Rising Stars of ESA: Mohamed Ali Niang
The ESA has many fine members that exude entrepreneurial spirit, and somehow manage to juggle a grueling course load and maintain their own venture. Perhaps the best example of a member who has gone above and beyond is Mohamed Ali Niang. Mohamed has entered nearly all of the major American business plan competitions with his brother Salif Romano Niang, a Purdue University graduate student. Together, the two form Malo Traders, a business idea that many believe could greatly diminish third world starvation and malnutrition.
Mohamed and Salif hail from Mali, a West African nation that ranks as the World’s 25th poorest nation. Malo Traders aims to revolutionize the rice farming industry of Mali, by modernizing the marketing, storing, and processing aspects of rice farmers in Mali. By gaining access to new markets, farmers will be able to turn higher revenue, and the community as a whole can only benefit from this revolution that Malo Traders is set to accomplish. Not only may it help end hunger, but if the GDP of Mali increases and income levels follow, the youth of Mali could see new schools built, and new industries begin to develop.
Currently, Malo Traders has entered University of Washington’s Global Social Entrepreneurship Competition, Harvard’s Pitch For Change, University of California Berkley’s Global Social Venture Competition, Sparkseed Social Innovation Competition, the Dell Social Innovation Competition, and of course Temple University’s own Be Your Own Boss Bowl. Malo traders has had great success advancing to the finals and semi-finals of many of these competitions, and the ESA wishes Mohamed and Salif all the best.
