DAR ES SALAAM, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Four youth and four women innovators from the East African Community (EAC) member states have won a total of 120,000 euros (about 126,000 U.S. dollars) to scale up their innovative solutions to the region's economic challenges.
In a statement issued by its headquarters in Tanzania's northern city of Arusha on Thursday, the EAC said they won the monetary awards at the regional hackathon held in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi during the 7th Annual EAC Secretary General's Forum.
According to the statement, the event featured a pitching session for women- and youth-led projects to address regional economic integration challenges.
The forum was held under the theme, "Toward a Resilient and Fully Integrated East Africa: Harnessing Opportunities in the Borderless Community," and tackled the region's multifaceted challenges while exploring opportunities for collective growth and development, said the statement. It also served as a platform for citizens to contribute to the policymaking process, identify issues affecting them, and collaborate on strategies for a shared future of integration and a borderless community.
Veronica Nduva, secretary general of the EAC, acknowledged the significance of the regional hackathon as a testament to the community's collective commitment to innovation, inclusivity, and sustainable development within the EAC.
Nduva said the region's future lay in the hands of women and youth, who drive innovation, creativity, and economic resilience.
"The hackathon brings together diverse minds to brainstorm, collaborate, and develop innovative solutions to real challenges," she said. "This event is not just about competition, but about collaboration, learning, growth, and harnessing the collective intelligence of our women and youth to address the pressing economic issues facing our region."
The EAC is an intergovernmental organization composed of eight member states: the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Uganda, and Tanzania. ■