Introducing Africa’s Best: Meet the 2014 Young Africans Committed to Excellence (YACE)

3) Sangu Delle

Age: 27
Nationality: Ghanaian
Education: Harvard University | JD/MBA |
Current Title: Founder: Cleanacwa; Golden Palm Investments (GPI)
Presentation Topic: Entrepreneurship in Africa

Sangu Delle is a passionate Pan-Africanist who has traveled to about 40 African countries. He is co-founder of Golden Palm Investments, a holding company that invests in early stage venture and growth financing across Africa with a strong bias for Real Estate, health care, agribusiness, and technology. GPI has backed startups, such as Solo Mobile in Nigeria, mPharma in Ghana and Zamsolar in Zambia. He is also the co-founder of cleanacwa, a non-profit working to provide access to clean water in Ghana’s underdeveloped regions. Sangu, who previously worked at Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and Valiant Capital Partners, is a 2014 TED Global Fellow and was also featured in Forbes as one of Africa’s “Top 30 under 30 Entrepreneurs.” In 2012, the Huffington Post named Sangu “an intriguing African to watch out for” and Fortnight Journal named him “one of the promising leaders of the millennial generation.” He was also featured in TIME magazine’s Tomorrow25 as one of 25 future world leaders.

Face2Face Africa: What sparked your interest in social impact investment?

Sangu Dell: My father founded the African Commission of Health and Human Rights in the late-‘80s, and I grew up with civil war refugees from Sierra Leone and Liberia. I vividly remember torture victims that we would host in our house, like Throble Suah, who had been beaten mercilessly for writing against Charles Taylor. I remember an older woman who shared how she was viciously raped by a rebel young enough to be her grandson. Our home served as a refuge for these survivors of violence. From a young age, I knew my life would be committed to serving my continent, and I started a number of non-profits focused on humanitarian and development work. However in 2007, during a community meeting in Agyementi where I was conducting a needs-based assessment, I asked one of the villagers, “What is the single greatest thing I can do for your community?” Expecting him to say, “Build a hospital,” or, “Build a school.” I was stunned by his response: “Jobs,” he said. “We want jobs.” This statement inspired a shift in my philosophy on how best to aid communities in need, marking a departure from “band aid” charity work to more sustainable solutions focused on business and the private sector. Coupled with my full embrace of the entrepreneurial spirit, I founded Golden Palm Investments Ghana Limited (GPI) to invest in start-ups and help build world class companies in Africa that can generate great returns but also have social impact. Through GPI, I believe we can do well and do good.

F2FA: What do you love most about Africa?

SD: Our people. Having traveled to 40 countries across the continent, I have been amazed and inspired by the resilience and buoyancy of fellow Africans from Addis to Accra, Cairo to Capetown, Nouakchott to Nairobi. I have never been more optimistic for our future.

F2FA: What is your vision for Africa, and as a member of the next generation, what are you doing to ensure this vision becomes a reality?

SD:

“Unless the political liberty for which Africans have for long struggled is complemented and bolstered by a corresponding economic and social growth, the breath of life which sustains our freedom may flicker out.” — Kwame Nkrumah.

I dream of an Africa that is truly economically independent. Only then shall we be truly free. I am playing a small role in realizing this dream by helping seed African entrepreneurs and helping build Pan-African businesses.

Join Sangu and learn more about his journey at the United Nations on Friday, July 25th. Click here to register.