Impact Leaders: Pearl Uzokwe, Programme Director Africa Forward and Board Member at Malala Fund
Welcome to this issue of The Juice newsletter, where we spotlight social and environmental leaders driving real change across the world. In this issue, we're diving into Africa's social entrepreneurship landscape through the lens of Pearl, a Nigerian lawyer who left London's corporate world to build ecosystems supporting social innovators across the continent.
Her story shows a striking paradox: while women make up 40% of Africa's social entrepreneurs, they hold less than 5% of corporate board seats. Through concrete examples from waste management in Lagos to STEM education across three countries, Pearl's work demonstrates how targeted interventions create measurable impact at scale.
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Can you tell me more about your background?
My journey has been an interesting mix of professional and personal growth. I am Nigerian by birth, and while I received part of my education in Europe, it was always important for me to return to the African continent to contribute directly to its development.
I began my career as a solicitor in the UK, but rather than taking the conventional route of joining a law firm, I started with an international development organization called Crown Agents. They worked extensively across former Crown colonies, supporting international development initiatives. This role was my introduction to the world of social impact and international development, even before I fully understood what those terms meant. It was a multidisciplinary environment, and I was privileged to be part of the legal department, which served as the external legal team for the UK’s Department for International Development.
During my time there, I worked with incredible organizations like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund. These experiences broadened my perspective and ignited my passion for international development.
However, I soon realized that while the work was fulfilling, I wanted to be on the other side of the table, closer to the communities that I was passionate about serving. This led me to further sharpen my skills, taking on a role in corporate law in the City of London to build my expertise. That period gave me the technical knowledge and confidence to engage with the private sector effectively.
Eventually, I took the plunge and returned to Nigeria, where I’ve spent the past 15 years. Here, I’ve worked on building ecosystems to support social entrepreneurs and innovators, driving corporate philanthropy and sustainability initiatives in what remains a nascent yet promising space. It’s been an incredible adventure, one where I get to foster systemic change while working directly with communities, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
This journey has truly been about aligning my skills and purpose to make a meaningful impact in the region I care deeply about.
Can you tell me more about how corporate capital is being moved into impact within Nigeria and beyond?
That’s a great question and one that deeply motivates me. I worked for over a decade with an African-owned multinational organization that grew from 600 employees to over 5,000 across four continents, generating over $11 billion in revenue. This growth created a significant potential for impact, not just through philanthropy or CSR but through a shift in mindset about what an African-owned organization could achieve globally.
The real impact was in empowering employees and their families, enabling people to travel, move across countries, and gain access to opportunities that previous generations couldn’t dream of. It was transformative, not just for individuals but also for global perception. For instance, I represented the organization at major global platforms like the OECD, the World Economic Forum in Davos, and others, where we were able to advocate for Africa’s voice directly.
This experience reinforced my belief in the power of the private sector on the African continent. In Nigeria, for example, 90% of the GDP comes from the private sector, underscoring its critical role in national development. That’s why I’m passionate about supporting social innovators and entrepreneurs—empowering them to build viable, impactful businesses that contribute to economic growth and address pressing social challenges.
Can you share an example of a project or initiative that showcases this impact?
Absolutely. One of my favorite initiatives was during my time with the Sahara Foundation. We partnered with a social enterprise called Wecyclersto address flooding and health issues in a community plagued by blocked drainage canals. These blockages led to frequent flooding and a spike in diseases like malaria and cholera.
The solution was simple yet impactful: we incentivized the community to collect recyclable materials in exchange for cash,savings or heavily subsidized health insurance.. Weccyclers, is a social enterprise whose core business is centred on managing waste sustainably, set up recycling hubs in the community. This not only cleaned the environment but also economically empowered residents, many of whom were living on less than $2 a day.
The initiative’s ripple effects were incredible. We saw economic empowerment, with some participants increasing their earnings and even starting small businesses. Health metrics improved as flooding decreased and the environment became cleaner, reducing the prevalence of mosquito-borne diseases. Additionally, the project encouraged a savings culture and strengthened gender equity, as women and girls actively participated and benefited financially.
One standout story was of a widow who became so successful through the initiative that she was able to purchase a bus to expand her recycling business. This project eventually became a model for other communities, with the Lagos State Government partnering with us to scale it across multiple local governments in the state.
What social impact metrics do you focus on in projects like this?
The metrics vary by project, but for the recycling initiative, we focused on three key areas:
Economic Empowerment: Tracking increased earnings for participants and mapping how those earnings translated into tangible improvements in their lives.
Health Improvements: Monitoring reductions in diseases like malaria and cholera by analyzing data from local healthcare centers.
Environmental and Community Impact: Measuring the amount of waste recycled, CO2 emissions reductions, and the overall cleanliness and livability of the community.
We also considered qualitative metrics, such as community peace and cohesion, which are harder to quantify but undeniably transformative.
What do you think is the biggest challenge in scaling your projects and making them more common practice?
One of the biggest challenges across the African continent is access to power. Almost 50% of the population lacks reliable electricity, which has a significant knock-on effect on the ability of social innovators and entrepreneurs to scale their businesses. It directly impacts their operations and bottom lines.
Another major challenge is the quality of education. In countries like Nigeria, literacy and numeracy levels are often inadequate, which creates barriers for both entrepreneurs and the communities they serve. Education is foundational, and if it’s not addressed early, its effects persist throughout life.
We also face challenges related to exposure and resources. Many social innovators have incredible local intelligence and innovative ideas but may lack the formal education or technical skills to write proposals or navigate the systems required to attract partners and funding.
How have you addressed these challenges, particularly in education?
Education has been a major focus in several of our initiatives. For example, we worked with a social enterprise, CC Hub’s STEM Cafe, to create practical STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) programs for schoolchildren in Nigeria, Uganda, and Kenya.
Traditional science classes can be dull, so we wanted to ignite a passion for learning. CC Hub created physical spaces where children could engage in hands-on, practical projects to solve real-world problems in their own communities. We designed a year-long curriculum, moving away from superficial three-day workshops, to ensure a deeper and lasting impact.
One of the most rewarding outcomes was seeing children develop confidence and creativity. By the end of the program, students were designing innovative solutions to address issues in their communities. For example, one winning team designed a silent alarm system, crucial in areas where noisy alarms could pose safety risks.
What motivates you to continue supporting this ecosystem of social innovators?
It’s seeing the spark in children’s eyes when they realize their potential. It’s knowing that with the right support, these children could become leaders and innovators who create meaningful change in their communities.
Programs like this aren’t just an investment in people, but investments in the future. They show that with the right enabling environment, African innovators and entrepreneurs can thrive and contribute solutions to global challenges.
What’s the part you hate the most about your job?
Admin work. I’d much rather be in the field, meeting with beneficiaries and seeing the real-world impact of the projects. That’s where the excitement lies, getting into the heart of the work, amplifying the voices of social innovators, and showcasing the systemic change we’re trying to create.
Being on the continent, I live these challenges daily. Whether it’s dealing with unstable internet or the infrastructure gaps, the problems are very real, and it fuels my desire to support those working to improve these systems.
What’s one thing you did differently that brought you to where you are now?
I didn’t give up. Perseverance has been critical in my journey, and this year marks my 20th year of working. Starting out as a migrant in the UK without a British passport, I faced significant challenges breaking into the legal profession. Law firms had to prove to the government that no one in the entire EU could do what I was doing, a daunting hurdle.
Many people would have given up under those circumstances, and I understand why. But for me, it was about grit and finding the courage to keep going, even when it was tough.
Returning to Nigeria was another leap of faith. I had a coveted job in the UK with a top city law firm ircle , but my heart was set on coming back to make a difference on the continent. It wasn’t easy, but I’ve learned that grit and courage are essential. Nigeria, after all, is not for the faint-hearted.
What motivates you to continue supporting social entrepreneurs?
Social entrepreneurs are driving significant change on the continent, creating nearly 10% of jobs. What’s remarkable is that almost 40% of social entrepreneurs in Africa are women, compared to only about 5% female board representation across the continent.
This potential is what motivates me, to see these individuals recognized and supported through policy and investment. I believe this ecosystem can transform economies and societies, and I’m committed to doing everything I can to amplify their impact.
🍹 The Juice wrap-up
1. Africa’s social entrepreneurship landscape is being driven by women, yet remains under-recognized
Nearly 40% of social entrepreneurs in Africa are women, a striking contrast to the less than 5% female representation on corporate boards across the continent. This highlights a powerful but often overlooked force in African development. These women are not only launching impactful ventures but are also creating jobs, improving livelihoods, and addressing systemic issues at scale. There’s a critical need to channel more policy support, investment, and visibility toward these female-led initiatives to unlock their full potential and shift the narrative around leadership on the continent.
2. Local success depends on cultural fluency and decentralization of solutions
One consistent theme is that impactful initiatives must be hyper-adapted to local realities. Africa is not a monolith, each region, community, and even neighborhood can present vastly different cultural, economic, and infrastructural conditions. Whether it's waste management in Lagos or STEM education in rural Kenya, the projects that succeed are those designed with community input, respect for local values, and flexibility to evolve. A top-down, one-size-fits-all model simply doesn’t work here. True scale will only come through a decentralized, community-first approach that listens before it acts.
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We have worked in social impact projects across Asia and Europe, we cannot wait to support incredible entrepreneurs in Africa like Pearl.
If you’d like to learn about a project where social impact was at the core, check our work with Seven Clean Seas, where waste management became a path to a better livelihood for many people in Indonesia.
