Among this year's top contenders is a unique project that focuses on creating porridge flour from a variety of materials, including chicken eggshells.
The initiative is part of a broader effort supported by the ACCESS project (African Centre for Career Enhancement & Skills Support), which aims to help students implement their business ideas. ACCESS provides the necessary resources and guidance to turn these ideas into tangible and impactful ventures.
Dr. Niyibizi François Xavier, the ACCESS coordinator in Rwanda, explained that the competition's goal is to offer students the opportunity to bring their creative business ideas to life.
"Many students have great ideas, but lack the resources to implement them. Our project helps them by providing the essential tools to transform their concepts into real-world businesses," he stated.
This year, the competition started with 49 projects, which were narrowed down to 20. These finalists received business training and further evaluation, resulting in the selection of the top seven. Among them, five projects will receive additional support to begin implementation.
One of the promising projects is by Niyomugabo Thierry and Uwizeyimana Patrick, who are developing a modern toilet design that prevents the spread of diseases.
The toilet will feature self-cleaning technology, which automatically sanitizes itself after use.
"Our research shows that public toilets contribute to the spread of disease, particularly affecting women. Our design will cover the leftover water, preventing contamination," Niyomugabo explained. "Additionally, it will assist people with disabilities by making it easier to operate," Uwizeyimana added.
Another standout project comes from Patrick Hans Weedy Jr., who is working on the 'Bible Coding Academy.' This project aims to teach young people not only Bible studies but also coding. "Youth today need to integrate their beliefs with practical skills. By combining faith with technology, we can prepare them for the future," he said.
Tuyizere Patrice is working on a project to produce nutrient-rich flour for porridge and biscuits. The flour will be made from a variety of ingredients, including mushrooms, maize, wheat, and even eggshells. Tuyizere emphasized the nutritional value of eggshells, which are often discarded.
"Eggs are nutritious, and the shells are rich in minerals. We plan to grind the shells into flour, blending it with other ingredients like honey, mushrooms, and maize to create a nutritious porridge flour that will help combat malnutrition and stunting," he explained.
Irakoze Beni Benjamin is developing a project that involves recycling plastic waste into bricks and paving materials. This initiative aims to reduce environmental damage while providing useful building materials.
"Plastic waste is a major environmental hazard, but it can be repurposed into useful building materials. Our process ensures no harmful emissions are released during recycling," Irakoze said.
Irikumwenatwe Olivier is working on a technology that will weigh vehicles to ensure they don't exceed road weight limits. He explained, "Many roads and bridges are damaged by overloaded vehicles. Our technology will allow for real-time weight measurement to ensure vehicles comply with weight restrictions."
Among others, Sani Raouf is developing assistive technology for people with disabilities, including glasses equipped with cameras and technology that help the visually impaired navigate their surroundings.
In addition, he is working on gloves that translate sign language into speech, helping people with hearing or speech disabilities communicate more easily.
"The glasses will have a camera that tells the wearer what is in front of them, guiding them to their destination. The gloves will help people using sign language communicate with those who don't understand it by converting signs into speech," Sani explained.
Lastly, Umutoni Sumaya and Ukunzwenimana Olivier are working on an eco-friendly project to produce fertilizer from agricultural waste and chicken manure. They are also developing a pesticide from ginger peels.
"We realized that agricultural waste and chicken manure are often discarded but can be used to make affordable, environmentally friendly fertilizers," Umutoni said.
The competition is open to all institutions collaborating with INES Ruhengeri, including universities in the Musanze District.
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