Techpreneur, Anne Rweyora was among the four (4) finalists selected for the grand prize of the Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation. The grand ceremony was held in Kampala, capital of Uganda — that saw Neo Hutiri from South Africa emerge as the overall winner.
Anne Rweyora was then the runner up with two other competitors; Chukwunonso Arinze (Nigeria) and Roy Allela (Kenya). With Neo Hutiri, 31 winning 25,000 Pounds, all the three runners up received 10,000 Pounds (approx. UGX47.8 million) each.
To recall, Anne Rweyora was shortlisted for the Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation by the Royal Academy of Engineering in Nov. 2018 along with 15 other innovators including another Ugandan Paul Matovu.
Matovu who didn’t emerge as finalist — invented what he called the “Vertical Farm” an easy-to-build wooden farm-in-a-box designed to capitalize on waste in urban areas.
Meanwhile, Anne Rweyora thought of Smart Havens Africa. Sustainable, smart homes built from appropriate but affordable technologies, geared towards making home ownership more accessible to low and moderate income African women.
Rweyora began working on the idea after volunteering in South Sudan as a social worker. She felt the need that home ownership should be more attainable to the average working woman.
The Smart Havens rent-to-own plan helps women buy homes without increasing debt and poverty.
Rweyora claims the technologies used include a locally designed brickmaking that uses less material, designs that reduce temperatures in hot climates, custom biodigesters, and solar water and electricity installations to keep utility costs down.
PC Tech Magazine is trying to reach Anne Rweyora for a comment.
Apply For the 6th Competition
The sixth Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation is now open. Individuals and teams in sub-Saharan Africa with an engineering innovation, are invited to send in their applications not later than July 22nd, 2019.
It’s worth knowing that Uganda’s Brian Gitta, software engineer and Co-Founder of Matibabu is still the youngest winner of this prestigious Africa Prize
