Tanzania mobile operator Tigo has partnered with Swedish non-profit ‘Reach for Change’ in supporting local social entrepreneurs to help improve lives of children in the East African country.

Dubbed ‘Tigo Reach for Change’, the initiative invites interested candidates to present their ideas online by applying through the Tigo Tanzania website: http://www.tigo.co.tz.

Each application is then planned to be reviewed by a panel of experts with the strongest and most promising applicant expected to join a three year incubator programme where their ideas will be transformed into sustainable ventures.

Also, the winning innovation will receive funding of $25,000 a year for up to three years, as well as mentoring and professional advice from senior employees of Tigo.

“Statistics show that children less than 18 years of age constitute almost half of Tanzania’s population,” said Tigo Tanzania general manager Diego Gutierrez in a statement.

“But to date the investment in addressing their needs is not proportionate with their share of the population or their role as tomorrow’s leaders and human capital. Investing in children is the single most important investment in national development,” he added.

Last year’s programme received over 1,000 applications, according to Tigo.

The three winning projects included an initiative to empower children with disabilities with vocational skills; mobile classes for street children; and a project aimed at bridging the rural-urban digital divide.