October 21, 2019
By Hassan Gbassay Koroma
Orange CEO with the mic presenting the cheque to Aminata F. Kanneh the winner
Aminata F. Kanneh, a young Agro-Fish Farm innovator, based in Bo City,Southern Sierra Leone, last Wednesday, 16th October, emerged as the winner of the Orange Telecom Social Venture Prize.
The event organised by Orange Telecom aims at rewarding the best innovative and socially responsible business projects in Africa and the Middle East.
Speaking at the British Council Hall, Tower Hill in Freetown, Chief Executive Officer of Orange Sierra Leone, Aminata Kane, said the Orange Social Venture Prize Innovators Competition was geared towards providing a platform for young innovators and creative thinkers in Africa and the Middle East.
She said Orange Social Venture Prize has been in existence for almost nine years now, but that it was the first time it was hosted in Sierra Leone, noting that 15 individuals contested in the preliminary stage of the program including Aminata F. Kanneh, a young Agro-Fish Farm innovator, Samuel Kamara a young E-Net innovator in online education, and one Motswana with Energy innovation.
She said the innovation event was the ninth edition to be hosted in the country since Orange Telecom started it globally, noting that the winner would eventually participate in the international competition wherein a team of international jurors will award the grand prize to the best winners both at local and international levels.
In her maiden remarks, the Country Director of the British Council, Kelly Ferguson commended Orange Sierra Leone for such a venture, which according to her, would accelerate the aims of young people in the country.
She said their partnership with Orange Telecom was a welcoming one, noting that the British Council was committed to working with Orange Sierra Leone in order to promote young Sierra Leonean innovators.
Also speaking was the Mayor of Freetown, Yvonne Aki Sawyer,who praised Orange Sierra Leone for their relentless efforts in supporting young Sierra Leonean innovators.
She admonished young innovators and the winners to continue working hard to promoting innovation and technology in the country.