AngelAfrica – Exploring The Final Frontier

We are excited to welcome Jerryanne Heath as our new Beyond Profit Guest Blogger focused on social enterprise in Africa!

Jerryanne is the CEO and Founder of ConceptLink Consulting, a firm which helps US and international social-mission organizations connect with their stakeholders through various event management and communications strategies.  She is the co-chair of the Africa Social Enterprise Forum, an initiative of AngelAfrica, a New York based non-profit which promotes economic development and entrepreneurship in Africa.

Beyond Profit is very pleased to be a media partner with AngelAfrica and the Africa Social Enterprise Forum.

About four years ago I fell in love with Africa, specifically South Africa, after volunteering in a township called Umgababa, outside of Durban.  I traveled there with Habitat For Humanity’s Global Village Program to build homes for families living in poverty.  I can still remember the warmth with which we were received and the pride of the family whose home we helped build from the ground up.  I was amazed that a small group of volunteers was able to transform a family’s life in such a short period of time with a few simple hand tools, bricks, and mortar.

Since then Africa has been emblazoned on my mind.  The continent is truly the final frontier of the developing world, ripe with opportunities for innovation and investment.  The chance to blaze a trail and make a difference there is seductive.  As I have learned through this volunteer trip and subsequent experiences on the continent, a little goes a very long way.

Over the past few years I have developed a strong interest in the positive stories of entrepreneurs who are making a difference across the African continent.  I became involved with AngelAfrica because of its commitment to the positive development of Africa through business, private sector investment, and entrepreneurship.  We are changing the conversation about Africa and positioning economic and social challenges as opportunities for action.  As Linda Rottenberg, CEO of Endeavor noted in one of her recent blog posts, in emerging markets “entrepreneurs with the best ideas face significant barriers to scale their business: a lack of mentors, a lack of trust, a lack of networks, a lack of good management, and a lack of smart capital.”  These barriers are even more pronounced on the African continent, and these are the needs AngelAfrica seeks to address.

Based in New York City, AngelAfrica has developed a broad network of approximately 400 young professionals, entrepreneurs, and investors who are committed to positive change across the continent.  Our goal is to leverage this network to benefit entrepreneurs in Africa and help bridge the information gap between potential investors in the US and businesses on the continent.

AngelAfrica is hosting a conference which will bring together over 200 people from all over the world on September 25 & 26, 2009 to showcase leadership and innovation in Africa’s private and social sectors.  We know that in order to achieve sustainable economic development and long lasting prosperity, Africa needs a thriving, vibrant business environment coupled with a commitment to positive social change.

On September 26, we are featuring the inaugural Africa Social Enterprise Forum.  With 200 participants, 30 speakers, and $4 billion in social investment capital, ASEF is the leading event for innovators in the African development space.  As the only event of this scale focusing exclusively on social entrepreneurship in Africa, ASEF will be an opportunity for these trailblazers to have their stories heard, share best practices, and network with potential funders.  Knowing that a little goes a long way in Africa, we hope the partnerships, ideas, and investment generated from the event will cause a ripple effect across the continent.