The 2025 winner of the Orange Social Venture Prize (OSVP) Sierra Leone, Mr. Edward Kamara, who is also the Founder of MiBuks, a digital business management platform designed to support small businesses in Sierra Leone, spoke on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, in Freetown. During his address, Mr. Kamara urged innovators to apply for the upcoming 2026 competition, emphasizing the transformative potential of the prize. Mr. Kamara, whose platform MiBuks supports small businesses across Sierra Leone, reflected on his journey and the significant impact the prize had on his venture. "Before OSVP, MiBuks was a young idea strong in purpose and ambition, but still searching for the right environment to grow, mature, and scale responsibly. OSVP became that environment," Mr. Kamara stated, noting the key support received. He further encouraged potential applicants, saying, "If you are working on an idea that addresses a real challenge, do not underestimate its potential. Apply even if you feel uncertain. Progress often begins with the decision to take part." This call to action comes as applications for the 2026 edition of the Orange Social Venture Prize-Sierra Leone are now officially open.
MiBuks' Transformation Through OSVP
Before joining the Orange Social Venture Prize (OSVP) in 2025, MiBuks was in its early stages of development. MiBuks was developed by Millennial Sierra Leone as a digital platform specifically designed to assist micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in managing their finances. The platform provides a full suite of digital tools that enable businesses to efficiently track sales, expenses, inventory, and overall operational performance. A key feature distinguishing MiBuks is its functionality even with limited internet connectivity, directly addressing a common and significant challenge faced by businesses in the region. This particular capability has been instrumental in extending its reach to underserved areas.
Since winning the OSVP 2025 prize, MiBuks has undergone significant expansion and enhancements. The platform is now widely available for download on both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store, substantially broadening its accessibility to a wider user base. The funding received from the OSVP played a key role in supporting these advancements, providing the necessary capital for growth. This financial backing allowed MiBuks to implement substantial improvements to its technical infrastructure, which in turn enhanced its stability, performance, and overall reliability for its growing number of users.
The OSVP funding also facilitated the expansion of the MiBuks development team, enabling faster innovation and the integration of new features at an accelerated pace. Among the notable new features introduced are support for the Arabic language, which significantly expands its potential user base and market reach, and advanced branch management tools. These tools are specifically designed to help larger MSMEs, which often operate across multiple locations, oversee their various operational sites more effectively and cohesively. These developments collectively reflect the platform's remarkable growth from an early-stage concept into a more strong, versatile, and widely accessible business management solution.
Impact and Reach of MiBuks
Mr. Edward Kamara, Founder of MiBuks, stated that the platform currently supports an impressive 2,379 users across all 16 districts of Sierra Leone. This extensive reach includes hard-to-reach areas such as Falaba District, demonstrating the platform's commitment to inclusive development. Mr. Kamara remarked, "This is where innovation delivers real value—not through complexity, but by enabling opportunity." He further emphasized the critical importance of belief throughout the entrepreneurial process, particularly when facing challenges. "At every stage of the innovation journey, there comes a moment when belief is as important as technical skill. Belief that an idea is worth building, belief that your perspective matters, and belief that even with limited resources or uncertainty, you should take the next step," Mr. Kamara articulated, sharing a valuable lesson from his own experience.
MiBuks is also actively finalizing a strategic partnership with Kakebo Financial Services. This collaboration aims to pilot access to credit for users specifically in Kenema District, further expanding the range of services MiBuks can offer to its community of entrepreneurs. Mr. Kamara credited the Orange Social Venture Prize (OSVP) for providing the essential impetus for the platform's sustained growth and development. "Before OSVP, MiBuks was a young idea strong in purpose and ambition, but still searching for the right environment to grow, mature, and scale responsibly. OSVP became that environment," he explained, showing the prize's foundational role. Mr. Kamara reiterated his encouragement for potential applicants for the 2026 competition, stating, "If you are working on an idea that addresses a real challenge, do not underestimate its potential. Apply even if you feel uncertain. Progress often begins with the decision to take part." He added a personal note of encouragement, "OSVP changed my life. It might just change yours too."
2026 OSVP Opportunity Details
Applications are now officially open for the 2026 edition of the Orange Social Venture Prize-Sierra Leone. The application window runs from March 26 to May 17, 2026, providing ample time for innovators to submit their proposals. The competition offers several prestigious prize categories for talented innovators across various fields. The National Winner in Sierra Leone for OSVP 2026 will be awarded a substantial prize of SLE 200,000, recognizing their outstanding contribution. Additionally, a dedicated Tech Queen category prize for OSVP 2026 is set at SLE 120,000, specifically aimed at encouraging and celebrating female entrepreneurship in technology. For those aspiring to international recognition, the awards for OSVP 2026 range from €10,000 to €25,000, offering significant global exposure and funding. A special International Women’s Prize for OSVP 2026 further shows the commitment to diversity and inclusion, offering a reward of €20,000 to an exceptional female-led venture. This full prize structure aims to support and uplift a wide array of social ventures.