Edmund Wessels, a South African biomedical engineer, and Anatoli Kirigwajjo, a Ugandan electrical engineer, have jointly won the Royal Academy of Engineering’s 2023 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation.
Both Wessels and Kirigwajjo have been awarded first prize for the Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation, taking home £25,000 (587,670 ZAR)/(117,240,700 UGX) to further develop their products.
About Yunga and FlexiGyn
Yunga
Kirigwajjo wins with YUNGA, a local digital security network that connects neighbours to each other and police within a 20 kilometre radius through a physical device, smartphone app or SMS service, providing security at low cost.
Nearly 1,000 households in 30 communities across central Uganda are already on the YUNGA network, which has successfully prevented around 130 break-ins and related crimes. The team is aiming to connect 32,000 households across Uganda in the next two years.
“I developed YUNGA after losing USD 1,300 worth of assets in a break-in, with little chance of the thieves being caught. We hope that with our household networks, communities will become harder targets for criminals. This will ensure safety, which in turn will create the space for economic activities to thrive,” says Kirigwajjo.
“YUNGA revolutionises communication in low-resource areas, providing a digital network for swift and efficient responses to crimes, enhancing safety for entire communities. YUNGA aims to reach more than 30,000 households and 150,000 individuals by 2025.”
FlexiGyn
Wessels wins with FlexiGyn, a battery-powered, portable handheld device that enables gynaecologists to diagnose and treat women’s uterine problems without anaesthetic or expensive equipment. It aims to increase women’s access to reproductive healthcare, particularly in remote areas.
Typical hysteroscopy systems are rigid, leading to high levels of patient discomfort, requiring bulky additional equipment for visualisation. The innovative FlexiGyn features a flexible scope with built-in light and camera, offering a more comfortable and efficient experience for both patients and healthcare providers.
“My co-founder, Chris Meunier and I aim to bring healthcare to a woman’s doorstep, precisely when and where they need it. FlexiGyn is portable, intuitive and user-friendly, allowing gynaecologists to offer quality screenings and timely interventions regardless of the patient’s location or lack of medical infrastructure. At the same time, it is designed to minimise discomfort,” says Wessels.
“We are excited beyond belief to win the Africa Prize and know that this will help to get our name out and find the right partners to complete FlexiGyn’s journey.”
What They’re Saying
Africa Prize judge Rebecca Enonchong FREng, said “Home security is an every day issue for so many people across Africa – we see huge potential for Anatoli’s innovation to transform lives and empower communities to secure their homes, so we are delighted to award YUNGA the Africa Prize.
We believe Edmund’s innovation has the potential to help so many women who struggle to access reproductive healthcare, and are very pleased to award FlexiGyn the Africa Prize as well. We look forward to seeing the impact of both innovations in Africa in the coming years.”
About The 2023 Africa Prize
This year’s 15 shortlisted Africa Prize entrepreneurs, from 10 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, received eight months of training and tailored mentoring including support with developing business plans, recruitment, IP protection, financing and commercialisation.
The Africa Prize also promotes and connects the shortlisted entrepreneurs to individuals and networks around the world who can accelerate their business and provide support with technology development – from fellow entrepreneurs and mentors to potential investors and suppliers.
The two other finalists, who each receive £10,000, are:
- Revive Kit, Chukwuemeka Eze, Nigeria – An e-mobility service that converts gas-powered three-wheel motorbikes to run on batteries, saving up to 60% on running costs.
- WAGA PAWA Pack, Gibson Kawago, Tanzania – A power pack made with recycled laptop batteries to provide reliable and affordable power for electric bikes, power banks, solar lights, businesses and homes.
In addition to the Africa Prize, the remaining 11 innovators from the 2023 shortlist competed for the One to Watch Prize.
Tolulope Olukokun was selected as the winner of the Africa Prize’s One-to-Watch Award of £5,000. This Award recognises the potential of Olukokun innovation, an electric cargo bike with a battery powered fridge to help Nigeria’s smallholder farmers get fresh food crops to market.
The profiles and pitch decks of the 15 engineers comprising the 2023 cohort can be viewed here.
Open Call For 2024 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation
The 2024 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation is now open for entries. Individuals and small teams living and working in sub-Saharan Africa with a scalable engineering innovation to solve a local challenge are invited to enter.
The deadline for entries is 25 July 2023 (4pm BST). Visit the ‘How to Apply’ guide on the Africa Prize website and submit applications through the online grants system.
Catch up on news and other tidbits on our WhatsApp Community Page, Twitter/X, and subscribe to our weekly newsletter to ensure you don’t miss out on any news.
