01/04
Why we exist
Every young African with an idea deserves a real shot at the SDGs.
We took the words of Wangari Maathai — "it's the little things citizens do; that's what will make the difference" — and built a programme that turns young African ideas into operating ventures. Three pillars. One mission.
Faces of the network
Built by Africans.
Built by Africans.
For Africans. Everywhere.
Real innovators from across the continent — finalists, alumni and mentors. Were you one of them?
Tell your storyAisha M.SDG 7 · Nairobi
Kwame O.SDG 12 · Accra
Lerato D.SDG 3 · Cape Town
Amara O.SDG 9 · Ibadan
Chinedu A.SDG 9 · Lagos
Wanjiru K.SDG 13 · Kenyatta
Sipho M.SDG 4 · Pretoria
Halima S.SDG 5 · Kampala
Tunde B.SDG 4 · Covenant
Nia A.SDG 3 · Cairo
Emeka N.SDG 8 · Lagos
Sade A.SDG 6 · Nairobi
Cohort 2024Demo Day · NBO
Femi I.SDG 11 · Abuja
Zola M.SDG 9 · JHB
Asha N.SDG 17 · Dar
Tendai R.SDG 2 · Harare
Class of 23Cambridge ISL
Co-foundersCofounder match
Office hrsMentor 1-on-1
Mariama D.SDG 5 · Accra
Aisha M.SDG 7 · Nairobi
Kwame O.SDG 12 · Accra
Lerato D.SDG 3 · Cape Town
Amara O.SDG 9 · Ibadan
Chinedu A.SDG 9 · Lagos
Wanjiru K.SDG 13 · Kenyatta
Sipho M.SDG 4 · Pretoria
Halima S.SDG 5 · Kampala
Tunde B.SDG 4 · Covenant
Nia A.SDG 3 · Cairo
Emeka N.SDG 8 · Lagos
Sade A.SDG 6 · Nairobi
Cohort 2024Demo Day · NBO
Femi I.SDG 11 · Abuja
Zola M.SDG 9 · JHB
Asha N.SDG 17 · Dar
Tendai R.SDG 2 · Harare
Class of 23Cambridge ISL
Co-foundersCofounder match
Office hrsMentor 1-on-1
Mariama D.SDG 5 · Accra
Mariama D.SDG 5 · Accra
Office hrsMentor 1-on-1
Co-foundersCofounder match
Class of 23Cambridge ISL
Tendai R.SDG 2 · Harare
Asha N.SDG 17 · Dar
Zola M.SDG 9 · JHB
Femi I.SDG 11 · Abuja
Cohort 2024Demo Day · NBO
Sade A.SDG 6 · Nairobi
Emeka N.SDG 8 · Lagos
Nia A.SDG 3 · Cairo
Tunde B.SDG 4 · Covenant
Halima S.SDG 5 · Kampala
Sipho M.SDG 4 · Pretoria
Wanjiru K.SDG 13 · Kenyatta
Chinedu A.SDG 9 · Lagos
Amara O.SDG 9 · Ibadan
Lerato D.SDG 3 · Cape Town
Kwame O.SDG 12 · Accra
Aisha M.SDG 7 · Nairobi
Mariama D.SDG 5 · Accra
Office hrsMentor 1-on-1
Co-foundersCofounder match
Class of 23Cambridge ISL
Tendai R.SDG 2 · Harare
Asha N.SDG 17 · Dar
Zola M.SDG 9 · JHB
Femi I.SDG 11 · Abuja
Cohort 2024Demo Day · NBO
Sade A.SDG 6 · Nairobi
Emeka N.SDG 8 · Lagos
Nia A.SDG 3 · Cairo
Tunde B.SDG 4 · Covenant
Halima S.SDG 5 · Kampala
Sipho M.SDG 4 · Pretoria
Wanjiru K.SDG 13 · Kenyatta
Chinedu A.SDG 9 · Lagos
Amara O.SDG 9 · Ibadan
Lerato D.SDG 3 · Cape Town
Kwame O.SDG 12 · Accra
Aisha M.SDG 7 · Nairobi
Three
pillars.
One mission.
A scrolling tour of the three programs MK-Africa runs through #MyLittleBigThing — for any young African with an idea worth backing.
01 / 03
Pillar 01
Education & Training
SDGs Clubs at African universities, an online learning platform, and a Cambridge-ISL scholarship for top finalists.
- SDGs Clubs at 8 Kenyan universities (and growing)
- Online Academy — sustainability, ESG reporting, design thinking
- Cambridge ISL scholarship for the top 3 finalists
02 / 03
Pillar 02
Thought Leadership on SDGs
Webinars, white papers, awareness campaigns and partner events — keeping the SDG conversation alive year-round.
- White papers (focus on SDGs 12–15: the green agenda)
- Weekly webinars + media campaigns
- Strategic MOUs with SDG ecosystem partners
03 / 03
Pillar 03
Innovation & Entrepreneurship
The Annual Challenge for African undergraduates, plus an Ambassador Program for alumni and university SDGs Clubs.
- Annual Challenge (since 2017)
- Ambassador Program for past finalists
- University SDGs Clubs — student-led, community-focused
By the numbers
Eight years.
Eight years.
Counting.
Numbers that come from MK-Africa's own programme records — no inflation, no rounded marketing figures.
Since
0
Founded in Nairobi by MK-Africa
Our story →
SDGs Clubs
0+
Active student chapters across the continent
Browse network →
Cohorts
0+
Documented since 2017 — three from Kenya, one continent-wide
Winners archive →
UN Goals
0
Sustainable Development Goals — every one in scope
All 17 SDGs →
Advisory board
0
Senior leaders from Safaricom, Coca-Cola Africa, Aga Khan…
Meet them →
$0
Free forever · Waitlist
Be first in line for the 2026 cohort.
2-min form · we email when it opens · zero spam
Just happened · 2025 Demo Day
See the full gallery →
The room showed up.
40 finalists pitched at Strathmore — judges, audience, certificates, the mascot. Real photos from the night.
Inside the Academy
Every course ends in a shipped MVP.
Built for young Africans. Designed for African bandwidth. Mentored by African leaders. Top three finalists every year are sponsored onto a Cambridge ISL sustainability course.
-
Offline-first
Audio + transcript when video stalls. Save lessons for the matatu home.
-
Professor Mambo, your AI study partner
English, Swahili, French, Portuguese — embedded in every lesson.
-
Verifiable credentials
Public /verify URL. Open Badges 2.0. One-click LinkedIn share.
learn.mylittlebigthing.com
4 badges earned
+38 XP this week
# sdg-7-energy · clean energy projects, partners, ideas
Karen Basiye is typing
↵
Inside the Community
The real work happens between sessions.
Channels by SDG, city and interest. DMs with mentors. Voice notes. The co-founder matching board where teams form across the continent.
-
Mentor office hours, on demand
Book 30-min slots with Karen, Emily, Muthoni and five others.
-
Co-founder matching
Filtered by skill, SDG and campus. The fastest path to a team.
-
Voice notes & threads
Drop a 30-sec pitch. Async feedback in your channel.
2017 — 2026
A decade of little big things.
Ten years of turning campus ideas into real ventures across Africa — one small thing at a time.
See the journey →A challenge is born.
Muthoni Kanyana launches the Annual Challenge from Nairobi, with Cambridge ISL as the academic partner.
01 / 05Beyond one campus.
The Challenge expands across Kenyan universities — early SDGs Clubs take root.
02 / 05The Academy goes online.
The Digital Inclusion Webinar Series and online learning platform launch as the world goes remote.
03 / 05EduYetu, GreenLead, GreenTech.
Safaricom crowns three undergraduate ventures — education, climate finance and digital waste — across Kenyan campuses.
04 / 05SDGs Clubs at 8 universities.
A new platform — AI tutor Professor Mambo, mentor office hours, public verifiable credentials. Free for every African undergraduate.
05 / 05
All 17 SDGs / tap one
Built around the
Built around the
UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Tap any goal to see what it covers and which courses, mentors and projects in our network are working on it.
Your little idea
belongs in our big community.
Free. Any background. Open to every young African with an idea worth backing.
+ 200 this cohort
