The first official posts on social media have emerged about the collaboration of Sarah Collins, Founder of South African heat retention cooker the Wonderbag, with world-renowned multinational computer technology company – Dell for the #EntrepreneursUNite campaign.
The face of African entrepreneurs
The announcement of Sarah becoming the ‘face of African entrepreneurs’ for this powerful initiative comes on the back of a series of WonderWomen lunches Collins had hosted in the major cities of Durban, Johannesburg and Cape Town in the first week of August in celebration of South Africa’s Women’s Month and to promote ‘Wonderpreneurs’.
The #EntrepreneursUNite campaign was the brainchild of Dell’s CEO and Founder Michael Dell who also acts as the UN’s Global Advocate for Entrepreneurship.
The initiative was conceived in an effort to create greater global awareness around one of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals, known as Goal 8,that aims to empower entrepreneurs around the world, helping them foster innovation, job creation and sustainable economic growth by increasing access to capital, markets, talent and technology.
Goal 8
With the backing of Dell’s extensive network the company has been gathering signatures for a petition highlighting the importance of this particular goal which upon reaching the 100 000 required signatures, will be presented at the next General Assembly in September 2015.
The goals that are adopted will become the UN’s roadmap towards sustainable growth for the next 15 years and ultimately will influence policy in countries around the world.
“We are very passionate about Goal 8 because we feel that setting up people in the emerging market as entrepreneurs will help solve a lot of the other problems these people face on a daily basis, which includes having the basic resources to feed themselves and their loved ones.
“Allison Engel from Dell had the great pleasure of meeting Sarah last year at the Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network in Austin. So – when we were trying to decide on a person who could take this campaign to Africa, one of the continents in great need for entrepreneurship and trade, Sarah and the Wonderbag immediately came to mind.
“As someone who is already out there on the ground affecting change and empowering others she is the perfect person to help us reach entrepreneurs in Africa who would never otherwise have been able to sign this petition and make their voice heard when it comes to this very important goal!” says Dell’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Elizabeth Gore.
Last mile entrepreneurs
Collins was honoured and thrilled to join forces with Dell in spreading the word about Goal 8 and has been raising awareness around the issue all week during a series of WonderWomen lunches she hosted around the country where she also officially launched her organised network of “Wonderpreneurs”.
“I was so excited when the Dell team got in touch and asked me to join them in raising awareness around Goal 8! Providing people with the tools to empower themselves and create change in their own families and communities is something I have always been passionate about.
“I have been working tirelessly to help equip and set up last mile entrepreneurs around Africa over the past few years so it’s wonderful to have support from a major Corporate like Dell. It is important that everyone works together to help find solutions to the problems our world is facing. Each and every one of us can make a difference and our voices need to be heard at important events like the UN’s General Assembly.
So follow the very easy steps on www.entrepreneursunite.com to sign the petition before the end of August 2015,” says Collins.
For more information about this initiative and Collins’ involvement keep an eye on Dell’s social media platforms or visit entrepreneursunite.com to sign the petition.