The Howard G. Buffett Foundation, Tony Blair's Africa Governance Initiative, and the World Food Prize Foundation Launch 40 Chances Fellows Program to Fund Social Enterprises Addressing Hunger and Poverty in Africa

DES MOINES, Iowa, Oct. 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Today at the World Food Prize symposium, Prime Minister Tony Blair announced a collaboration between his Africa Governance Initiative (AGI), the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, and the World Food Prize Foundation to launch the 40 Chances Fellows program. 40 Chances: Finding Hope in a Hungry World, a new book written by Howard G. Buffett, inspired the program, which will encourage innovation in developing market-based approaches that address food insecurity. Fellowship funds will support social entrepreneurs who are addressing issues of hunger, conflict, or poverty in Liberia, Malawi, Rwanda, and Sierra Leone, four of the countries where AGI has strong government partnerships.

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"Howard's book challenges us all to think differently if we want to improve the world," said Prime Minister Tony Blair. "We are thrilled that this partnership will help to empower social entrepreneurs to test new ideas that can have a positive impact across Africa."

The 40 Chances Fellows program will empower four individuals with the most innovative social enterprise business plans and provide living expenses and start-up funds for one year to help them launch their efforts. "This fellowship is unique because we are investing in local ideas and partnerships across sectors, which is where we think real social innovation happens," said Howard G. Buffett, Chairman and CEO of the Howard G. Buffett Foundation.

"World Food Prize founder Dr. Norman Borlaug's two most ardent wishes were to promote development in Africa and inspire the next generation," said Ambassador Kenneth Quinn, President of the World Food Prize Foundation. "We, therefore, are tremendously excited to be part of this initiative to invest in market based solutions to overcome the greatest challenges in hunger and poverty."

The fellowship application runs from October 17, 2013, to May 31, 2014.  Winners will be selected by a blue ribbon panel of judges and formally announced at the 2014 World Food Prize Borlaug Dialogue in Des Moines, Iowa.  Each of the four fellows will receive $80,000 in start-up funds and $70,000 for living and transportation expenses (a total of $150,000) for one year.  Find out more information about the 40 Chances Fellows program at http://www.40Chances.com/Fellows.

The Tony Blair Africa Governance Initiative

The Tony Blair Africa Governance Initiative provides practical support to leaders in Guinea, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and South Sudan, in order to bridge the gap between their vision for a better future and their government's ability to achieve it. AGI does this by strengthening the government's capacity to deliver programs that will change ordinary people's lives for the better, from public services and rural development to infrastructure and job creation. Learn more at www.africagovernance.org.

The Howard G. Buffett Foundation

The Howard G. Buffett Foundation works to improve the quality of life for the world's most impoverished and marginalized populations – including the nearly one billion men, women, and children who lack basic food security. 40 Chances: Finding Hope in a Hungry World chronicles Chairman and CEO Howard G. Buffett's evolving views on combating hunger and poverty.  The foundation recently launched a series of innovative 40 Chances programs supporting market-based solutions to global food security challenges, including a high school business plan competition with the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), an agricultural innovation prize with the White House and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and now the 40 Chances Fellows program with the Tony Blair Africa Governance Initiative and the World Food Prize Foundation.  To learn more, visit http://www.40Chances.com, or find us on Facebook at facebook.com/40Chances, and Twitter at @40Chances.

The World Food Prize Foundation

The World Food Prize is the foremost international award recognizing -- without regard to race, religion, nationality, or political beliefs -- the achievements of individuals who have advanced human development by improving the quality, quantity or availability of food in the world. The Prize recognizes contributions in any field involved in the world food supply -- food and agriculture science and technology, manufacturing, marketing, nutrition, economics, poverty alleviation, political leadership and the social sciences.

SOURCE The Howard G. Buffett Foundation