Facebook $30,000 each for 12 Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya leaders

You can’t call them lucky that they’re going to get $30,000 each from Facebook.

And the money is not even for their personal pleasure but to further enhance the work which got them the money.

Okay, maybe they’re a bit lucky to be chosen out of thousands, but then they’ve also worked very hard and put in a lot of years to get the worthy financial reward from Facebook.

They’re just 12 chosen from Africa as proven community leaders who’ve stayed true to Facebook’s tenets of bringing people together and building communities so they’ve been selected to join Facebook's Community Accelerator, a six-month programme that aims to equip communities with the training, mentorship and funding they need to grow.

As part of the global Facebook Community Leadership initiative launched in 2018, the Community Accelerator programme invests in leaders who are building communities around the world; including bringing people together, offering encouragement and driving change.

And following the call for applications in March 2020, 77 community leaders from around the world were chosen, with 12 selected from Sub-Saharan Africa.

Awarding up to $3m, selected community leaders will receive up to $30,000 in funding. In the first three months of the programme, they will learn from experts and coaches whilst developing customized curriculums focused on growing their own communities.

The following three months will then be focused on iterating and executing their plans with funding and continued support from their network as well as from a dedicated programme team.

The Community Accelerator will then culminate in an event with community leaders to showcase their communities and progress to external funders and partners.

Commenting, Kezia Anim-Addo, Head of Communications for Sub-Saharan Africa, Facebook, said, “We’re delighted to be welcoming 12 African community leaders to Facebook’s first Community Accelerator. We’ve seen time and again the power of communities in bringing people closer together and feeling more connected. We know community leaders can do amazing things when they have adequate support from others, tools to get the job done, funding to grow and belief in themselves. The Facebook Community Accelerator will enable these great communities to make an even greater positive impact in the world, and we hope that through the support of the programme these communities will have extraordinary impact even in extraordinary times.”

The community leaders selected from across Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa as part of the Facebook Community Accelerator include:

Hauwa Ojeifo, She Writes Woman (Nigeria) - In 2016, Hauwa created Safe Place Nigeria to provide a stigma and judgment-free space for young people to talk about mental health related issues. It has become a community for young people to learn, feel connected, get support and feel a sense of belonging

Bright Shiitemii, Mental360 (Kenya) - Mental 360 was started in 2016 to give youth a safe platform to learn about mental health and illness and to access affordable holistic solutions. It is a non-partisan non-discriminatory space where youth can grow their emotional wellness, grow their network and get peer support

Lauren Dallas, Future Females (South Africa) - Founded in 2017 with a mission to increase the number of female entrepreneurs and support their success. They have become the go-to destination for aspiring and early stage female entrepreneurs to receive the inspiration, education and support needed to build profitable businesses online

Tony Onuk, The Root Hub (Nigeria) - Roothub was started in 2014 to provide a safe space for youths to build their ideas, grow their businesses, and access support

Esther Mwikalii, Metta NBO (Kenya) - Founded in 2015 as an entrepreneurs’ network with the goal of bringing together founders, policy makers and investors to collaborate

Refilwe Nkomo, Visual Arts Network South Africa (South Africa) - Established in 2007 as a support point and development agency for contemporary art practice in South Africa. It aspires to be a dynamic and resilient network-based organisation contributing to growth, innovation and opportunities in the arts

Eyitayo Ogunmola, Utiva (Nigeria) - Utiva is a decentralized ecosystem that helps Nigerians access technology skills and trainings regardless of their location and internet barrier

Naadiya Moosajee, WomEng (South Africa) - A social enterprise aimed at attracting, developing and nurturing the next generation of women engineering leaders

Abiodun Adereni, Helpmum (Nigeria) - Started in 2017, HelpMum tackles maternal and infant mortality in remote rural areas in Nigeria, and provides Clean Birth Kits for hygienic delivery to pregnant women, immunization reminders and health information to nursing mothers

dillion phiri, Creative Nestlings (South Africa) - Launched in February 2011, dillion s. phiri founded Creative Nestlings to connect young African creatives to each other, to opportunities and to resources, democratizing how young African creatives connect, get paid, learn and grow

Rufaro Mudimu, Enke (South Africa) – “enke”, meaning 'ink' in SeTswana, started in 2009 to bridge socioeconomic inequality by bringing young people together and equipping them with the skills and experiences to improve their lives. "enke" connects, equips and inspires young people to make their mark, authoring a positive future for themselves and their communities

Tariro Bure, MINDS (South Africa) - MINDS was founded in 2010 as a platform rooted in cultural heritage and knowledge systems for youth to reclaim their African identities and transform the continent. It has become a movement of youth and crucial stakeholders which aspires to shape policy, foster economic development, and enhance evolution of African institutions

Congrats, guys.