Meet Heritiaina Randriamananatahina, a 22-year-old agriculture entrepreneur from Madagascar, who had to drop out of school in the 6th grade but went on to become a successful entrepreneur. Randriamananatahina was the top winner in this year's Anzisha Prize, presented by The African Leadership Academy and MasterCard Foundation.
A big win
Entrepreneurs from all across Africa entered the competition, now in its sixth year. More than 550 entrepreneurs from 32 African countries applied for this year's prizes, which included cash prizes plus becoming Anzisha Fellows who will receive ongoing support through business consulting, access to experts, and networking opportunities to support further sustainable venture growth.
Most of this year's applicants were from agriculture, including Randriamananatahina. He was selected as the grand prize winner for his company, Fiombonana, an agro-processing enterprise that manufactures dairy products and confectioneries. The company uses only Malagasy raw materials in their products and increases local jobs by hiring local farmers.
What's next?
After realizing he had won the grand prize, Randriamananatahina said, "Now that I have won, I will invest in my own education and grow my business.”
Other prize winners included Yaye Souadou Fall, 21 from Senegal, who was awarded $15,000, and agricultural entrepreneur N’guessan Koffi Jacques Olivier, 19, from Cote d’Ivoire, who received $12,500. Agriculture represented the sector with the largest number of applicants in this year's competition.
For more details about the Anzisha Prize, visit www.anzishaprize.org
Watch the video below to learn about Heritiaina Randriamananatahina: