Internet.org has presented six Innovation Challenge in Africa awards
to leading examples of ideas, apps, websites and/or online services
that provide real value in the categories of education and economic
empowerment.
"We are presenting two $150,000 USD Innovation Challenge award prizes:
one each to the leading app, website, service or idea that best meets
the needs of the designated population categories – Education and
Economic Empowerment, as well as four additional $50,000 USD Impact
awards within each category," said a statement from internet.org.
Below is a summary of the winners.
Education
Innovation Challenge Award Winner
Started in Ghana, Esoko makes it easier for businesses, governments,
NGOs and others to connect with farmers. Through its web and mobile
apps, Esoko enables two-way data flows that allow smallholder farmers
to access vital agricultural information and markets, and businesses
to gain better visibility into their supply chains. The name Esoko
comes from "e" representing electronic and "soko" meaning market in
Swahili. Esoko has since spread its services to eight additional
markets across Africa.
Impact Award Winner
mPedigree Goldkeys from Ghana is an anti-counterfeiting, tracking and
tracing solution that uses consumers' mobile phones as a verification
tool. In Uganda and Kenya, this service is being used to help farmers
determine whether they are buying original counterfeit seeds. They
have since spread their services to Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda and Egypt
for pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, agro-inputs like seeds and pesticides,
and electrical components.
Impact Award Winner
Nigeria's SaferMom provides pregnant and new mothers with simple tools
to help make informed health decisions via sms, voice services and its
mobile app. SaferMom uses a chain of community health partners and
mobile technology to track the health of pregnant moms and newborn
babies, immunization schedules for babies, nutrition and behavioral
routines based on their fetal development stages and antenatal care.
This service is available in the English, Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo and
Pidgin languages.
Economic Empowerment
Innovation Challenge Award Winner
Founded in South Africa, Hyperion Development is a social enterprise
that has built the first online course platform for computer science
education supported by the largest online community of software
developers in Africa. Hyperion Development allows anyone to take
online courses in coding with a personal computer or mobile phone;
even without a broadband connection, which fewer than 1% of Africans
have.
Impact Award Winner
Launched in Ghana, Mutti by mPharma is a drug affordability service
that enables patients to access high quality medicine at lower prices
with flexible payment terms through micro-payments. Mutti means
medicine in Bemba, a Zambian language. They also operate in Nigeria,
Zambia and Cote D'Ivoire, targeting three main chronic conditions:
hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Impact Award Winner
Nigeria's Tuteria connects people seeking to learn with people around
them who can teach. Tuteria provides an online platform which allows
users to find, evaluate, book and pay for lessons with competent local
tutors, coaches, instructors and mentors.
