The ManziMakers Challenge is a 6-month support programme that provides young entrepreneurs with the opportunity to strengthen early-stage business ideas based on specific challenges and existing gaps in water, sanitation, hygiene, and solid waste in vulnerable communities, with a specific focus on solutions that also address challenges
related to climate change.

HOW EXACTLY?

By offering a 3-days online event where 20 teams, with the guidance of mentors, will strengthen existing but early stage innovative solutions with potential as social enterprises. Teams will be able to create a first business model canvas, work on the technical and market validation of their idea, learn about their competitors, how to make a pitchdeck and pitch their idea.

By providing training, coaching, and funding (up to 21,000 ZAR) as pre-incubation support for 5 winning teams to implement their business idea, benefiting families in vulnerable communities

WATER

In South Africa, 5.3 million people lack access to safe drinking water. The challenge is even more present in rural areas: 19% of the population in rural areas lacks access to a reliable water supply. How to guarantee access to safe water, improve its management, and provide safe collection and storage?

SANITATION

14.3 million people in South Africa lack access to basic sanitation services; 12.3% don’t have access to a handwashing facility; and an estimated 30% of girls do not attend school while they are on their period because they do not have access to sanitary products. How to bridge the access gap to sanitation & hygiene, improve safe wastewater treatment, transport and disposal?

WASTE

29% of the annual waste in South Africa is not collected and treated through formal waste collection systems, resulting in large amounts being dumped illegally. How to improve the collection, sorting, treatment, reduction, recycling, and reuse of waste, to prevent it from ending up in the ocean?

Application deadline
July 6th 2023 (deadline extended). CLOSED

Notification of selected teams
July 10th 2023. DONE

Mandatory 30-minute technical session
July 15th 2023 at 16:00 hs. DONE

Online workshop (Challenge)
July 21st, 22nd, and 23rd 2023. DONE

Notification of winners
July 27th 2023 at 17:00 hs. DONE

Pre-incubation bootcamp for winners
September 9th to 12th (full days)