Makerere rewards innovators 

Deputy national co-ordinator of Operation Wealth Creation, Charles Angina, inspecting innovations during the second entrepreneurship expo organised by Makerere University. Photo by Wilfred Sanya

Three best entrepreneurial innovators have been rewarded during Makerere University's second entrepreneurship expo aimed at promoting job creation among students.

Over 1,000 Makerere University students exhibited their innovative ideas at the university freedom square, where a panel of judges' evaluated them choosing the best performers. 

The overall winner a TO APP innovator, Winnie Jeannette, won a sh1m prize, followed by Agro Innovation which took home sh700,000 and Nkwataako Beverages; sh500,000. The winners also got certificates in recognition for their unique business ideas.

The winners, who were selected by an eminent jury of judges led by Sam Kabera.

Kabera lauded Makerere University for spearheading the initiative which he said is a better solution to unemployment since a number of students graduate without employment opportunities.

"Many students graduate each year and stay home seated for failure of getting employment opportunities. The creativeness in business will enable them become business creators and earn a living within their own efforts", Kabera lamented.

Kabera also noted that the winners had exhibited unique contribution to the society and the business sector.

"These best innovators selected used limited resources and have good business skills", he noted. "The selected top three indeed deserve the award from the university.

"The expo is to inspire students to have an entrepreneurial spirit through practical skills. This enables them put into practice what they study in class," said Peter Turyakiriza the head of Makerere marketing department.

He added that entrepreneurially oriented students can take advantage of these opportunities to build start-ups as a source of employment.

TO APP 

The app shows courses offered at Makerere University, cut off points and the map of the entire university.

"It enables university students to easily find their way at the university and also enables businessmen advertise their products," Jeannette said.

Winnie Jeannette said she used sh200,000 as capital.

Afro Innovators

Agro Innovators  adds value to agro produce such as banana peelings dried under solar to make sweet natural banana cakes, floor soup and porridge and potatoes flour," Dennis Tarinyeba, the group representative said.

Nwatako Beverages 

Students doing master's in economic policy management made wine and juice out of simsim with capital worth sh100,000.

The groups' innovation representative Tony Bbale says they followed a pretest done in South Sudan by one of their colleges.