#MyLittleBigThing challenge is a social impact initiative by MK-Africa, a sustainability consultancy dedicated to supporting companies in connecting their business strategy to their sustainability agenda. Inspired by Nobel laureate, the late Wangari Maathai’s ‘Little Thing’ of planting trees, the challenge aims at encouraging the development of ideas that will help us to find the best home-grown solutions to Africa’s sustainability issues.
This year we focused on innovative project ideas addressing any of SDGs 6-11. Our judges selected the best 15 ideas from all applications received. The 15 selected went through design Training, SDGs project canvas, and presentation skills in preparation for the idea testing phase, in the #MyLittleBigThing Academy.
After the idea testing phase, the final event was held online hosted by Safaricom where all 17 made their presentations and the judges selected 3 winners. However, all 15 finalists were enrolled in the mentorship program. The mentorship, which will happen online will guide and walk with them as they set up their businesses.
#MyLittleBigThing mentorship program takes on a multidisciplinary approach and has welcomed individuals from different fields of expertise and with varied skills to take part in the program. The #MyLittleBigThing team worked to keep the program diversified and appropriate to the needs and sectors of the finalists. The role of the mentors will be to guide and walk with the winners as they set-up their businesses through obtained experience, leadership, and management skills. Using effective communication techniques, mentors will inspire this generation of leaders who are passionate about their innovations and who want to make a difference in the world. The mentorship program commenced on 2nd November 2020.
In addition to having mentors, MK-Africa has online training such as the MVP that will run for a period of 6 weeks to guide the mentees on the journey to starting a successful business and the Theory of change training that will happen after that. The mentorship program is one year long.