50 AFRICA INNOVATES - HOMEGROWN - ReliefWeb
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AFRICA
INNOVATES
50
HOMEGROWN
AFRICAN
INNOVATIONS
TACKLING COVID-19
l THE DISRUPTORS
l THE GAMECHANGERS
l THE YOUNG & GIFTED
SHOWCASING AFRICAN INNOVATION 1
A F R I C A N I N F L U E N C E R S F O R D E V E L O P M E N T ( A I 4 D E V ) - A U N D P A F R I C A I N I T I AT I V E
AFRICA
INNOVATES
CONTENTS
SHOWCASING AND
AMPLIFYING YOUNG
AFRICANS’ TENACITY
AND INGENUITY
AGAINST THE PANDEMIC
4 Welcome Note: By 14 DANIEL NDIMA: 26 ENOVA ROBOTICS:
AHUNNA EZIAKONWA Rapid Covid-19 Testing Kit COVID-19 Robcop
6 Africa The Next Frontier Of 16 TEMIE GIWA-TUBOSUN: 28 EDMUND MAPUTI:
Development Airbank by Lifebank Affordable Ventilator
8
ERICO FORTES PINHEIRO: 18 BRIAN NDEGWA WAMBUI: 30 ARTHUR ZANG:
Robotics and Drones Services Data Analytics And Chat Bot Oxygen Production Machine
10 UNIVERSITY OF GHANA 20 IN BRIEF: 32 RON KAWAMARA:
SCIENTISTS: COVID-19 Nigeria roundup E-commerce Platform
Genome Sequencing
22 MAHMOUD EL-KOMY 34 MOISÉS FREIRE:
12 STEPHEN WAMUKOTA: Covid-19 Diagnostic Robot Ethical E-Commerce App
Foot-Operated Handwashing
Machine 24 EBTSAM HUSSIEN SALEH 36 DAVID NZASSI MBOMPELA:
photo: Shutterstock.com
& TESFALEM BELAY Disinfectant Chamber
YOHANNES
COVID-19 Awareness App
2 SHOWCASING AFRICAN INNOVATION
37 DANIEL MGAWI: 52 EL HACEN, MAMADOU,
App Aiding the Homeless ALIOU & ABDELLAHI DIAL :
Contact Tracing App
38 IN BRIEF:
Madagascar roundup 54 FAB LAB YOUTH HUB:
High Tech Face Shields
40 UWINEZA NELLY ALINE:
Ethical Hand Sanitiser Factory 56 TIDIANI TOGOLA:
Automated Healthcare Assistant
42 FRANC KAMUGYISHA:
Reusable eco mask production 58 JOSHUA OPOKU
AGYEMANG:
44 BABUSI NONI: Hack CoronaV Devices
Health Information AI Chat Bot
60 DRONES AND
46 IN BRIEF: ROBOTICS SOLUTIONS:
Innovations from around Africa Drone Technology Against
COVID-19
48 DAOUDA HAMADOU:
Interactive Voice App for 61 INNOVALAB’S NOBAS
COVID-19 CHECKERS:
Online News Platform
50 KENNETH MWANDINGI:
Contact Tracing App 62 ONKGOPOTSE NANIKE Editor & Consultant Producer
KHUMALO: REGINA JANE JERE-MALANDA
Online COVID-19 Mental
Health Services
Editorial Director
64 TIDIANE BALL: DR. JOY KATEGEKWA
Smart Hand Washing Station
Art Director
66 JENNET LEMMAH: MARION TEMPEST
Purposeful PPE and Facemask
Factory Assistant Editor
BENEDICTE KALOMBO
68 RLABS’ ZILTO:
App and online Platfrom for Sub Editor
Disadvantaged Youth WANJOHI KABUKURU
70 SIMON NDIRANGU: Production Editor
Non Invasive Nasal testing ALAN RODNEY
Swab
Cover Photo: Shutterstock.com
54
72 IN BRIEF:
Roundup – Limitless Ingenuity © UNDP 2020 All Rights Reserved
SHOWCASING AFRICAN INNOVATION 3
MESSAGE FROM UNDP AFRICA DIRECTOR AFRICA INNOVATES
AHUNNA
E Z I A KO N WA
Regional Director and
Assistant Secretary
General for UNDP
Regional Bureau
for Africa
EDITORIAL
A F R I C A’ S Y O U N G I N N O V A T O R S B L A Z E
THE TRAIL IN FIGHTING COVID-19
Build forward better. This is the in drones, robots, contact tracing the woods, we continue to observe a
mantra for global recovery from apps, non-invasive testing kits, porta- home-grown PPE revolution – signal-
COVID-19 and Africa is no exception. ble hands-free sanitation chambers, ling green shoots of capacity. It is in
The world continues to falter under oxygen-making machines, genome this footprint that we must invest.
the weight of an unprecedented sequencing, AI-powered healthcare Supporting this untapped potential
pandemic. Nothing is spared – not chat bots and so much more. And yet is what new generation development
economies, not politics – and most here we are, witnessing an incredible programming demands of all of us.
unfortunately, not lives. display of possibility. Africa is man- At UNDP Africa, we are sold to
But we also observe something aging the complexity of the world’s this approach. It is this promise lens
different as prescriptive orthodox most denting pandemic – and look- that underpins UNDP’s renewed
models fracture - paving way for the ing within for solutions against it. strategic offer in Africa. We choose
previously hidden talent and ingenu- to see African innovation as part of
ity of Africa’s youth to thrive. At the UNTAPPED POTENTIAL a transformative change process.
start of 2020, many would have bet Pre- COVID, Africa imported up to 94 The promise lens puts people first -
their gold that sub-Saharan Africa percent of its medication. And even propagating a showcase of talent,
was not the likely home for inventions though we are far from being out of investing in creativity, resilience, and
4 SHOWCASING AFRICAN INNOVATION
At the start of 2020, many would have bet their gold
that sub-Saharan Africa was not the likely home for
inventions in test kits, surgical masks, and ventilators
resourcefulness.
FACTS & FIGURES
In the inaugural Africa Innovates
Magazine, we start a journey of
1.8%
telling an African story of promise
and influence. We have sought,
Economies have contracted to
and found, 50 of some of Africa’s
innovators who see in COVID-19, the
growth of only 1.8 per cent – tak-
opportunity to solve the challenges ing with them millions of jobs in
it imposes, thereby lending cre- goods and services.
dence to possibility and hope, rather
than despair. We see each of these
innovators as an important part of
the web of hands rebuilding Africa YOUTHFUL POPULATION
forward and delivering solutions for a Africa is the world’s most youthful con-
new Africa. tinent, with projections putting Africa’s
youth population at 460 million by 2050,
LIMITLESS INGENUITY up from 250 million at present. UNDP
However, the innovators we have programs will work with African countries
featured in this maiden edition are
and institutions to turn these demographic
not the only ones making positive
transitions into a driving force for econom-
460MILLION
contributions against the pandemic
ic, social and political change
on the continent. There are many
more. This, therefore, is by no means
an exhaustive list, and also impor-
tantly, it is not a ranking.
For this initial compilation, we
selected the 50 innovators based on
criteria, which took into account at
least the following: The projects had
We desire to bequeath two things to our children; the
to be made in Africa, scalable, prob- first one is roots, the other one is wings. —
lem-solvers, impactful, inspirational, Sudanese proverb
applicable, safe and encompass a
PEOPLE. PRODUCTS.
disruptor factor.
Africa is teeming with more of the
PA R T N E R S H I P S
featured talent. Innovative ideas, es-
pecially by its youth, are limitless. We
will, therefore, endeavor to continue
showcasing what the continent offers In keeping with the “Decade of Action”, and adhering to the core tenant of the
and tell their stories to the world. “Next Generation UNDP” The UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Africa has developed the
I hope that you will be as inspired African Influencers for Development l(AI4Dev) a unique partnership with Influ-
as I am – and that you will join us in encers, which reimagines UNDP’s relationships in Africa, premised on 3 principles:
investing in Africa’s promise. People. Products. Partnerships.
Choose to believe in Africa – it is
the future of development
SHOWCASING AFRICAN INNOVATION 5
AFRICA INNOVATES
AFRICA
THE NEXT FRONTIER
OF DEVELOPMENT
LO O K I N G TO T H E F U T U R E :
A F R I C A N I N F LU E N C E R S FO R D E V E LO P M E N T ( A I 4 D E V )
The African Influencers for Development (AI4Dev) har- continent’s development.
nesses Africa’s creative, intellectual and entrepreneurial A UNDP first, this is a blueprint for private sector en-
energy for Africa’s development through a powerful gagement in development action through a coalition
coalition of current and future African influencers in busi- with UNDP. With offices in 45 countries and over 4000
ness, academia and the arts. Together RBA and its part- staff, UNDP Regional Bureau for Africa is the UNDP’s
ners have come together on the platform of AI4Dev to largest bureau in the UN agency mandated to support
co-create and co-implement innovative solutions which countries in implementing the Sustainable Development
can accelerate Africa’s transformation and support the Goals (SDGs).
SDG agenda. AI4Dev provides business leaders with a
platform for collaborative learning, coordinated strategy
and execution, and mutual accountability. This [AI4Dev] initiative proves that
It is also a commitment by RBA to work with African
private sector and other partners to create and support
Africa’s rapidly evolving
future African champions from within Africa’s young and development challenges can be
dynamic population.
On the 22nd of September 2019, on the margins of the met by upscaling Africa’s own
74th UN General Assembly at the UN Headquarters,
innovative solutions.
the UNDP Regional Bureau for Africa (RBA) and Africa’s
private sector and academia a bold new platform to Ms. Amina Mohammed,
bring Africans together in partnerships to help drive the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations
6 SHOWCASING AFRICAN INNOVATION
ACHIM STEINER
UNDP Administrator
Africa remains a continent of many opportunities,
with its vast mineral wealth, youthful population
and largely unexploited natural resources – the
next frontier of development is certainly on this
continent... Our success as the UN Development
System and collaborators will be measured against
progress on this continent.
SHOWCASING AFRICAN INNOVATION 7
AFRICA INNOVATES E R I C O F O R T E S P I N H E I R O ( C a p e Ve r d e ) You cannot build a house for last year’s summer African proverb SERVED BY THE DRONE 8 SHOWCASING AFRICAN INNOVATION
P R I M E R O B O T I C S D R O N E S S E RV I C E S
As an archipelago of 10 islands, access to remote areas of Cape Verde to deliver goods
and services can be very difficult even at the best of times. During the COVID-19 pandemic,
it has become increasingly worse, immensely affecting most outer islanders.
This drone, designed by a 30-year-old university lecturer and computer scientist, Erico Fortes
Pinheiro, is not only being used to deliver services to these isolated areas, but also to
disinfect and spot areas in urgent need.
Our objective is to offer fast, effective,
innovative, and safe technological, versatile
and multifunctional aerial vehicles.
Due to the geographic isolation of many areas, the logistics, to help counter problems created by
Cape Verdean population’s access to health services is the COVID-19 onslaught in the islands.
inherently destabilized. Most health services are affected, The drones have been redesigned and re-engineered,
including the delivery of medicines and medical samples so that during the pandemic, they can be used to disin-
for analysis at hospital labs. fect streets, transport medicines, light medical equipment,
Erico set up his start-up Prime Robotics to provide his samples, as well as other essential goods to cater for
versatile drones for logistics and agricultural services those isolated in remote island areas. Prime Robotics is
purposes. also currently producing face-shields and is looking for
With the emergence of COVID-19 Erico and his partners to upscale its production capacity.
partners have now repurposed Prime Robotics to medical
SHOWCASING AFRICAN INNOVATION 9
AFRICA INNOVATES
SCIENTISTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF GHANA
COVID-19 GENOMES
SEQUENCING
SUCCESS
M E D I C A L R E S E A RC H
In April, scientists at the University of Ghana successfully sequenced
genomes of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the global COVID-19
pandemic, obtaining important information about the genetic
composition of viral strains in 15 of the confirmed cases in Ghana.
10 SHOWCASING AFRICAN INNOVATIONThe scientists, who work at the Noguchi Memorial Insti-
tute for Medical Research (NMIMR – College of Health
Sciences) and the West African Centre for Cell Biology of
Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP – College of Basic and
Applied Sciences) at the University, analyzed samples from
selected cases to gain a comprehensive understanding of
the variations of the virus that are present in the country.
Genome sequencing allows for the compilation of the
most comprehensive information about an organism’s ge-
netic makeup. Using advanced next-generation sequenc-
ing methods, scientists are able to track and compare viral W O R L D W I D E I M PA C T
mutations to understand the origins of imported strains Samples analyzed were taken from two travelers who
and to discover if any novel strains are emerging locally. arrived in Ghana from the UK, one from Norway, one
“The successful establishment of this sequencing from Hungary, one from India, and one traveler who
capability at University of Ghana is a significant milestone arrived from the United States through the United Arab
in Ghana’s response to the pandemic, as it will strengthen Emirates. Nine samples were taken from individuals who
surveillance for tracking mutations of the virus and aid had no travel history, who are believed to have acquired
in the tracing of the sources of community infections in the infection locally.
people with no known contact with confirmed cases,” says “The data tells us that, while there were some differ-
Prof. Abraham Anang, Director of NMIMR. ences between the strains from the various countries,
all the 15 genomes generally resembled (with >92%
similarity) the reference strain that was isolated in the
Wuhan Province of China, where the outbreak began,”
says Prof. Gordon Awandare, Director of WACCBIP. “This
confirms that we are dealing with the same pathogen,
and that it has not yet changed its genetic makeup
significantly. It is natural that pathogens will evolve as
they encounter different environmental challenges, so
we will need to continue monitoring to keep track with
these changes and determine how they impact on the
efficacy of potential drugs or vaccines that are being
developed”, he adds.
The information from the sequence data has been
shared with scientists around the world through an open
access platform known as the Global Initiative on Shar-
ing All Influenza Data (GISAID) database, where other
sequences from various countries are stored.
“The University of Ghana is proud to note that this feat
was achieved entirely by local scientists using estab-
lished local capacity including our Next Generation
Numbers can Sequencing Core and ‘Zuputo’, our High Performance
achieve anything. Computing system, which are jointly managed by
Ghanaian proverb NMIMR and WACCBIP, with support from University of
Ghana Computing Systems,” says Prof. Ebenezer Oduro
Owusu, Vice Chancellor of the University. “We would like
to express our gratitude to the government of Ghana,
and all the funding agencies that have provided grants
to support the operations of our two flagship centres
of excellence for biomedical research,” the Vice-
Chancellor adds.
SHOWCASING AFRICAN INNOVATION 11AFRICA INNOVATES
S T E P H E N WA M U KOT A ( Ke n y a )
BOY WONDER
J AWA M FO O T - O P E R AT E D H A N DWA S H I N G M A C H I N E
Semi-automatic invention, created by child prodigy – 9-year-old
schoolboy Stephen Wamukota in rural Western Kenya
Stephen named this product after his dad, James handwashing, the invention has attracted the attention
Wamukota. According to James, the idea of devising the of residents who come to their homestead to wash their
foot-operated handwashing machine came from the hands. Resource constraints mean that Stephen cannot
realization that users could still get infected while opening scale his $30 innovation. “Most people want the boy to
and closing taps after washing their hands. Stephen’s make more machines for them, but he has no financial
idea of the design was inspired by a TV series on National resources to buy timber for additional structures,” says
Geographic TV series called Megafactories which features James. Additionally, making the handwashing machine
on Zuku. The series highlights the assembly of various from timber presents a durability challenge. “With the
products and iconic designs. James also feels that the right support, financially or in the form of raw materials,
recently launched Competency Based Curriculum in lower we can make more metallic structures and distribute them
Primary Schools played a part in the invention. “I think to health centres and public places like markets.” This will
it also contributed because they (teachers) normally ensure that the handwashing machines last longer.
teach how to build structures through carpentry and give Stephen would like to be a priest in future. According
children an opportunity to build it for themselves.” James, to his dad, “he wants to pray for people during future
who deals in electronic repairs offered his support to see pandemics so that they do not perish as much as they
Stephen’s idea come to fruition. Clearly, an apple does have during COVID-19.” His father respects his wishes: “I
not fall far from the tree! cannot force him to be an engineer if he is not willing to
Noting that the majority of the residents in his village be an engineer,” he says, but nonetheless hopes that his
are poor and cannot afford to buy the 10-litre jerricans for son finishes schools and accomplishes his dreams.
F R O M A N E A R LY A G E
At the tender age of 5, Stephen could dismantle and
assemble parts of electronic appliances. “I could come
home from work and ask who was responsible and they
all looked at Stephen,” recalls James. “ Looking back, I
realize Stephen’s ingenuity began earlier because he has
been doing many unique things for a boy of his age.”
James revealed that this inventiveness is not only limited
to their home but also in school. “Sometimes he can make
a table or a chair at home then take them to school for
the teachers to comment,” he says.
Resource constraints mean that Stephen cannot scale his $30 innovation.
“Most people want the boy to make more machines for them, but he
has no financial resources to buy timber for additional structures.”
12 SHOWCASING AFRICAN INNOVATIONOne whose seeds have
not sprouted does not
give up planting.
Kenyan Proverb
SHOWCASING AFRICAN INNOVATION 13AFRICA INNOVATES
DA N I E L N D I M A ( S o u t h A f r i c a )
TRAILBLAZING
TEST KIT
WITH UNIQUE BIOLOGICS
& REAGENTS
R A P I D C OV I D - 1 9 T E S T I N G K I T
CapeBio is a multi-award winning tech start-up, more so in the
field of in applied genomics. Founded by its CEO Daniel Ndima,
it is a spin-off of the premier science research agency, the Centre
for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). CapeBio’s QPCR testing kit, which provides results in 65
minutes, is proving vital in South Africa - one of the countries worst hit by COVID-19 in Africa.
W H AT I N S P I R E D YO U TO We knew that our country relies heavily on imported
C R E AT E YO U R P R O D U C T ? diagnostic kits and other technologies used in the Life
What inspires us as a company has always been the Sciences field. We positioned our company to respond
fascinating world of science and our interests are mostly to the need for local products – especially during a crisis
about understanding how microorganisms can be used to like COVID-19. Before the pandemic, we were selling our
produce certain proteins as well as enhancing biological products in both South Africa and the United States of
processes. Moreover, how these molecules and biological America – as reagents for research and development.
processes can be used for pharmaceuticals, diagnostics Before the rapid spread of the virus, we decided to use
and food technologies development. some of our existing technologies, proprietary formula-
Key indigenous resources are hallmarks of our innova- tions and processes to develop a COVID-19 test kit that
tion and may enable us to develop diagnostic tools to can be distributed across the continent. CapeBio has now
respond to diseases outbreaks in future, both in Africa developed a rapid COVID-19 PCR testing kit with unique
and globally. biologics and reagents developed in South Africa.
14 SHOWCASING AFRICAN INNOVATIONW H AT H A S B E E N T H E I M PA C T instrumental in helping us to deploy our technology to
O F YO U R P R O D U C T ? the market.
South Africa is currently a net importer of these reagents,
enzymes and kits used for DNA analysis. With the global W H AT H E L P W O U L D YO U N E E D
lockdown regulations in place, access to the reagents has TO S C A L E U P A N D I M P R OV E
become limited, impeding our efforts to diagnose and YO U R P R O D U C T ?
control the spread of the virus. The high costs of these The most important aspect of our technology is it can be
imported products, together with the increasing Rand deployed even beyond the pandemic as a tool for general
to Dollar exchange rate, are placing constraints on our diagnostics. We need channels to share our technologies
limited resources to conduct nationwide testing. with other African laboratories, research institutions and
With our invention, our country will now spend less organizations doing molecular research and testing. The
on our test kits and more importantly have them readily need to scale up will be influenced by our ability to reach
available in order to manage the spread of the virus. as many users as possible on the continent.
H O W D I D YO U S TA RT YO U R T E L L U S A B O U T YO U R S E L F A N D
JOURNEY? YO U R B A C KG R O U N D .
I wanted to study medicine but diverted to study biotech- I have a Masters degree in structural biology – trained in
nology as I got interested in biotech due to many oppor- protein engineering and crystallography by the University
tunities in the industry. From my background research of Pretoria, bioprocess engineering and bio-manufactur-
the USA, Europe and Asia were the leading technology ing by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research
developers and I did not understand why, Africa with such (CSIR). I have multiple awards and scholarships for excel-
a diverse population and professionals across the world, lence in academics, social responsibility, student leader-
did not have any form of popularity in the global biotech ship, and entrepreneurial initiatives. I am a fellow of Allan
space. This realisation helped me understand that Africa Gray Orbis Foundation, which provides education beyond
needed to find its own solutions to its challenges and that a degree, offering entrepreneurial training to ensure that
biotech could play a pivotal role in this regard. Fellows create value through responsible entrepreneur-
My biotech courses enabled me to know how to engi- ship, view entrepreneurship as a viable career path and
neer, rationalize and develop novel biologics at commer- strengthen their ability to take an idea and develop it into
cial scale for different biotech applications. a viable opportunity.
After doing my Masters degree in structural biology I am the CEO of CapeBio Technologies, a South African
at the University of Pretoria, South Africa – specializing company that develops Life Science tools and molecular
in protein crystallography – I became part of a CSIR biology reagents, enzymes and kits to empower African
research team that conceptualized CapeBio’s spin-out. I Scientists, Research and Development (R&D) institutions
worked as a technologist and business developer for the and companies to innovate in the academic and health-
initiative. Today I am CapeBio’s founding CEO. care industries.
We have successfully commercialized a scientific
research project, launched a biotech company that won W H AT A R E YO U R H O P E S FO R
both local and international awards with well-established T H E F U T U R E O F YO U R I N N OVA -
international partners and a growing footprint. T I O N A N D YO U R B U S I N E S S ?
As a company, we have created a platform for making di-
W H AT A R E T H E C H A L L E N G E S agnostic kits. We would like to position our company as a
TO P R O D U C I N G A N D biotech center of excellence in Africa – responding direct-
D E P LOY I N G YO U R P R O D U C T ? ly to African diseases outbreaks and using our proprietary
We are not a well-established brand but we compete platform to invent and manufacture other technologies.
with multinationals. The government of South Africa Our mission is “to deliver excellence in innovation so that
and some of the local private organizations have been others can have quality of life”.
The most important aspect of
our technology is that it can be
deployed even beyond the
pandemic as it is a central tool
for general diagnostics.
SHOWCASING AFRICAN INNOVATION 15AFRICA INNOVATES
T E M I E G I WA -T U B O S U N ( N i g e r i a )
EVERY BREATH
COUNTS
A I R B A N K BY L I F E B A N K
AirBank is an on-demand emergency medical
oxygen delivery product that is the quickest,
most convenient, and cost-effective way to
order medical oxygen in cylinders.
The force behind this essential service is Temie Giwa-Tu-
bosun, a resourceful entrepreneur who through her
company LifeBank, which she founded in 2016, is one
of the few African women innovators redefining the
continent’s health sector.
Today, LifeBank is renowned for its life-saving tech-
led medical product distribution services in Nigeria, with
potential to expand beyond the country’s borders. the new service
“Medical oxygen therapy became the most common- “We have distributed medical oxygen to 6 isolation
ly utilized therapy in the management of the COV- centers treating COVID-19 patients in 3 regions in
ID-19 virus. Provision of emergency medical oxygen Nigeria: Lagos, Kano and Oyo States, providing [hith-
in optimum conditions is critical to save lives and erto] 154 units of 6(cm3) of medical oxygen, saving
prevent irreversible damage to the health of COVID-19 more than 400 lives.
patients,” Temie says, explaining what inspired her to
come up with AirBank. NEW NORMAL
As the world braces itself to face the new normal of
C R I T I C A L TO S AV E L I V E S a post COVID-19 healthcare system, LifeBank is now
As an on-demand emergency medical oxygen delivery scaling up and expanding AirBank - as a last mile
product, AirBank was quickly developed to mitigate and medical oxygen distributor in Nigeria, and has already
help meet the increased demand during the pandemic. expanded its services beyond isolation centers,
It has since become one of the quickest, most conven- launching in 3 new states of Nasarawa, Kano and
ient, and cost-effective ways to order medical oxygen in Bayelsa.
cylinders in the country, in response to the COVID-19. “Oxygen is critical in providing needed patient care
“AirBank has provided more than 100 units of 6(cm3) to many patients, beyond those suffering from COV-
of medical oxygen to isolation centers treating COV- ID-19 infection,” Temie says. “ AirBank is positioned to
ID-19 patients,” says Temie who is leading a team of provide a solution and we plan to continue expansion
experts including an operations manager, medical dis- to reach other parts of Sub-Saharan Africa,” she
patch riders, and truck drivers, to help effectively deliver concludes.
16 SHOWCASING AFRICAN INNOVATIONThe elephant does
not limp when
walking on thorns.
African Proverb
We have distributed medical oxygen to
6 isolation centers treating COVID-19
patients in 3 regions in Nigeria. We
provided 154 units of 6(cm3) of
medical oxygen to isolation centers in
Lagos, Kano and Oyo States, saving
more than 400 lives.
SHOWCASING AFRICAN INNOVATION 17AFRICA INNOVATES
B R I A N N D E G WA WA M B U I ( Ke n y a )
DEBUNKING COV
DATA A N A LY T I C S A N D C H AT B O T
Brian Ndegwa Wambui is a 21-year-old second year, Information Technology
student at Dedan Kimathi University, who has invented Rona a COVID-19 spe-
cific data analytics chatbot.
H O W D I D YO U S TA RT YO U R tool that could aid in curbing the spread of COVID-19 as
JOURNEY? a personal contribution. The timing was also perfect; as
I started my journey in programming in High School where Victor Hugo once said, “Nothing is more powerful than an
I got very fascinated by Visual BASIC which was covered in idea whose time has come.”
the textbooks. In addition, I experimented a lot with com- Misinformation: A lot of misinformation was going
puters and I was often called to around regarding COVID-19 which was causing a lot of
repair the school’s computers, anxiety and panic among people. This was also reflected
a task I really enjoyed. among my friends and I started thinking of what could be
done to solve this. I examined the existing solutions: the
W H AT I N - WHO Bot and the 719 Helpline and I realized they were
S P I R E D YO U not really user friendly. In addition, I felt they were too
TO C R E AT E blunt! Consequently, I decided to build Rona. The idea of
RONA? the chat interface originated from the fact that most peo-
I saw a need to develop a ple love chatting and I imagined it would be a great idea
technology and data ana- if they could craft their questions the same way the mis-
information was being spread, that is, using their own
formulated words,
not selecting their
question from a
list of options.
Expensive
Testing: The costs
of running a – test
are very high and
made worse by scarce
testing reagents and
lytics PPEs. In most instanc-
es, several tests have
to be done on a single
sample, to confirm the
accuracy. This cost is the
same regardless of whether
the test turns out positive
or negative. I saw it necessary
18 SHOWCASING AFRICAN INNOVATIONOnly someone
else can scratch
your back.
VID-19 MYTHS
Kenyan Proverb
to integrate a feature that would allow identification of instance, we are looking to partner with hospitals where
potential candidates for testing, therefore, reducing the they can use the tool to offer medical services. We are
cost of testing by testing the persons who are marked as already working on a care calendar function that is ideal
highly probable. to coordinate humanitarian assistance by individuals and
organizations. The care calendar function allows users to
W H AT H A S B E E N call out for or offer assistance on essentials such as food
R O N A ’ S I M PA C T ? or medical help for vulnerable groups, friends, family or
Since we launched the first version of Rona on March neighbors to enable them stay home.
30th, our Analytics platform, which receives an average
of 500+ new user visits per day helps people get real time T E L L U S A B O U T YO U R S E L F A N D
trends and patterns of COVID-19 spread in Kenya and YO U R B A C KG R O U N D .
granular real time trends per county. I am a second Year Bachelor of Science Information
technology student at Dedan Kimathi University of Tech-
W H AT A R E T H E C H A L L E N G E S O F nology where I also serve as the IBM Student Ambassa-
PRODUCING RONA? dor and President of the IBM Innovation Club Dekut. I
The biggest challenge has been server costs since the currently hold an Artificial Intelligence Analyst Mastery
application is hosted on the cloud. With increased usage, the Award by IBM. I am proficient in NASM Assembly Lan-
server charges continue to increase, and we have to manage guage, C, Python and a firm believer in Self Discipline, and
deploying new features in anticipation of more traffic. First Principles Thinking.
I started my love for computers when I was 5 years
W H AT H E L P W O U L D YO U N E E D old often crashing my dad’s computer and observing the
TO S C A L E U P A N D I M P R OV E computer repair guy as he fixed it. I then started breaking
YO U R O F F E R I N G ? it down intentionally just so that I could fix it myself.
Right now, our biggest focus is partnerships with Since then, it has been an amazing journey that I do not
organizations that may take relevant actions based on regret at all. My parents have been very supportive in
the insights we give after granular risk assessment. For this journey and I appreciate their efforts in availing the
resources that have greatly aided in helping me get to
where I am today.
A lot of misinformation was going
W H AT A R E YO U R H O P E S FO R
around regarding COVID-19 which T H E F U T U R E O F YO U R
I N N OVAT I O N A N D
was causing a lot of anxiety and YO U R B U S I N E S S ?
panic among people. This was also I foresee Rona as a social enterprise that provides granular
risk assessment and real-time trend analysis for various
reflected among my friends and I diseases across the country. Rona’s AI bot could also be
used to create awareness and provide education on various
started thinking of what could be diseases. The data visualization and AI driven analytics can
done to solve this. also be applied across various industries including Medicare
and Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG).
SHOWCASING AFRICAN INNOVATION 19AFRICA INNOVATES
Nigeria
DRIVEN & ABLE
1
THE CIVIC X
This is an initiative of the Civic Foundation for Innovation, which is supported
by tech giants, including Google Oracle. The program provides digital skills and
financial literacy training to children and women in under-served communities such
as Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps and areas affected by insurgencies in
North-East Nigeria.
In light of the current COVID-19 pandemic lockdown and closures of schools,
there has been a drastic rise in out-of-school children and in a bid to ensure unfet-
tered access to the classroom the CivicX Northern Code Project was birthed. This
involves digitizing STEM education content, in the predominant local languages
and broadcasting the content via free-to-air national and local TV stations current-
ly across five northern states – Kano, Adamawa, Borno, Nasarawa, and Kaduna.
“So far, the results have been amazing with thousands of participants,” says
Mosope Olaosebikan, Civic Innovation Lab.
6
RESPIRE-19 – THE
PORTABLE RESPIRATOR
20-year-old Usman Dalhatu, a mechanical engineering student at the
Ahmadu Bello University in Nigeria, with his partners Dr Yunusa Muhammad
Garba of the Human Anatomy department at Gombe University and Aliyu
Hassan a mechatronics engineer, have invented a portable E-vent automatic
ventilator as their effort in the country’s fight against COVID-19.
5
PLAX
Plax is an end-to-end technology platform that enables the delivery
of value to target beneficiaries. It’s objective is to aggregate and cas-
cade valuable offerings to user beneficiaries, while ensuring transpar-
ency and accountability. The current users of the platform include the
government, agencies, banks and NGOs.
During this pandemic, PlaX has facilitated the delivery of funds to
photo: Shutterstock.com
thousands of beneficiaries of COVID-19 supported programs, and also
palliatives to households.
The platform serves as a bridge creating easy access to the targeted
beneficiaries. To date, support has gone to more 4million beneficiaries.
20 SHOWCASING AFRICAN INNOVATION2 THE COVID-19
TRIAGE APP
“A majority of Africa’s problems require mostly African solutions, or
solutions designed with Africans in mind,” Wale Adeosun, who leads
Wellvis Health, a health tech start-up is on record as saying.. Wale and
his team have developed The COVID-19 Triage Tool which is a free on-
line tool that helps users to self-assess their Coronavirus risks catego-
ries based on symptoms and their exposure history. By assessing the
users’ answers, medical advice is offered remotely or users are directed
to health centers nearest to their various locations.
3
THE GIVO
FACE SHIELD
Locally made 100% reusable,
recyclable, and eco-friendly. The
developers have partnered with NGOs
to distribute GIVOs to the most
vulnerable and at-risk groups
If you are building across Nigeria – at no charge.
a house and a nail
breaks, do you stop
building, or do you
change the nail?
African Proverb
4 COVID-19 ONLINE TRAINING
In August, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) started offering Infection, Prevention and
Control for COVID-19 free online courses to healthcare workers. Modules includ: Standard precau-
tions; Use of PPE; and Environmental cleaning.
SHOWCASING AFRICAN INNOVATION 21AFRICA INNOVATES
M A H M O U D E L- KO M Y ( E g y p t )
THE PHARAOH’S
PRIDE
Photo: Alamy.com
22 SHOWCASING AFRICAN INNOVATIONOne foot isn’t
enough to walk with
Egyptian Proverb
C I R A - 0 2 : T H E C OV I D - 1 9 D I A G N O S T I C R O B O T
At the Roboto Academy in Tanta City, Northern Egypt, 26-year-old Mahmoud el-Komy,
a mechatronic engineer, tested a robot he had designed and invented to diagnose
infection and post-infection medical care related to COVID-19. To the amazement of
all in the academy, the robot worked with incredible precision.
Anyone facing Mahmoud’s robot, named Cira-02, will have their According to Mahmoud Cira-02 is suitable for use
scanned results displayed openly on the monitor, which forms in public places such as airports, banks, railway stations and
its chest. Cira-02 stands on four wheels, which also enhances shopping malls. Roboto Academy is structurally designed at
its portability. Passing or standing in front of the robot elicits teaching children using robots and among volunteers who
an automatic COVID-19 temperature scan. Cira-02 has sensors worked with Mahmoud were several teenagers.
and a place to rest one’s chin for the COVID-19 PCR test. Should Mahmoud’s design is the pride of Egypt as the Egyptian
Cira-02 diagnose one as infected it raises an alarm to the health Ministry of Communications and Information Technology
authorities. The robot’s right shoulder is configured to act as a (MCIT) has already offered to fully support Mahmoud’s Cira-
barrier to block entry for those diagnosed as infected. 03 version and is giving him all the support he needs to
Cira-02 is Mahmoud’s improved version of Cira-01 with upgrad- develop robots and gadgets capable of detecting other
ed sensors and rapid fever tests together with oral functionalities. emerging diseases.
SHOWCASING AFRICAN INNOVATION 23AFRICA INNOVATES
EBTSAM HUSSIEN SALEH & TESFALEM BELAY YOHANNES
ADAPTABLE APP
WITH DISABLED
PEOPLE IN MIND
T E S - I T : C OV I D - 1 9 AWA R E N E S S A P P
With modest resources, computer engineer and tech enthusiast Ebtsam
Hussien Saleh, 26, and her colleague 38-year-old Tesfalem Belay Yohannes,
are using their skills to respond to COVID-19 in a very unique way.
For Ebtsam, her hobby and passion about tech and cyber Ebtsam and Tesfalem.
space, while studying at university, evolved and soon “When the disease first emerged our first thoughts
became full-time work. And it wasn’t long before she joined were on how to contribute our knowledge to meet the few
forces with her colleague, Tesfalem, who studied physics drawbacks we have in our society. Creating awareness
and web development. The pair co-founded their start- about the prevention methods was a challenge. That’s
up TES IT Service, in Asmara. When COVID-19 hit, they when we came up with an idea to develop the COVID-19
combined their skills to develop a user-friendly COVID-19 awareness mobile application,” they state, adding:
mobile app that overcomes constrained internet access by “Technology, especially smart phones, impacts every-
using SMS and offline mapping, to facilitate information one’s lives. And providing accurate information through
awareness about the deadly virus. a mobile phone allows everyone to know. This realisation
inspired us to develop this product.”
ANDROID-BASED
The Android-based COVID-19 awareness app, which has LO O K I N G TO T H E F U T U R E
futuristic potential in most of its functionalities, provides “In the future versions of the application we have
information on the pandemic, including on prevention, plans, to include tracing of people who have been in con-
symptoms, self-care and contact tracing. tact with an infected person. We also plan to upgrade our
Also unique to this app is that it is multilingual, and the app for different kinds of diseases mainly affecting our
pair have also even incorporated sign language. It is also society, working with the health sector of our country.”
easily adaptable, and accommodates visual, audio and Ebtsam and Tesfalem’s deployment of digital platforms
video formats. “Our COVID-19 mobile app has a great im- that are easily accessible to the population for communi-
pact on our society given that it’s a multi-language app ty outreach to increase public knowledge on the pan-
and the target group of the app are every citizen from demic, strengthen preventive measures to save lives and
young to old and people with disabilities (the blind and maintain the population’s physical and mental health
the deaf). Since information and prevention measures is now among the critical tools in Eritrea’s frontline fight
should be everyone’s responsibility, we tried to make our against COVID-19.
app as entertaining and educational as possible,” says The application complements the existing communica-
24 SHOWCASING AFRICAN INNOVATION(Eritrea) Our COVID-19 mobile app is
having a great impact on our
society as it is multilingual tar-
geting everyone including those
with disabilities like the blind
and the deaf.
APP
F U NCT I O NA LI T Y
• COVID-19 Prevention
• COVID-19 Symptoms
tion efforts by the Ministry • Info about COVID-19
of Health by ensuring that
• Self-care information
all information gaps are not
only addressed but also that • Exact locating of people who
accurate and timely infor- have COVID-19 disease by
mation of the pandemic is
connecting with the ambulance
made available to the wider
population. service. It works using SMS, an
“Our COVID-19 mobile offline map and routine guide
app is having a great im- • Frequently asked question about
pact on our society as it is multilingual targeting everyone
including those with disabilities like the blind and the
the virus and disease
deaf.” Ebtsam says. “Since information and prevention • Multi language (English, Arabic,
measures should be everyone’s responsibility, we made Tigrigna)
our app educative and included infotainment to cater for
• Info using sign language for
a wider possible demographic.”
Their efforts to do more are however limited by lack of disabled
funds. • Content in text, image, audio and
“In order to reach our goals and improve our current
video format
application we need financial help and equipment
support. Our passion and hard work have always been for • Notifying users with relevant
the betterment of our society and the global community information
as a whole by building robust applications that improve
people’s lives,” Tesfalem says. “In the future we want to
concentrate on health issues and how it affects our socie-
ty, we will work more on mobile and health solutions.”
SHOWCASING AFRICAN INNOVATION 25AFRICA INNOVATES
E N O V A R O B OT I C S ( Tu n i s i a )
THE COVID-19
ROBOCOP
26 SHOWCASING AFRICAN INNOVATIONFear no forest
because it is dense.
African Proverb
P G UA R D – T H E R O B O T
To help enforce lockdown restrictions
during the pandemic and slow the
spread of the Coronavirus, the Tunisian
Interior Ministry, sought the support
of local company ENOVA Robotics –
producers of PGuard the robot.
In 2014 Anis Sahbani founded Enova Robotics in the
eastern coastal Tunisian town of Hamman Sousse. A
year later he produced PGuard – a robot-police officer
‘Robocop’ to carry out security patrols. Little did he
know that 6 years later his invention would deliver
smart policing services to help curb the spread of the
Coronavirus pandemic.
PGuard is remotely operated and is equipped with
thermal and infrared imaging cameras together with
a sound and light alarm system. The robot was widely
used in use in the Tunisian capital, to help effect
a COVID-19 curfew. “What are you doing? Show
me your ID. You don’t know there’s a lockdown?”
– PGuard would automatically call out lockdown
violators on the streets.
The success of PGuard has seen more orders for the
‘Robocop’ by both local and international buyers. En-
ova Robotics now plans to launch another robot in a
Photo: Alamy.com
Tunis hospital to help COVID-19 patients to commu-
nicate with their families.
SHOWCASING AFRICAN INNOVATION 27AFRICA INNOVATES
EDMUND MAPUTI (Zimbabwe)
LOCAL. SCALA
A F FO R DA B L E V E N T I L ATO R
Edmund Maputi is a practical engineer who believes in
local solutions for local problems and using what one
has sustainably. A member of the Zimbabwe Institute
of Engineers (ZIE) and Engineering Council of Zimba-
bwe (ECZ), Edmund says his main areas of interest are
“reverse engineering and appropriate technology.”
When COVID-19 hit, Edmund he put his engineering de- created. His prototype’s success attracted the attention
sign skills to work – creating a locally produced ventilator and product development support from the Harare Insti-
that is cheaper to produce, distribute and maintain. tute of Technology (HIT). This partnership considerably
Soon after it became clear that COVID-19 might improved Edmund’s ventilator.
overwhelm Zimbabwe’s health services, Edmund decided The improved ventilator model passed animal tests
to create a ventilator using affordable and locally sourced at the University of Zimbabwe Veterinary Department.
parts. “There is a shortage of ventilators in Zimbabwe, Currently, procurement of medical grade parts for the
and the current ventilators on the market are too expen- ventilator are in progress, so that it can also be connected
sive for most Zimbabwean medical institutions,” Edmund to anaesthesia systems for human trials.
says, adding: “If no action is taken the health system will
be overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients who require I N N OVAT I O N H U B S TA RT - U P
assistance to breathe.” Edmund is a PhD scholar at India’s Amity University. He
is also a lecturer and program coordinator in machine
PA RT N E R S H I P design and evolutionary techniques at HIT. He also runs a
His first prototype was produced in March 2020, and was start-up innovation hub at HIT.
based on an open source design using a robotically com- Edmund hopes that once fully functional the affordable
pressed bag valve mask, which had satisfactory results. ventilator will be available beyond the COVID-19 pan-
photo: Shutterstock.com
With the assistance of the Ministry of Health officials in demic, and be made readily available and accessible in
Zimbabwe, Edmund consulted with experts and clini- both urban and rural areas, both in Zimbabwe and across
cians on the best way to improve the ventilators he had the Southern African region.
28 SHOWCASING AFRICAN INNOVATIONABLE. SUSTAINABLE.
You have little power
over what’s not yours.
Zimbabwean Proverb
SHOWCASING AFRICAN INNOVATION 29AFRICA INNOVATES
ARTHUR ZANG (Cameroon)
OXYGEN FOR THE
MANY NOT A FEW
O X Y N E T , O X YG E N P R O D U C T I O N M A C H I N E
At 32 years of age Arthur Zang, a Arthur is a graduate of Cameroon’s National Advanced
School of Engineering in Yaoundé. In 2009, and as a
Cameroonian bio-medical engineer young student, he discovered that Cameroon had only 40
has invented Oxynnet (Oxygen Nation- cardiologists for 19 million inhabitants. He also realized
that 90% of these specialists were living and working
al Network) a medical oxygen-produc- in cities while 70% of the population are domiciled in
villages.
ing machine, which is vital for patient
care against COVID-19. R O L E X AWA R D - W I N N E R
This motivated Arthur to create the Cardio-Pad, which is
This is a major medical step, given that medical oxygen a medical device that performs heart examinations and
is only available in major hospitals and accessible to the remote diagnosis. This invention won the Rolex Awards
few who can afford it. An hour of access to a ventilator for Enterprise in 2014 and the Africa Prize for Engineering
costs 10,000FCA in Cameroon, which is beyond the reach Innovation in 2016. In 2012 Arthur founded Himore
of many. Medical which is the first medical devices manufacturing
According to Arthur, the easy-to-install “Oxynnet”, company in Cameroon. Today it has 17 employees.
which is a set of interconnected medical oxygen genera- It is the success of the Cardio-Pad that stirred Arthur to
tors, will allow each hospital to produce its own oxygen. action when COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic.
Each Oxynnet station is connected to electricity and A prototype of Oxynnet has been, designed and tested
produces 93% pure oxygen from the natural air. indicating initial positive results. Cameroon’s medical
The station has a battery plus a solar panel and is authorities ready for rollout now recommend it.
3G-enabled granting the users and operators the ability Arthur hopes that the uptake of Oxynnet will be as
to monitor it effectively, even remotely by using mobile successful as his other invention the Cardio-Pad which
phones. is used in more than 120 hospitals in all of Cameroon’s
“We wanted to suppress the spread of the virus by 10 regions. “We plan to have the same impact with the
allowing each patient to be treated in their localities, save Oxygen station,” he says.
on transport costs and reduce the myriad risks of infection Financial and logistics challenges are among the barri-
to others,” says Arthur. “This idea was inspired from the ers that Arthur has to overcome. “To produce each Oxynet
Cardio-Pad system which is an electrocardiogram device station, we use 75% of local material and 25% of mate-
enabled through telemedicine allowing heart patients to rial that we import from Asia. The biggest challenge for
be treated remotely.” Arthur says. us will be to get the materials we need and to deliver the
product to rural hospitals,” Arthur says. “We need financial
E A S Y - TO - A S S E M B L E assistance to deliver the essential product. My hope is
Oxynnet is a big boost in the COVID-19 fight as it is af- to launch this factory in 2020 and produce 400 Oxynet
fordable, easy-to-assemble and adaptable for both cities stations per year and many other life-saving medical
and remote regions. appliances like ultrasound, ECG and EMG devices.”
30 SHOWCASING AFRICAN INNOVATIONThis idea was inspired from
the Cardio-Pad system which
is an electrocardiogram device
enabled through telemedicine
allowing heart patients to be
treated remotely.
There are no shortcuts to
the top of the palm tree.
Cameroonian Proverb
SHOWCASING AFRICAN INNOVATION 31AFRICA INNOVATES
R O N K A WA M A R A ( U g a n d a )
SUSTAINING
SUPPLY CHAINS
You cannot climb to
the mountain top
without crushing some
weeds with your feet
Ugandan Proverb
32 SHOWCASING AFRICAN INNOVATIONJ U M I A - E - C O M M E RC E P L AT FO R M
Ron Kawamara is the CEO of Jumia Uganda.
During the COVID-19, pandemic, he has
expanded the e-commerce platform’s reach,
to cater for some of the most vulnerable
communities, particularly market vendors –
who are largely women and youth. By doing
so, the company is also helping to sustain
the much needed supply chains.
W H AT I N S P I R E D W H AT A R E T H E
YO U TO C R E AT E CHALLENGES OF
YO U R S E RV I C E ? PRODUCING OR
COVID-19 has had devastating D E P LOY I N G YO U R
effects on the private sector and S E RV I C E ?
most especially on the informal Technology is the great equalizer
sector. Vendors could no longer have when it comes to e-commerce.
access to consumers and vice versa Internet is still expensive for many of
during the stay-at-home measures. our customers and as a result, we lose
We therefore partnered with UNDP, on those sales. And in the past we
to adapt the already existing Jumia have had challenges with connecting
Food platform and infrastructure to to informal vendors. Trust was also
enable small and medium enterprises another barrier with our service but
to connect with consumers to sustain now we see that as a result of this
livelihoods during the period. pandemic, e-commerce is trusted.
Our focus was on W H AT H A S B E E N W H AT H E L P W O U L D
connecting market vendors T H E I M PA C T O F YO U N E E D TO S C A L E
YO U R S E RV I C E ? U P A N D I M P R OV E
to potential customers with Our focus was on connecting market YO U R S E RV I C E ?
vendors to potential customers with We need government support with
priority on women,
priority on women, people with disa- regulation to protect the buyer and
people with disabilities bilities and the youth. This also pro- the seller. Laws regarding data pro-
vided employment to people – direct- tection for the consumer are coming
and the youth. ly and indirectly – from the technical and we hope government will ensure
business operations of managing that whoever goes to the internet
the platform, chain of logistics like plays by the rules.
transport, assembling products, pack- We wish to also include Business
aging and marketing. We have also 2 Business (B2B) distributions, and
had our business partners like hotels, also support the entire value chain by
sellers and restaurants adopting this linking farmers to markets.
photo: Shutterstock.com
alternative line of revenue.
SHOWCASING AFRICAN INNOVATION 33AFRICA INNOVATES
M O I S É S F R E I R E ( C a p e Ve r d e )
E T H I C A L E - C O M M E RC E A P P
Created by young Cape Verdean
innovator, Moisés Freire, Gilera
Cheio is an online sales and home
delivery app for products and servic-
es, aimed mostly at helping older
women during the pandemic.
Since its creation in 1924, the Mercado do Plateau munic-
ipal market, located in the historic center of the Praia, has
played an essential role in the lives of women who earn
their living by trading goods in the market. Many come
from the interior of the island and have been selling their
products this way for years.
When the COVID-19 outbreak hit the Mercado do
Plateau, market women, more so those in their fifties or
over, were rightly asked to stay home. But at the same
time access to the market for them, buyers and sellers was
also restricted, affecting the livelihood of the women and
their families.
S I M P L E - TO - U S E A P P
To address this socio-economic difficulty Moisés Freire, a
young Cape Verdean innovator, created Gilera Cheio – an
online sales and home delivery app for products and servic-
es. Gilera Cheio has proven to be a multi-pronged initiative,
not only helping to prevent the spread of COVID-19, but it
ameliorates the effects of the pandemic on market women
who would otherwise have been severely affected.
“This solution came at the right time.” is how Praia May-
or Oscar Santos, describes Freire’s Gilera Cheio innovation.
GILERA
The simple-to-use app, which is available on any smart-
phone – Android and IOS,– has enabled the public to still
purchase from the market women remotely, and have
products delivered directly to their homes. This has also
helped maintain an age-old tradition. Also laudable is Gilera
Cheio’s emphasis on using environmentally friendly e-bikes
FOR THE
for distribution and delivery.
34 SHOWCASING AFRICAN INNOVATIONYou must attend to
your business with
the vendor in the
market, and not to the
noise of the market.
African Proverb
photo: Shutterstock.com
CHEIO
MARKET WOMEN
SHOWCASING AFRICAN INNOVATION 35AFRICA INNOVATES
Prepare now for the
solutions of tomorrow.
Congolese Proverb
DA V I D N Z A S S I M B O M P E L A
(Republic of the Congo)
IF YOU CAN DREAM
IT, YOU CAN DO IT.
E L I K I A : D I S I N F E C TA N T C H A M B E R
27-year-old David Nzassi Mbompela believes in the adage “if you can dream
it, you can do it.” David got concerned when he saw the laissez-faire attitude
demonstrated by his country-folk in spite of the threats posed by COVID-19.
Inadequate sanitary habits forced COVID-19 prevention tool. it is an
him to think fast and this inspired all-encompassing shed for use in
him to dream up an all-encompass- public places that incorporates an
ing solution. “I saw people leaving infrared thermometer for taking
their homes and entering public temperatures, a hot purifier to
places without temperature checks, sanitise clothes with an automatic
or sanitation,” David says. “It is this tap for washing hands, a GSM phone
concern that inspired me to make to call the COVID-19 call center,
a ‘small house’ where people enter ventilators, protection switches, and
for a rapid temperature check and a thermostat all incorporated in one.
sanitization.” This is how Smart-Portic The Smart-Portic is widely accepted
was born. in Brazzaville.
In 2018, David was among the
ESSENTIAL 25 top persons who made the tech
C OV I D - 1 9 space in Congo Brazzaville and
P R E V E N T I O N TO O L . was featured in the newspaper
The Smart-Portic is an essential Jeune Afrique.
I saw people leaving their homes and entering public
places without temperature checks, or sanitation.
photo: Shutterstock.com
36 SHOWCASING AFRICAN INNOVATIONDA N I E L M G A W I ( N a m i b i a )
DANIEL’S DEN
APP AIDING
HOMELESS PEOPLE
Daniel Mgawi, a Namibian multidiscipli-
nary Software Developer, has developed
a “Homeless People’s Mobile Application”
that is connecting homeless people to so-
cial services such as healthcare, shelter, so-
cial grants and food, during the COVID-19
enforced constraints.
Daniel’s novel invention seeks to shield homeless people from
the harsh effects of COVID-19 and he says that the beneficiar-
ies are registered through a community health or extension
worker. They are then given a card encoded with a QR code and
a lanyard for use in claiming benefits.
Daniel began his computer programming studies in 2017 at
the Namibian University of Science and Technology (NUST). It
was in his third year at campus that Daniel decided to apply his
technical skills to address society’s myriad challenges. In mid-
2019, Daniel travelled to Walvis Bay and with a team of nine
young people; they co-designed the app “Homeless”. Soon after
Daniel developed the design into a practical app.
U P H I L L TA S K I would say the main challenge
Convincing the public that his application works has been an has been convincing people that
uphill task. “I would say the main challenge has been convincing
people that this is a solution,” Daniel says. “It took me about a this is a solution. It took me about
year to figure out that this solution would need to be refined.
a year to figure out that this solu-
The Homeless app needs a collaborative effort amongst the
government, private sector and the community, for its potential tion would need to be refined. The
to be fully realized.”
Daniel hopes that his Homeless app will not only provide Homeless app needs a collaborative
solutions for Namibia but also for much of the continent with effort amongst the government,
affordable, decent shelter for all as a vital tool to fight COV-
ID-19. private sector and the community,
for its potential to be fully realized.
SHOWCASING AFRICAN INNOVATION 37You can also read
