The finalists of the Google Impact Challenge Kenya unveiled

By Wambui Waweru, KENYA, Nairobi, November 29 – Google has announced the 12 finalists of the first Google Impact Challenge in Kenya, which aimed to identify and fund the most innovative social enterprises using technology to improve society locally or locally. national.

Google is investing a total of Sh 200 million in grants to 12 non-profit organizations in Kenya. Lewa Wildlife Marathon was voted the winner of the public vote, while the African Prison Project, Startup Lions and Ujuzi Kilimo Solutions won the judges' vote. The four winners received 25 million shillings each.

The eight finalists, who each received 12.5 million shillings, are: AfriScout, Creatives Garage, GiveDirectly Kenya, Global Minimum InLab, M-Shule, NairoBits, Sauti and The Somo Project. Google will also provide support and training to 12 non-profit organizations to adapt them to their projects.

The challenge was launched in May 2018 in Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa. During the six-month election campaign, more than 5,000 applications were submitted by the three countries, including over 1,000 from Kenya.

"Google celebrates the non-profit organizations that participated in the Google Impact Challenge, especially for the way their work fuels social and economic change in their communities. This challenge is part of our ongoing commitment to investing and building relevant initiatives for the daily lives of Africans, "said Charles Murito, National Director of Google Kenya.

Her Excellency Rachel Ruto, godmother of the Google Impact Challenge, congratulated Kenyans for their creative contributions. "The Google Impact Challenge has brought together Kenyans who have good ideas and no way to implement and resize them. I am grateful to Google.org for creating this avenue for innovative Kenyans to express their ideas about social impact, "said Ruto.

The eminent judges included the ambbadador. Tegla Loroupe, Caroline Mutoko, Executive Director of Radio Africa Group, Charles Murito, National Director, Google Kenya, Manu Chandaria, Janet Mawiyoo, Community Empowerment, Development and Governance Expert, Salim Amin, Filmmaker and Philanthropist and Tabitha Karanja, Executive Director , Breweries Keroche.

Below you will find an overview of the 12 finalists:

• African Prison Project Improve access to justice and economic empowerment.
• AfriScout-A PCI Social Enterprise – Revolutionizing the way pastors make their migration decisions using the power of satellite and mobile technologies.
• Creatives Garage – Platform to solve the problems that hinder the creative industry in Kenya. Creatives Garage focuses on African content and wants African stories to be told in an African context
• GiveDirectly Kenya Give unconditional cash grants to hundreds of young people living in informal urban neighborhoods in Nairobi to support entrepreneurship.
• Global Minimum InLab Innovation Labs to empower vulnerable young Kenyans.
• Lewa Wildlife Conservancy – A digital literacy program that provides equitable access to quality education for children and youth in marginalized communities.
• M-Shule – A personalized learning platform that combines AI with SMS to transform primary education for students from all over Africa.
• NairoBits Trust Tech for Empowerment – Leverage technology to transform lives.
• Sauti East Africa – A mobile information platform enabling cross-border shopping women to work safely, legally and profitably across East Africa.
• Startup Lions – A home where rural youth in Africa can learn, earn a living and innovate.
• The Somo Project – Giving entrepreneurs the power to create change in their underserved communities.
• UjuziKilimo Solutions – Big data sensors and badysis for precision farming for smallholders.

The funding will be allocated in installments, to be allocated to each firm as they reach a set of predefined milestones specific to each project. In addition to funding, winners and finalists are also supported by Google to achieve their goals and achieve these milestones.

Last month, Google.org announced a partnership with One Acre Fund to provide training and products and services to smallholder farmers to digitize their agribusiness operations and tasks.