joseph Churchil Nyeko – Uganda
To fight traditional polluting fuels and technology, Joseph built Eone, a low-tech powered by bio pellets, which generates up to 600 degrees Celsius of heat for cooking.

21. Edet Ekpenyong – Nigeria
Through professional therapists and AI-driven technology, Edet provides virtual therapy, online support groups, and mental health self-care for users of his platform, BridgingSpace.

22. Afolabi Kehinde – Nigeria
Afolabi built a platform where aspiring entrepreneurs with great ideas can fundraise through crowdfunding, to kickstart their projects, from ideation to traction.

23. Precious Azuonwu – Nigeria
Precious is solving the problem of extreme poverty and unemployment in Africa by empowering young people with entrepreneurial skills and skilled job seekers with quality jobs.

24. John Onyemaechi – Nigeria
Using blockchain technology, John has built a secure and transparent way to monetize plastic, thus addressing the problem of waste collection and littering within his community.

25. Mariatu Gbassay Kanu – Sierra Leone
Mariatu manufactures reusable sanitary pads that are made from high-absorbent microfiber, waterproof, cotton, and eco-friendly materials.

26. Huu Truong Ngo – Vietnam
Huu built goHeo, where kids earn money through chores, setting saving goals, spending wisely, investing, and auctioning.

27. Olarinde Olokuntoye – Nigeria
Olarinde developed a reading software that aids the visually impaired to read books and other educational materials conveniently and independently.

28. Fatiah Oduola – Nigeria
Through her digital health application, Preg2Mum, Fatiah helps pregnant women and new mums establish a visible and active online community.

29. Bankies Matlou – South Africa
Bankies manufactures reusable sanitary pads that are 90% cheaper than disposable pads, have up to 12 hours absorbent and are made from breathable materials, which prevents itching.

30. Peter Okello – Uganda
With the use of a boat ambulance, Peter and his medical team are providing healthcare to marginalized women and children on islands and fishing villages in Uganda.

Good luck to all semifinalists!