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Entrepreneurship Award

To support and strengthen entrepreneurship in Africa, AFIF gave participants the possibility to apply for the EMRC Project Incubator Award.

Derek Kwesiga was named the winner of the EMRC Project Incubator Award and collected a cash prize of US$15000, sponsored by the African Development Bank.

Derek Kwesiga is the founder and CEO of Derekorp, a Ugandan based company. Derek is from Uganda and raised in the United States. He returned to Uganda with extensive Bar & Restaurant management experience, and fifteen (15) years experience as a professional chef.

Derekorp Limited is an agri-business engaged in value addition to fruits and vegetables under the brand name Just Joy.

Derek Kwesiga

Derekorp (Uganda)

AFIF Entrepreneurship Award 2009

"This victory gives my company credibility to those who don’t know us yet. It’s an achievement that shows our commitment to the community, not to mention the obvious financial benefits. We plan to utilise this prize in two key areas: to help in expediting our goals to start packaging by the end of the year (buying the packaging materials etc.), and also to facilitate training sessions/tutorials on the benefits of cooperatives and other such models that would give local farmers more leverage in the marketplace."

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We seek to empower the spirit of entrepreneurship in Africa

  • Facilitate access to finance
  • Connect businesses horizontally and vertically
  • Create an exchange of know-how
  • Engage the relevant Public-Private dialogue
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