Notes from a changing world...

April 2022

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It is well known that Africa is vulnerable to and suffers from the impacts of climate change, despite having contributed the least towards it. The State and Trends in Adaptation report by the Global Center on Adaptation show an estimated 2-4% annual loss in GDP and up to $50bn per year in adaptation costs for Africa by 2050. Research has shown that in the last decade, the growth rates of countries in Africa would have been even higher if not for droughts, floods, and other damaging weather events, which are increasing in frequency.


All is not yet lost. Africa presents hope for a green and resilient pathway to sustainable growth. Adaptation, that is, preparing and adapting for the present and future effects of climate change have the potential to create a virtuous cycle to protect people and communities and lift them out of poverty. In addition to protecting livelihoods and increasing resilience, well-implemented adaptation measures can create jobs, reduce inequality and empower women. Adaptation measures need to be quickly implemented to achieve a proven high benefit to cost ratio. Adaptation programs need to be mainstreamed into policy making and economic planning at all levels in the government, society, and the private sector. African countries especially need to implement adaptation in every sector from agriculture to energy, transportation, and trade.



The acceleration of adaptation finance from a variety of sources is key to unlocking the much-needed benefits, especially leveraging Africa's vast human and natural resources. How Africa deals with and implements adaptation measures can be a new blueprint for development, paving the way to achieving a green and resilient growth aligned with the sustainable development goals.

Happening in the Ecosystem

Opportunities

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The Good Food Innovation Fund aims to increase the supply of ‘Good Food’ across Africa while simultaneously reducing the price of such food. To achieve its objectives, the fund is seeking applications from SMEs from Kenya, Rwanda, and Burundi that are addressing the issues of availability, equitable access, and affordability of ‘Good Food’ among low-income communities. The selected enterprises will receive an array of support - financial and non-financial. If bringing systematic & structural changes in the Good Food supply chain excites you, then we are looking for you. Apply Now

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The 'Business Acceleration through Gender Mainstreaming' program aims to support climate-smart agriculture enterprises to scale and simultaneously mainstream gender across their supply chain. To achieve its objectives, the program is seeking applications from enterprises in Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda, operating at the nexus of sustainable agriculture/food systems and climate change. Selected enterprises will receive bespoke technical assistance and business support. Apply Now

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The ASME Innovation Showcase (ISHOW) is an international accelerator for hardware-led social innovations. They focus on the design & engineering journey of taking physical products to market. They care about “social innovation,” that is, solving social and environmental issues through enterprise. Apply Now

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KCIC in collaboration with the Embassy of Switzerland, Nairobi, and Strathmore University (SU) is looking to roll out a cleantech competition targeting university students to strengthen idea stage innovations in the cleantech sector addressing environmental problems. Apply Now

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ISIF Asia empowers organizations across the Asia Pacific region to research, design, and implement Internet-based solutions to solve Internet development challenges that support community development and growth. Applications are open to public and private sector organizations, academia, non-profits, and social enterprise organizations. Apply Now

Events/Webinars

Thursday, April 14th, 2022

Shaping the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Family Planning/Sexual Reproductive Health space to achieve India’s Family Planning Goals. Are you an entrepreneur, start-up, funder, donor, impact investor, a representative from NGOs and foundations, corporate, government agency, incubator, Accelerator, media, or key opinion leader or influencer? Do you want to contribute to the achievement of India’s Family Planning/ Sexual & Reproductive Health goals through social entrepreneurship and market-based approaches? Register Now

Thursday, April 14th, 2022

Attend the Cleantech Competition Information Session. Are you a university student in Kenya with a cleantech innovation? Can your innovation be implemented to solve local environmental problems? Register Now

Thursday to Friday, April 21st - 22nd, 2022

Climate Asia: Unpacking Jobs, Community Action, and Funding. The Climate Asia conference will host dialogues with experts from across the Climate spectrum on topics ranging from the future of work to talent in the climate space to the funding landscape and civil, community, and grassroots action. Climate Asia will be the first of its kind initiative in Asia to inspire systemic and collective change to build a people’s movement towards climate action. Register Now

Resources
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Young African Leaders Initiative launched Africa4Her 2022. Africa4Her is focusing on empowering women and girls to enter and remain in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. To combat the lack of representation of women in the STEM fields, you must first examine the different barriers facing women and girls. The “Understanding the Rights of Women and Girls” YALI Network course is a great start. Take the course

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A toolkit using digital solutions to address barriers to female entrepreneurship. Women’s economic advancement is critical to meeting key development goals and plays a central role for many development institutions. To effectively design and implement interventions focused on women's entrepreneurship — whether policies or programs — policymakers and project teams require effective knowledge and instruments. This toolkit — Using Digital Solutions to Address Barriers to Female Entrepreneurship — responds to this need. It provides practical guidance to analyze, designing, and measure technology-enabled solutions to advance women’s entrepreneurship. Download Toolkit

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A record-breaking Q1 for African tech start-ups. Read more

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Supporting Financial Health Startups: Four Lessons for Impact Investors, Foundations and Governments. Lessons for impact investors who want to go further in advancing equitable fintech investment – and for foundations and government leaders who can also play a part in growing the ecosystem for financial health innovation. Read more

Jobs

Santa Clara University is looking for a Program Director, Ciocca Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. If you are interested in the position or know of anyone that might be a good fit for the role, please visit or direct them here to learn more and apply. Learn More


Jhpiego, a nonprofit global leader in the creation and delivery of transformative health care solutions for the developing world, is looking for a Senior Communications Manager-Africa Region (SCMAR). The SCMAR will work with communicators and communications liaisons within Africa to meet Jhpiego communications standards, strengthen stakeholder engagement and contribute to new business development. Apply Now


Intellecap Advisory Services Pvt. Ltd. is currently seeking experts for an engagement in the area of strategic purchasing in primary healthcare services. Prior experience of similar work in India and the sub-continent is desired. if interested, kindly write to sagar.atre@intellecap.net with a brief description of your profile and past work if interested.

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Sankalp Forum was initiated in India in 2009 by Intellecap, part of the Aavishkaar Group, to create a thriving ecosystem for business-led inclusive development. Over the past 10 years, Sankalp has built one of the world's largest impact enterprise focused platforms that has showcased and discovered 1800+ entrepreneurs, through 25 editions and has connected them to 600+ investors. Sankalp has enabled enterprises and entrepreneurs and has helped raise over USD 270 million in funding and disbursed over USD 870,000 in cash grants. Sankalp Forum engages with Governments, Corporations, influential platforms like the G8 and G20, media and civil society to drive a paradigm shift in inclusive development approaches.

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