NAIROBI, July 28 (Xinhua) -- When he took the podium to showcase his mastery of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), Rebaone Monama, a student at the University of Johannesburg in South Africa, brought a burst of energy to an audience braving the chilly evening in Kenya's capital, Nairobi.
Monama was among 20 finalists at a China-backed innovation competition who received gold and silver awards on Monday for developing creative solutions to improve lives across Africa.
The young student proudly described himself as a TCM advocate, having pioneered an innovation that seeks to relieve menstrual pain and arthritis symptoms while improving healthcare outcomes in his native South Africa.
Working with fellow researchers, Monama developed a comprehensive approach to arthritis prevention, treatment, and care by integrating TCM with Western medicine.
"We also adhered to high standards of TCM application in Africa to treat ailments. We apply acupuncture and other TCM therapies, while forging collaboration with TCM centers of excellence in China to promote health outcomes in South Africa," said Monama.
In its second edition, the China International College Students' Innovation Competition 2026 Africa Regional Finals was jointly organized by China's Ministry of Education and 11 other government departments, said Feng Shuyi, vice president of China's Nanjing Agricultural University, which hosted the first two editions of the contest.
Feng noted that African regional finals of the innovation contest have provided young innovators across the continent with opportunities to learn from China's experience in innovation and entrepreneurship while developing solutions to address local challenges.
For Mercy Chelimo, a horticulture major at Egerton University in Kenya's Nakuru County, the competition has helped unlock her creative potential.
Participating in the contest for the second time, Chelimo presented a project focused on enriching bioactive compounds in mushrooms with medicinal properties.
"With our innovation, we are trying to come up with enrichment of these mushrooms with compounds that are beneficial to consumers. Our target is the export market where the bulk of mushroom demand is based," she said.
This year's competition attracted 600 participants representing 207 teams from 92 African universities, with 20 teams qualifying for the finals.
Henry Rotich, metrology and testing director at Kenya Bureau of Standards and a member of the judging panel, said most of the innovations showcased by contestants met international standards and sought to address some of Africa's pressing challenges, including hunger, poverty, disease, and water shortage. ■