The ACIA 2016 Awards gala that graced a number of people including; Businessmen, Innovators, Facilitators, CEO’s, Managing Directors, Executive Directors, ICT enthusiasts, Universities, Primary & Secondary Schools, to name a few, took place at Serena Hotel, Uganda, on the evening of Friday, May 20th, 2016 organized by Uganda Communications Commission (UCC).
It was preceded by an Exhibition which was also held on the same day from 9am to 5pm before the award gala kicked off at 8:30pm.
PC Tech Magazine managed to meet some of the exhibitors during the show casing, where we witnessed a number of innovative ideas that can really change the living of many people today.
1. Young ICT innovators Award:
a) Uganda’s rising stars
This award shall recognise extraordinary application of ICTs by secondary school students towards the reduction of the digital divide in Uganda. This may be with regard to ICT access, affordability, availability and/or it’s applicability.
| Winners | Presented By | |
| Grand Winners * | Kako Seconday School | Network Director, Airtel Uganda, Mr. Rajesh Agrawal |
| 1st Runners-up | Mary Hill High School | |
| 2nd Runners-up | Dr. Obote College, Boroboro |
Grand Winners * : Each student was given a laptop and unlimited 4G Airtel Routers.
b) Uganda’s Explorer
| Winners | Presented By | |
| Grand Winners | Bushenyi Parental Care | Airtel Uganda, Legal Director, Mr. Dennis Kakonge |
| 1st Runners-up | Happy Hillside Academy | |
| 2nd Runners-up | Green Hill Academy |
c) Uganda’s ICT Visionaries
This award shall recognize an ICT based innovation developed by students in tertiary or a vocational institution that seeks to make a city or town of their choice.
| Winners | Additional Awards | Presented By | |
| Grand Winners | Natalsys | 1500 USD | Dr. Ian Ssekatuka |
| 1st Runners-up | Sign Langauge Tutor | 750 USD | |
| 2nd Runners-up | Visual Plus | 500 USD |
2. ICT for Development Award
This award recognized the extraordinary use of ICTs to improve the livelihoods of communities by facilitating Uganda’s achievement of any of the millennium development goals.
| Winners | Additional Awards | Presented By | |
| Grand Winners | Tambula | 2500 USD | Director of Huawei Technologies, Uganda, Stanley Chyn |
| 1st Runners-up | Protecting Infacts Through SMS | 1250 USD |
3. Digital Content Award
This award recognized the outstanding compilation of text, images including video, or sound into an application or product that enhances the value and use of communication networks and services within local communities in Uganda.
| Winners | Additional Awards | Presented By | |
| Grand Winners | Mixakids | 2500 USD | CEO, NBS Uganda, Mr. Kin Kariisa |
| 1st Runners-up | Kampala Smart Schooling | 1250 USD |
4. E-Governance Award
According to the organizers of the Acia awards, there was a public voting for this award by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
This award aimed to recognize the Government of Uganda’s development efforts, especially in the promotion of e-Government. Voters decided on what they feel is the best MDA with regard to the use of ICT in providing government services to the public.
Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) won the award and it was presented to them by the Executive Director of NITA-Uganda, James Saaka.
5. Service Excellence Award
This award recognized the outstanding innovative approaches by licensed telecom providers to eliminate barriers to ICT inclusion in Uganda.
Airtel Uganda took home with them this award from their on-going, “Tugabane” and it was presented to them by the Executive Director of Uganda Communication Commission, Mr Godfrey Mutabazi.
6. Judge’s choice Award
The judge’s choice award was given to “Yaka KO”, a service platform that let’s you borrow power units for your yaka in case you run out of power and can’t be able to pay at the moment. This award was presented to them by one of the judges, Eng. Dorothy Okello.
7. Business Excellence Award
This award recognized the outstanding use of ICT by an organisation, whose core business is not ICT, but to improve the organisation’s performance efficiency, effectiveness or both.
The “UMEME mobile application”, managed to grab this award beating some of their competitors; National Water and Sewerage Corporation and Kafuna – a web-based, easy-to-use, and affordable loan management information system. This award was presented to them by the Hon. Minister of ICT, John Nasasira.
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