Entrepreneurs Bag USD 20 K In Rwanda’s YouthConnekt Africa Innovation Awards 2018
The recently concluded YouthConnect Africa summit in Kigali featured a challenge for young people to give an investment pitch on their startup ideas falling under four broad categories namely Social Innovation, Green Growth Innovation, Pioneers for Prosperity and Digital Inclusion. This attracted the participation of various teams from Rwanda, Kenya, Mozambique, Angola and Nigeria with 18 projects competing for the final round. During the winners announcement gala, Charles Umeh from Nigeria won the Digital Inclusion Award while Rusell Osah also from Nigeria won the Social Innovation Award. Green Growth Innovation Award was won by David Kinzuzi from Rwanda while Emma Stella Gakuo from Kenya was awarded in Pioneers of prosperity category. Each winner took home USD 5K that brings the total prize money of USD 20k going to young African entrepreneurs.
During one of the Money Matters sessions Isaac Nkusi who is a Personal Money Management Consultant and Trainer implored on the teams of young budding entrepreneurs to focus on building value in their enterprises which is the magnet that pulls customers. Emma from Kenya through her “Maziwa plus Cooling System” was able to sail through using the proposed solution that provides mobile cooling systems powered by solar and mounted on motorbikes for easy mobility in the rural areas. The mobility provides transport solution in delivering the milk to the dairy collecting centres. David Kinzuzi on the other hand focussed on his project which is dubbed “My Green Home” in Rwanda which is an idea based on creating green cities that he started together with his colleague Rosette Umuhoza They are still undertaking their studies at Kigali-based Kepler University. From Nigeria Charles Umeh sailed through his project JARACARE that provides access to verified doctors at the touch of a button cutting the need to wait in long queues to see a health specialist. Rusell Osah sailed through by proposing to build 10,000 affordable houses for low income families in Nigeria.
Image Credit: The New Times Rwanda
