Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) organised 2017 ACIA exhibitions climaxed on Friday May 25th with the awarding of winners in the various categories.
The 21 competing teams have been camping at the Kampala Serena Hotel for two days to showcase their innovations.
Acia awards was started by UCC in 2010 to encourage individuals, academia, government agencies and other entities to harness ICTs in creating solutions to Uganda’s development challenges.
To get the nominees to compete at national level, regional contests were conducted by a team of 6 judges led by Dr. Dorothy Akello, director of innovations Resilient Africa Network (RAN).
To culminate the fair, the competitors were treated to a glamorous dinner that was hosted by renowned media personality Flavia Tumusiime.
Frank K. Tumwebaze, the Minister for ICT and National Guidance was the guest of honour.
Eng. Godfrey Mutabazi, the Executive Director of UCC, applauded the participants for the wonderful innovations they managed to develop.
“Seeing this house full of people doing such wonderful work gives us an impression that the country has a future since ICT is the engine of growth in any economy currently,” he said.
Pupils of Bushenyi Parental Care got school fees of one year
Citing an example of how social networking platforms have brought people together, he relayed that if “We can take advantages of those internet communities we form, people can exchange ideas of development.”
Mutabazi’s suggestions were backed by Minister Tumwebaze who said, ICT has the capacity to transform the country since it allows diverseness of engagement.
Tumwebaze gave an example of how “revolutions have been staged using social media and how various causes have been advocated for on social networking sites using hash-tag campaigns”.
Students of katikamu SDA receiving laptops
As part of the benefits of competing in the awards, Mutabazi told the audience that previous winners have gone on to get recognition at international level, with some receiving funding for their projects.
He concluded by calling for increased participation, but urged the innovators to pitch ideas that can readily get market from local audience and those that can relate to the development of the country.
Students of Mbarara high school were runners-up
(All photos by Badru Katumba)
Here is the list of winners
YOUNG ICT INNOVATORS AWARD
Runner-up: Kabalega Primary School (Reward: subscription to MixaKids for a year)
Winner: Bushenyi Parental Care (Reward: School fees for 5 children for a year)
YOUNG ICT RISING STARS INNOVATORS AWARD
Runner-up: Mbarara High School
Winner: Katikamu SDA (Reward: laptops to 5 participants)
YOUNG ICT VISIONARIES AWARD
Runner-up: iElector (Reward: USD 1250)
Winner: A Beehive Intrusion and Honey Monitoring System (Reward: USD 2500)
ICT FOR DEVELOPMENT AWARD
Runner-up: Automatic Accident Detection and Reporting (Reward: USD3750)
Winner: M-Voucher (Reward: USD7500)
DIGITAL CONTENT AWARD
Runner-up: My Child Information Portal (Reward: USD 3750)
Winner: Radio Basket (Reward: USD 7500)
JUDGES CHOICE AWARD
Mzee Ddiba
Kabalega Primary School
St. Peter’s College Tororo
BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARD
Intelword
SERVE EXCELLENCE AWARD
Snap Air-load
2017 ICT INNOVATIVE START-UP
Blood Finder