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2 Kenyans picked to join Facebook Community Accelerator


Two Kenyans are among 77 community leaders selected to join Facebook’s Community Accelerator, a six-month programme that aims to equip communities with the training, mentorship, and funding needed for growth.

Bright Shitemi from Mental 360 and Esther Mwikali from Mettā are among the 12-individuals selected from Africa to be part of the programme that was launched in 2018.

In the region, the programme is available in three countries that is Kenya, South Africa and Nigeria.

Participants will spend three months learning from experts and coaches under a customised curriculum to learn how to create goals and expand their communities.

They will then spend another three months executing their plan with funding and continued support from their network.

Facebook will award up to $3 million (Sh300 million) with selected community leaders receiving up to $30,000 (Sh3 million) in funding.

Mwikalii founded Metta in 2015 as an entrepreneurs’ network with the goal of bringing together founders, policymakers and investors to collaborate.

On her part, Shitemi formed Mental 360 in 2016 to give youth a safe platform to learn about mental health and illness and to access affordable holistic solutions.

It is a non-partisan non-discriminatory space where youth can grow their emotional wellness, grow their network and get peer support.