NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

The stats are grim: Only 77 million people have been fully vaccinated against the new coronavirus in Africa – this is just 6% of its population. In comparison, over 70% of high-income countries have already vaccinated more than 40% of their people.

Stubbornly high rates of infection, with recurring peaks every few months, are leading to catastrophic loss of livelihood, disruptions in schooling, and fraying social-safety nets. African governments and international organizations are struggling to provide access to care and keep local populations safe.

Amid this struggle, there is a force that has the power to change the trajectory of the COVID-19 pandemic – young innovators across the continent who are deploying a social entrepreneurship skillset to make things better from the ground up.

Photo courtesy of Daniel Schludi.