A mechanical engineering student from Makerere University Proscovia Adrabo Amviko, is one of the two winners of the Gold Award for their excellent invention at Efficiency for Access Design Challenge, a leading technology innovation competition.
This was together with a student, Siam Ibne Masud from Bangladesh University with whom they had a project of solar-powered automated anaerobic digestion system which produces cooking gas and a crop fertilizer from food waste.
They beat participants from other countries around the world including Bangladesh, Kenya, Nepal, Nigeria, Senegal, Sweden to scoop the Gold Award.
Speaking at the award ceremony, the Programme Manager Renewable Energy, IKEA Foundation – Jolanda van Ginkel cited the relevance of the competition to young people.
“The Efficiency for Access Design Challenge is an incredible opportunity for young people to make a positive impact on communities through clean energy innovation. The participants have put their creative and technical skills to great use by designing practical real-world solutions to improve the lives and livelihoods of people in underserved areas of the world.”
Other winning universities at the ceremony include Strathmore University (Kenya), Turkana University College (Kenya), Aston University (UK), University of Nairobi and University of Port Harcourt (Nigeria).
About the competition
The Efficiency for Access Design Challenge is a global, multi-disciplinary competition that empowers teams of university students to help accelerate clean energy access.
It aims to foster innovation in the off-grid appliances sector. It also seeks to help address barriers that limit market expansion in this area.