SAB Foundation Awards over R18 million to 23 outstanding South African social innovators
At the SAB Foundation Social Innovation
and Disability Empowerment Awards held in Johannesburg, Vusmzi Initiative took
first place in the Disability Empowerment category, while Lethabo claimed the
top spot in the Social Innovation category.
Vusmzi
Initiative is a sustainable apiculture and agriculture model that empowers people
with disabilities. This innovation opens up socio-economic opportunities for
people living in remote and rural communities by establishing beekeeping
enterprises.
Lethabo
is an AI-powered platform enabling users to manage electricity and water
services in their native language. This app simplifies tasks like bill
payments, issue reporting, and general enquiries across languages including
isiZulu, Afrikaans, and Sesotho using natural language processing.
“The
Social Innovation and Disability Empowerment Awards are designed to support
entrepreneurs who are developing impactful solutions to address critical social
challenges faced by women, youth, people in rural areas and people with
disabilities,” says Bridgit Evans, Executive Director
of the SAB Foundation. “These capable innovators will receive
comprehensive support, including funding, business mentorship and coaching, access
to mental health resources, and the opportunity to connect with a community of
like-minded entrepreneurs through our provincial impact meet-ups. This holistic
approach ensures they are equipped to drive meaningful change and scale their
businesses effectively.”
This
year the entries showcased ground-breaking solutions to social issues in
health, food waste management, environment, education and other industries.
Another
innovation that stood out this year was, Enabled: Affordable Hearing Solutions,
an innovative software solution designed to assist individuals with hearing
impairments. They were awarded second place in the Disability Empowerment
category.
TB
Detection AI and Auscultation secured second place in the Social Innovation
category for their outstanding work in healthcare. Their advanced digital
stethoscope uses AI to detect tuberculosis (TB) and allows healthcare workers,
even those without specialised training, to screen for TB quickly and
cost-effectively.
“This
is the 14th cohort of our Social Innovation Awards programme and the
9th cohort in the Disability Empowerment Awards programme who will
be embarking on their entrepreneurial journey with us,” says
Evans. “To date we have invested over R185 million to assist 326social
innovators to grow their businesses. They have created 3 261new jobs and collectively
employed 4 475people, which has indirectly impacted 17 900 livelihoods. The different innovations that they are
working on have positively impacted the lives of over 8 million people,
diverted over 1.3 million tonnes of waste from landfill and saved 300 million
litres of water.”
“We
were incredibly excited by the innovations presented this year, and look
forward to seeing them change lives in communities that need it the most,” concludes
Evans. A heartfelt congratulations to our winners and we are confident that they
will remain committed to growing and refining their businesses.”
To learn more
about the Social Innovation and Disability Empowerment Awards visit https://sabfoundation.co.za/social-innovation-Awards
Full
list of winners of the SAB Foundation Social Innovation and Disability
Empowerment Awards:
DISABILITY
EMPOWERMENT AWARDS:
First
place: Vusmzi Initiative (Eastern Cape)
A
sustainable apiculture and agriculture model that empowers persons with
disabilities.
Second
place: Enabled: Affordable Hearing Solutions (Western Cape)
An
innovative software solution designed to assist individuals with hearing and
visual impairments.
Third
place: Chief Ralekhudu Enterprises (Gauteng)
A
programme that provides scarce skills training for persons with disabilities
and the opportunity to earn a certified occupational qualification in
wheelchair and assistive device servicing, repair and refurbishment.
Development
Award: Sign Language Education and Development (Western Cape)
An
interactive online learning programme to train educators in South African Sign
Language.
Development
Award: NavWok (Kwa-Zulu Natal)
A
smart cane technology that provides personalised navigational support for the
visually impaired.
Development
Award: Enable Centre: Equal Access Programme (Western Cape)
An
impactful solution that provides access to rehabilitation services for persons
with disabilities.
SOCIAL
INNOVATION AWARDS:
First
place: Lethabo (Gauteng)
An
AI-powered platform enabling users to manage electricity and water services in
their native language.
Second
place : TB Detection AI and Auscultation (Western Cape)
An
advanced digital stethoscope that uses AI to detect tuberculosis (TB).
Third
place : Tsepo V3 (Western Cape)
A
cost-effective and eco-friendly portable power station to make energy more
accessible.
Development
Award: Kingdom Vision (Free State)
A
collaborative model to improve and expand access to quality eye care for
low-income communities.
Development
Award: Petricam (Eastern Cape)
An
innovative and affordable microbial monitoring solution that makes analysis
more accessible.
Development
Award: Flexigyn (Western Cape)
A
user-guided hysteroscopy platform that enables minimally invasive procedures.
Development
Award: Red Academy Career Sprint (Western Cape)
A
unique software development programme that immerses students in real-world
technology environments.
Development
Award: Chelo (Polokwane)
A groundbreaking
platform that revolutionises fundraising and project management in education.
Seed Award:
Shiyiwa: Community Based Clinics Upgrade Programme (Gauteng)
A
community-based programme revolutionising primary healthcare delivery in
clinics.
Seed Award:
SL Tita Charcoal (Eastern Cape)
A
sustainable charcoal manufacturing process using local resources and innovative
design.
Seed Award: Leruo (North
West)
A mobile app with facial recognition
technology to help smallholder farmers register and track their cattle.
Seed Award: Reading Apple (Polokwane)
A cutting-edge digital tool that
enhances reading skills using smart AI technology.
Seed Award:
Tipped (Western Cape)
A
digital tipping solution that uses QR codes linked to digital wallets.
Seed Award:
Micro-sized Household Biodigester (Gauteng)
A
groundbreaking solution combining micro-sized biodigesters and vertical
hydroponic systems.
Seed Award:
Afoody (KZN)
A
unique technology platform that combats food waste and promotes sustainable
consumption.
Seed Award:
Franc (Gauteng)
A
mobile application that promotes financial inclusion by providing access to
financial investment.
Seed Award:
Authentic8 (KZN)
A
barcode scanning application that tackles the issue of counterfeit goods.
To
learn more about the Social Innovation and Disability Empowerment Awards
visit https://sabfoundation.co.za/social-innovation-Awards.
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