Kenyan students steal the show at continental innovation competition

Students from a secondary school in Nairobi emerged the first runner-up during a pan-African innovation, creativity and excellence in education competition in Nigeria recently.

Team Smart Blind Walking Stick from St George's Girls Secondary School emerged the first runner-up of the Sahara STEAMers Grand Demo Competition 2.

The competition, now in its second year, is organised by the Sahara Group Foundation and Asharami Synergy, Kenya, in collaboration with STEMCafe.

The two companies are subsidiaries of Sahara Group, a leading international energy and infrastructure conglomerate with operations in over 42 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

The Sahara STEAMers programme, an after school initiative in partnership with STEMCafe, was established in 2022 with the primary aim of fostering innovation, creativity and excellence in STEAM education in secondary school students in Africa.

Speaking at the Grand Demo Competition, Ejiro Gray Director of the Sahara Group Foundation explained that this year's programme, aimed at fostering innovation, creativity, and excellence in STEAM education among secondary school students in Africa, directly impacted over 200 students across the continent.

"The programme is designed to provide participants with access to deep-dive classroom learning, equipping the participating students with the practical knowledge and skills required to generate innovative solutions for real-world problems. Further the programme is intended to create a pipeline of young, confident social innovators across Africa," said Gray.

Each country Gray explained was represented in the All twelve teams presented ingenious prototype designs of their solutions spanning various sectors, including home automation, agriculture, security, energy, health, and transportation before a panel of judges.

The pan African grand demo competition attracted 12 teams from countries of Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda and Tanzania. Team Imperial Tech from Rise and Shine Secondary School from Uganda emerged the winner with their innovation of a Soil Moisture Detector; a farm-friendly solution aimed at preventing over-cultivation and promoting soil quality and increased productivity.

Team Smart Blind Walking Stick from St George's Girls Secondary School, Nairobi, Kenya followed in second position.

The Kenyan team, composed of Amina Hussein, Isabella Otieno, Halima Ibrahim, Stella Kabui, and Vennesa Kerubo, developed a cutting-edge solution to assist visually impaired individuals in their movement.

The product, crafted using an Arduino, distance sensor, and a buzzer, undoubtedly showcases the team's innovative prowess and commitment to making a positive impact on the lives of those with visual impairments.

The Young Genius team from Oshodi High School, from Lagos, Nigeria was third after presenting an innovative Domestic Drainage System created to help tackle the prevalent issue of drainage blockage in our society.

Gray expressed immense delight at the students' commitment and determination throughout the stages of the programme.

Also speaking at the event, Adebola Adesanya, Country Manager at Asharami Synergy Kenya, expressed his excitement at the brilliance of the Kenyan teams. He commended their innovative spirit and dedication, emphasizing the significant impact such programmes have on nurturing future leaders and problem solvers.