Stephen Rwagweri will be received at Entebbe Airport on Saturday, 1^st September, 2022 at 5pm by the artisan community in Uganda after receiving an Internationally Acclaimed Social Innovator of his Time Award from Opportunity Collaboration for his Traditional Artisan Inclusion Innovation.

Rwagweri, who is the Executive Director of Engabu Za Tooro NGO and CEO African Continental Crafts Limited has been attending a global summit of innovators in Miches City, Dominican Republic from 25^th to 29^th September, 2022.

While in the Dominican Republic, he pitched his innovation to global Impact investors and discussions are underway with the impact investors to enable him get funding to pilot the innovation across the countries of Africa.

According to the organizing committee, Rwagweri will be welcomed at the airport by a delegation of artisan community in Uganda and Engabu Za Tooro Cultural Troupe. He will present the Award to the artisan community and end with a press conference before proceeding home.

His social innovation (Traditional Artisan Inclusion model) won an Award by Opportunity Collaboration because it is addressing market exclusion leading to extreme poverty among the traditional artisans in Africa as a result of limited product development, design innovations, business skills, digital skills and infrastructure.

The innovation mobilizes capacity to advance product development, design innovations, business practices and digital marketing solutions to drive market access for traditional artisans and adapt them to the main stream creative manufacturing sector.

The innovation  is implemented by “African Continental Crafts Ltd” which is a for profit social enterprise which was first incorporated in Uganda in 2021 and having a business focus on the artisan sector across Africa.