Earlier this year in April, the Government of Uganda through the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance partnered with Tech-firm, Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd to launch the 2nd annual Huawei Seed For Future Program; which aims at boosting and supporting Technology innovators in the country.
The Hon. Minister Frank K Tumwebaze who was the Chief Guest at the launch highlighted the importance of mentoring to especially young ICT innovators before revealing that the best 10 qualifying ICT students selected out of a competition will be taken to China for mentorship opportunities alongside cash prizes, and other goodies.
The programme which is jointly by the Ministry of ICT and National guidance and the Ministry of Education and Sports on behalf of government together with Huawei as a partner challenged different innovators in the field of ICT from different public university countrywide including; Gulu University, Lira University, Busitema University, Makerere University, Muni University, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, and Kyambogo University.
According to reports we attained from Huawei, they received 35 submissions from these university, of which 20 were shorted listed. Interviewed by a panel of five judges from Ministry of Education & Sports, NITA and Huawei the 20 that were shortlisted presented how their proposed ICT solutions would solve various economic challenges and how usable, how feasible, how sustainable are these to Uganda’s development in thematic areas of commerce, education, agriculture, transport and health among others – where only 10 emerged winners.
As of today, during an event that was graced by the Chinese Ambassador in Uganda, Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, Managing Director at Huawei Uganda, held at Makerere University, saw 10 students flagged off to China for the two (2) weeks training in Beijing and at the Huawei headquarters in Shenzhen by the Minister of State at High Education; Hon. John Muyingo.
Hon. Muyingo urged the students to be disciplined because they are carry Uganda’s flag during the two weeks training period in China.
Kyobe Allan Kaggwa; Public Relation Office at Huawei Uganda told PC Tech Magazine, that the finalists will be trained in the Chinese culture such as language, calligraphy, painting learning, historical tour in Beijing and cutting-edge ICTs lessons, and also visit the Huawei exhibition hall in Shenzhen, where Huawei’s headquarter is located.
The 2017 winners are set to depart from Uganda on Friday 2nd, June 2017 and will be expected to be back on Sunday 18th, June 2017. Notably, last year winners were flagged off by the President of Uganda; H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
This program started globally in 2008 in Thailand and was launched to nurture professionals who are urgently needed to drive development of the ICT industry in countries where Huawei operates.
The Full list of the flagged off students is as follows:
- Hellen Raudha Nakayiza from Lira University.
- Marvin Ggaliwango from Lira University.
- Daniel Mutembesa from Makerere University.
- Godliver Owomugisha from Makerere University.
- George Joseph Serunjogi from Makerere University.
- Jonathan Kigozi from Muni University.
- Francis Bukenya from Busitema University.
- Sharon Judith Lalam from Gulu University.
- Maria Drolence Mwanje from Mbarara University of Science and Technology.
- Maria Angella Namuleme from Kyambogo University.
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated on Tuesday 30th, May 2017 on 8:00 a.m (EAT)
