The awards were presented during the EAC Regional Hackathon held in Nairobi, Kenya, as part of the 7th Annual Secretary General's Forum.
The event focused on fostering collaboration for regional growth and integration, under the theme "Towards a Resilient and Fully Integrated East Africa."
The hackathon attracted over 1,000 innovative solutions, particularly targeting sectors such as tourism, agribusiness, environmental protection, trade, digitalization, and financial services.
Projects presented by the innovators tackled critical issues related to regional economic integration. Each of the eight winning projects, four led by women and four by youth, was awarded €15,000 to help accelerate their impact.
Among the winners was Niyonkuru Kevin from Burundi, founder of SPOTA Company, and Cirhuza Birhaheka Onesphore from DR Congo, who runs AGRIMOD SARL.
Kenya's Tayba Hatiym of BAUS Taka Enterprise and Rwanda's Pacifique Niyorurema, who runs Fresco Fruits, were also recognized for their innovative contributions.
Somalia's Mohamed Osman Abdulkadir, representing Greenlife Agribusiness LTD, and Anok Athor Deng from South Sudan, behind Future of Family Planning, were among the recipients.
Additionally, Faith Kuya from Tanzania, who founded SafeSip Limited, and Munyasa Hellen of Uganda's Helton Traders Limited also received the award.
During the event, EAC Secretary General Veronica M. Nduva praised the hackathon as a testament to the region's commitment to inclusive development.
She emphasized that women and youth are the driving forces behind innovation and economic resilience, noting that the hackathon was not just about competition but about fostering collaboration, learning, and growth.
Uganda's 1st Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Community Affairs, Rebecca Kadaga, commended the EAC for its leadership, stressing the importance of collaboration in unlocking the potential of youth and women for regional prosperity.
Rwanda's Gen (Rtd) James Kabarebe, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in charge of Regional Cooperation highlighted the significance of such platforms in empowering the region's youth and women, noting that the EAC continues to lead by example in fostering economic integration and innovation.
Kenya's Principal Secretary, Abdi Dubat, spoke about the critical discussions that took place, which illuminated both the challenges and opportunities within the region.
He expressed confidence that shared commitment and collaboration would guide the path to a resilient, integrated East Africa.
Mr. Marius Weist, GIZ's Component Lead for Organizational Development and Outreach, further emphasized the importance of empowering women and youth to help achieve EAC's economic goals.
He praised the participants for their creative solutions to the region's challenges, emphasizing that GIZ's support would continue to foster an inclusive economy for all.
The forum concluded with several key recommendations aimed at advancing regional integration, including removing barriers to the free movement of goods and services, enhancing youth representation in policy-making, and boosting digital infrastructure in rural areas to support small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
Théophile Niyitegeka
