Seven out of 15 social entrepreneurs in Ghana have been selected to take part in the iMAGINEghana Reach for Change Incubator for Children.

UNICEF Ghana in collaboration with the European Union and Reach for Change through the iMAGINEghana Social Initiative, which identified the seven in a competition, would support them to make positive impact in the lives of children.

The applicants would each receive a minimum of $ 5,400 as a financial support under the initiative which was launched in January.

Three of the finalists would receive additional support up to $ 10,300.

The seven finalist include, Ernest Gavor with Mojo APP, Cordie Aziz from Environment 360, Wolanyo Amoa, Randolph Rodriguez and Fui Tsikata of TTD Media Limited, and Linda Ashong of STEMbees Organisation.

The rest are Bernice Dapaah, Bright Generation Community Foundation, Wilson and Zakiya Amooro, Trash 4 Bag and Ishmael Hammond, Special Attention Project.

Mr Samuel Dugbatse, Country Manager, Ghana, Reach for Change said the initiative is to identify and support social entrepreneurs with solid ideas on how to improve the lives of children.

He said the initiative is also to identify the various interests in social ideas that could bring solutions to the problems children face to enable them to live better lives.

He said the solutions being proposed should be sustainable.

“The Social Entrepreneur Initiative is also to support innovative and imaginative ideas that improve children’s lives.”

He said the seven awardees would join an incubator programme to get support to transform their ideas into sustainable ventures and would also receive mentoring and professional advice from senior employees of UNICEF.

Mr Dugbatse said after 11 weeks of launching the campaign, 200 social entrepreneurs applied out of which 15 applicants were selected and the seven awarded.

He said out of the eight that were not selected, three of them would receive financial grants because their ideas would have great social impact and would be supported to enable them scale up their initiative.

Reach for Change is a non-profit organisation established in Sweden and co-founded by Kinnevik, the founding company of Millicom to mobilise a global movement for smart, brave and passionate change agents to build a better world for children.

It currently supports social entrepreneurs in Europe, Africa and Asia.