MTN Uganda, in partnership with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), shortlisted 12 finalists for the Pachi Panda Innovation Challenge, a youth-focused programme supporting commercially viable solutions for climate and resource-management pressures.
The selected projects span food systems, ecosystem conservation, renewable energy, and waste-to-value innovation; areas increasingly important as Uganda responds to intensifying climate risks and growing demand for sustainable resource management. The finalists include water-reuse technologies, digital agriculture tools, microbial fuel-cell prototypes, biodegradable fibre products, and circular-economy waste models.
The finalists are currently participating in a structured training and mentorship programme designed to strengthen their business models, improve technical development, and prepare them for investor-ready pitching.
The 12 finalists include;
|
Finalist(s) |
Innovation |
| Martha Atwine & Messach Luminsa | LumiGuard |
| Benjamin Busuulwa | Graywater Reuse Management System |
| Hannington Sserwanga | The KampalaBuzzline |
| Musiimwe Duncan | AirAware |
| Ruth Kyobutungi | FarmGate Digital |
| Mutagamba Shabirih | Smart Waste-to-Value Youth Hubs |
| Ben Engule & Amos Ogwal | CropPay |
| Ssenyonga Charles | AI-Powered Microbial Fuel Cell |
| Mutebi Andrew | Life Memorial Uganda |
| Treis Bateeze Georgette | Totem Trails |
| Kigozi Martin | EcoDrop Project |
| Nabuule Maria Maureen | Biodegradable Banana Fibre Hair Extensions |
On November 27, they will present their projects to an independent judging panel drawn from the technology, environment, and enterprise development sectors. Only three national winners will be selected and awarded cash prizes of US$5,000 (approx. UGX18 million), US$3,000 (approx. UGX11 million), and US$2,000 (approx. UGX7 million), respectively. In addition to the financial awards, winners will receive incubation and mentorship support to further refine and scale their solutions. All three will go on to represent Uganda at the Africa Pachi Panda Finals in South Africa next year.
The Pachi Panda Innovation Challenge, launched in Zambia in 2022 and subsequently expanded to Cameroon, Nigeria, and South Africa, has become a regional platform for identifying and developing scalable youth-led climate innovations. Uganda is the fifth country to adopt the initiative.
MTN Uganda’s CEO, Ms. Sylvia Mulinge, said the programme reflects MTN’s long-term commitment to sustainability and youth empowerment. “A resilient, connected future depends on the health of the ecosystems that support our communities. The Pachi Panda platform is helping us surface practical solutions from young innovators who are closest to the challenges,” she stated.
This development comes as Uganda continues to face pressure on food, water, and energy systems driven by climate variability, land-use change, and population growth. MTN and WWF say the challenge is designed to accelerate solutions positioned at the nexus of these systems, an area attracting rising investor and policy interest across Africa.
