Reach for change launches big ideas for children challenge to improve children’s lives

Reach for Change has launched the second phase of this year’s Big Ideas for Children Challenge, an innovation competition that finds and supports Addis Ababa’s top social enterprises with solutions that improve the lives of children.
The non-profit organization and its partner, the IKEA Foundation, will award 29 selected social entrepreneurs a grant of up to Birr 40,000 each and enroll them in an accelerator program, where they will receive coaching in business development, leadership and expansion strategy to build scalable enterprises. The second phase of the challenge will focus on equipping selected applicants with skills to maximise impact.
The Big Ideas for Children Challenge is centered around identifying and supporting social enterprises with solutions for improving early childhood development which includes solution to tackle health, nutrition and hygiene, and cognitive, social, physical and emotional development among children from 0 – 6 years old. It also seeks solution to improving access to and quality of education for all children at pre-primary and primary school levels.
This year’s challenge will include screening and assessment of applications: shortlisted applicants will be invited to partake in a one-day pitch training. They will then pitch their idea to a jury panel, who will select 29 social entrepreneurs to enroll in the Reach for Change accelerator. The selected entrepreneurs will then receive grant support of up to Birr 40,000 each to help them implement their initiatives.