Pitch Day

Inspired by the American television show “Shark Tank,” CorpsAfrica created Pitch Day as an annual event to bring together business leaders, donors, development partners, CorpsAfrica alumni, and others to locally fund the Volunteers’ small-scale, high-impact community-led projects.

During each Pitch Day event, several CorpsAfrica Volunteers and their community counterparts present their projects to a panel of business and NGO leaders. The pair respond to the panel’s questions and elaborate on the identification and implementation process. The audience is then invited to contribute to and sponsor the project.

Pitch Day events provide an opportunity for Volunteers to further develop and showcase their professional skills, for the public to support a culture of philanthropy in Africa, and for CorpsAfrica to showcase the breadth of work its Volunteers and communities undertake.

To get a sense of the projects you might see pitched at a Pitch Day event near you, check out the videos below:

Play

Media Spotlights

Malawi

Local Updates

A Recap: Malawi’s 3rd Pitch Day

Gambia

Local Updates

The Gambia Hosts Its First Pitch Day

Gambia

Media Spotlight

The Point: CorpsAfrica/Gambia Hosts It’s First Pitch Day

"I didn't think I would be up to speaking in front of an unknown audience since the time was limited but I did it with the support of the CorpsAfrica staff and the support of my volunteer colleagues."

"C'est une expérience positive dans la mesure où j'en ai gagné. En effet le nom de mon village est connu maintenant, tout le monde s'intéresse désormais sur l'activité phare de mon village et côté personnel, j'ai fait des rencontres fructueuses et nouer des relations prometteuses."

"It has been a turning point for me, every time I was asked to speak to a group of people in the past I would always take the back seat, and much less to a group that big I started thinking twice. But during the pitching, after I had all my nerves down I realized that I can do it and it has contributed greatly to my public speaking skills."

"Pitching my project was a great opportunity for me and my community to have their need fulfilled, and make their dream a reality."

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I attend in a Pitch Day Event?

Pitch Days typically occur between February and June, depending on the country and progress of Volunteers and communities in the project identification process.

Stay updated by signing up for our newsletter to find out about upcoming events and keep an eye on each country’s social channels. Registration for the events usually opens a month before.

How can I support one of the projects that was pitched?

All Pitch Day events include the opportunity to donate to or sponsor a project on the spot, and it’s encouraged! In some cases, attendees take the information back to their organizations to organize a larger pledge of support or gather friends to jointly support a project.

How else are projects funded?

At least 25% of all community projects facilitated by CorpsAfrica Volunteers are funded by the community itself. No less than 10% of the total project cost is provided in cash and the remainder can be provided by in-kind donation (materials and labor).

Volunteers work with Development Partners to leverage funding for the remainder of the community project cost. CorpsAfrica maintains a fund to support community project funding gaps.

What if I want to sponsor a project that was not pitched?

CorpsAfrica accepts donations and sponsorships for all of our projects. If you are interested in sponsoring a project that was not presented, please reach out to the country office directly for more information or donate directly on our Donate page.

Support Our Work

CorpsAfrica addresses two of Africa’s most difficult challenges: creating opportunities for youth and helping rural communities overcome extreme poverty and build resilience. We recruit motivated volunteers to live and work in remote, low-income areas in their own countries. They collaborate with the community to design and implement small-scale projects that address their top priorities and by doing so gain the skills and experience that lay the foundation for personal and professional success.

CorpsAfrica trusts youth and rural communities to help each other.