Pioneers Of Prosperity Awards US $350,000 To Africa’s Entrepreneurs

Core Facts:

· The winners of The Pioneers of Prosperity Africa Awards 2008 have been announced

· This year’s US$100,000 Grand Prize was awarded to Superflux International, a Nigerian-based print specialist

· The co-founders, S.E.VEN Fund, Templeton, Legatum and OTF Group, also gave away $50,000 to the five runners-up; AAR Health (Kenya); Safi Cleaning (Uganda); Africa Polysack Industries (Uganda); Gahaya Links (Rwanda) and Integr8 Group (South Africa)

· The Pioneers of Prosperity Africa Awards 2008 is a two day event, which started on 19 November, 2008 and took place in Kigali, Rwanda – the land of a thousand hills

· Part of the Pioneers of Prosperity Award Programme, developed by Michael Fairbanks, it brings together top African businesses, investors, presidents, policymakers, the press, and NGOs to celebrate and recognise torch-bearing companies in Africa

· This year’s awards involved ten finalists, which included four female entrepreneurs, competing in a ‘Dragon’s Den’ style pitch to four expert judges, for the life changing Grand Prize of $100,000

· Judging the competition was: Andreas Widmer, co-founder of S.E.VEN Fund; Alan McCormick, managing director of Legatum; Malik Fal, business marketing and operations group lead for west-east-central Africa at Microsoft; and Ariff Shamji, CEO of AAA Growers – 2007’s Pioneers of Prosperity Africa Awards Grand Prize Winner

· Businesses were judged using the COW-F framework for good business practice

· The winner, Superflux International, provides secure print solutions, including print communication, document management and envelope manufacturing

· Superflux International works across a breadth of sectors, including: government, manufacturing, entertainment and is the preferred supplier of cheques to major banks in Nigeria

· The awards were presented by His Excellency President Mwai Kibaki of Kenya, at a ceremony dedicated to the late Sir John Templeton

· The ceremony was also attended by H.E. President Paul Kagame of Rwanda

· The long-term aim of Pioneers of Prosperity is to turn these companies into powerful role models that will inspire the next-generation of African business leaders and COW-F entrepreneurs

· This year’s Awards program was open to entrepreneurs from ten African countries including Botswana, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa and Uganda

· For 2009 the Pioneers of Prosperity Award Programme will expand to include Central America and the Caribbean

Approved Quotes:

Michael Fairbanks, co-founder of the S.E.VEN Fund and founder of the OTF Group, said: “The Pioneers of Prosperity Africa Awards 2008 was an historic event, with two Presidents coming together, not to be honored by citizens and businessmen of Africa, but to honor entrepreneurs who are building great companies, employing people, and eradicating poverty.

“In the era of total global competition for scarce resources, where ethnic groups are at war, and the rich are getting richer, where values are being tested and transformed faster than we may reflect upon them, indeed, overwhelming the sensibility of mankind; enterprise and technology solutions to poverty represent, perhaps, the best hope for poor nations.”

Andreas Widmer, co-founder of S.E.VEN Fund and competition judge, said: “It was a difficult decision to choose the Pioneers of Prosperity prize winners from among these 10 great companies. What inspired me about Superflux International is that they have overcome huge obstacles in their history. They compete and win with a high quality product and strong ethical practices in an industry with tremendous domestic and international competition.”

Alan McCormick, Legatum managing director and Pioneers of Prosperity panel judge, said: “We congratulate the 2008 Award winners and each of the finalists who all represent a dynamic new wave of African entrepreneurs shaping the continent’s future. Each of them demonstrated the level of excellence, leadership and vision required to grow their businesses regionally and internationally. They are an inspiration to anyone in Africa who may be wondering if they can succeed in business. The answer is: yes, you can.

Mr. Eric Kacou, OTF managing director, said: “The 2008 Legatum Pioneers of Prosperity Africa Awards has been a great success with 1,400 submissions received this year, growing from 450 in 2007. This year’s winners and finalists truly represent the business excellence and entrepreneurial spirit that are keys to the continent’s future prosperity.”

The COW-F Framework:

· COW-F is a framework developed by Michael Fairbanks to identify the entrepreneurs that could serve as inspiration for young people considering careers in business.

· There are four constituents to any business model: customers, owners, workers, and future generations. The standard definition of an entrepreneur is one who assumes the risk of a business venture; but Michael asserts that this alone is insufficient to unleash the potential of entrepreneurship to build prosperity for African nations.

· A COW-F entrepreneur goes beyond this to provide a superior product to a demanding Customer; provide an above average return on investment for Owners; improve the lives of Workers through a high and rising wage; and make an investment in the public good for Future generations. Each of the ten firms selected as finalists are living examples of this framework in action in their communities and countries.

Notes to Editors:

About Superflux International Limited, Nigeria (Grand Prize Winner)

A leading secure prints solutions provider to major financial institutions, corporations and government agencies in Nigeria, Superflux International Limited also offers outsourced mailing services that require variable data printing (e.g. bank statements) with an increasing presence in the West African region. Empowering clients to operate securely and efficiently through the provision of high integrity documents, Superflux International’s operations are guided by the principles of quality, integrity, dependability, confidentiality, teamwork and human capital development.

About AAR HEALTH, Kenya (Winner)

AAR is a successful private health care company in the Eastern Africa region with close to 25 years of experience in providing health care solutions. With over 140,000 members, AAR maintains a leadership position in the provision of health care solutions in Africa. Utilising medical and rescue expertise, AAR has coordinated medical centres in camps for refugees and consistently advocates for the conservation and improvement of the environment, natural resources and wildlife.

About Safi Cleaning, Uganda (Winner)

Founded in 2000 in Uganda, Safi Cleaning Services provides professional cleaning services for sanitation and environmental protection, specialising in janitorial services, lawn maintenance, fumigation/pest control services, garbage collection and disposal, dry cleaning and laundry services. Safi Cleaning is committed to establishing quality management systems that ensure customer satisfaction and continual improvement of operations. While providing employment to the disadvantaged in society, this organisation is also involved in social and community activities.

About Africa Polysack Industries, Uganda (Winner)

Africa Polysack Industries Limited, headquartered in Uganda, was incorporated in February 1999 and began the rehabilitation of a dilapidated woven polypropylene manufacturing plant in October 2000. Production commenced in August of 2001 and Africa Polysack Industries today is the leading manufacturer of woven polypropylene bags and polypropylene rope in Uganda. This organisation is an ISO 9001 – 2000 certified company since July 2004, adhering to the organisation’s rules and regulations that have been agreed upon while displaying the highest degree of professionalism.

About Gahaya Links, Rwanda (Winner)

Gahaya Links, founded in 2004 in Rwanda, is a leading handcrafts export company in Rwanda that works with over 3,400 rural weavers and exports the products to the United States through the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). AGOA is a US initiative which grants sub-Saharan countries trade preferences for quota and duty-free entry for certain goods into the US. Gahaya Links is committed to empowering rural communities and supporting individuals on their path to become entrepreneurs.

About Integr8 Group, South Africa (Winner)

Based in South Africa, Integr8 Group Pty Limited designs, implements and maintains the information, communication and telecommunication environment of many leading corporations across Africa with an emphasis on bridging the digital divide. The company was founded in 1928 and aims to be recognised as the preferred IT Service Partner, focused on innovative, integrated and managed services which add value to all spheres of business operation. In addition, the Integr8 brand strives to deliver customer-defined quality service by attracting, developing and retaining exceptional people and by building strong technology partnerships.

About S.E.VEN Fund

The S.E.VEN Fund (Social Equity Venture Fund) is a virtual non-profit entity run by entrepreneurs whose strategy is to markedly increase the rate of innovation and diffusion of enterprise-based solutions to poverty. It does this by targeted investment that fosters thought leadership through books, films and websites; supporting role models – whether they are entrepreneurs or innovative firms – in developing nations; and shaping a new discourse in government, the press and the academy around private-sector innovation, prosperity and progressive human values.

About Legatum

Legatum is a privately owned international investment group whose primary focus is commercial investment, and which also applies its investor’s expertise to a long- standing involvement in the sustainable development of communities around the globe. Based in Dubai, with an office in London, Legatum is comprised of four divisions, Legatum Capital, Legatum Global Development (“LGD”), the Legatum Institute, and the Legatum Center at MIT.

Legatum Global Development promotes global prosperity by applying market based solutions to long-term development problems.

About OTF Group

The OTF Group is the competitiveness consulting firm that brings the deepest experience to help build prosperity in developing economies. For decades, OTF Group members have been leaders of change in more than 35 countries and over 20 industrial sectors, from tourism to consumer packaged goods, from agribusiness to financial services.

Other Files:

Imagery:

Grand Prize Winner Superflux with HE President Mwai of Kenya – http://blogit.webitpr.com/media/Grand%20Prize%20Winner%20Superflux%20with%20HE%20President%20Mwai%20of%20Kenya_2.jpg

Pioneers of Prosperity Awards Winners – http://blogit.webitpr.com/media/Pioneers%20of%20Prosperity%20Awards%20Winners%20with%20prize%20checks.jpg

Michael Fairbanks, HE President Mwai of Kenya, HE President Paul Kagame – http://blogit.webitpr.com/media/Michael%20Fairbanks%20HE%20President%20Mwai%20of%20Kenya%20HE%20President%20Paul%20Kagame.jpg

Videos:

Pioneers of Prosperity 2008 Grand Prize Winners: Superflux – http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=mD61f5zQTyA&eurl=http://blogit.webitpr.com/?ReleaseID=10669

Africa Polysack Prize Winner 2008 – http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=2sJ37gDfZqc&eurl=http://blogit.webitpr.com/?ReleaseID=10669

Athena Foods Finalist 2008 – http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=qbeXe0cEsgE&eurl=http://blogit.webitpr.com/?ReleaseID=10669

Regional Reach Finalist 2008 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MkGJJkPTjk&eurl=http://blogit.webitpr.com/?ReleaseID=10669

Related Links:

Pioneers of Prosperity – http://www.pioneersofprosperity.org/

Footage – http://www.youtube.com/user/PioneersofProsperity

African Social Networks – http://village.africanpath.com/profile/PioneersofProsperity#chatter-1555598:Comment:106037

‘Unlocking Africa’ – Awards Documentary – www.legatum.com/unlockingafrica

S.E.VEN Blog – http://www.sevenfund.org/updates/blog-post.php?id=5

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=16012137877

Delicious – http://delicious.com/PioneersofProsperity