Innovate Kenya Camp at Maseno School

I have always wanted to inspire the youth especially those in high schools because they are basically at the tipping point in their lives where my small input might be just what is required to tip the balance to a favourable future.Therefore last weekend when a friend of mine from Innovate Kenya  invited me to their innovation camp at Maseno School, I was more than willing to attend. Innovate Kenya is a nationwide innovation competition that involves high school students designing solutions for problems facing their communities. A total of ten projects were selected by judges to enter the final level where a prototype solution will be implemented by the students in the next five weeks. The prototyping of the ten finalist projects  is made possible by funding from Innovate Kenya.

The finalists received mentorship on how to move their ideas forward into the prototyping stage. To top it up the students were taken through the wallet project to enhance their design skills.

I also had the chance to meet Maxwell Collins who has designed an electronic voting machine using parts scavenged from scrap electronics. The 2007/2008 post election skirmishes that almost paralysed Kenya inspired him to design a system where human error and manipulation  is eliminated to ensure peaceful voting and tallying.

They say pictures are worth a thousand words, see for yourself below.....

Some of the Harvard students who volunteered to mentor the teams

Presentation by students from Precious Blood girls High School

Presentation by Kisumu Girls Students 

The audience enjoying a light moment

Presentation by Students from St Elizabeth Girls High School

Presentations by Students From Kilifi High School

Presentation by Students from Precious Blood  Girls High School

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Interacting with Kirotich of Alliance High School

Students from Mary Leaky pose for a picture with their teacher

Design thinking exercise (The wallet project)

Design thinking exercise (The wallet project)

Design thinking exercise (The wallet project)

Posing with Maxwell and the voting  machine 

Testing the Machine

Alliance High school Team

Preserving the wild with Precious blood Girls high School and their teacher 

Showcasing the products of the wallet project

KTN in the area!

LED lighting Solutions

Maxwell

The Voting Machine

Led lighting Solutions for Security lights

Music festival participants from Ahero girls high school

Mentorship and project review

Mentorship and project review

Mentorship and project review

Mentorship and project review

Mentorship and project review

Mentorship and project review

Mentorship and project review

Maxwell Showcasing the voting machine

Lets cast some votes 

Led lights demo

Alliance high school students are  awarded

Mary Leaky girls high school sudents are awarded certificates 

Kisumu girls Students are awarded certificates

Precious Blood girls Students are awarded certificates 

Precious blood girls high school students are awarded certificates 

Kilifi high School students are awarded certificates

St elizabeth Students get their awards

Maseno School students get their awards

Pumwani high School students get their award

The Awesome team: Innovate Kenya staff on the back row,  studnents and their teachers

Yeah hurrah! We've made it

I am looking forward to the august event when the students present their prototypes.