Zuhura Innovation Africa, a woman-led and youth-focused organization, launched the 3rd edition of the Africa Basque Challenge (ABC) on the 29th October 2021 at the JJ McCarthy, Riverside Drive, Nairobi, Kenya. This year’s program shall be running from the 29th of October to the 4th of November.
The Africa Basque Challenge is a youth innovation competition that brings together young people from around the world to co-create effective solutions for their communities. Mondragon Team Academy, Zuhura Innovations Africa, Anesvad, and Diversity 4 Equality are collaborating on the challenge. The event will see a new milestone in the program. This year’s theme is Access to Healthcare, bringing together multicultural teams for the co-creation of innovative solutions in healthcare systems.
The challenge is open to young persons between the ages of 18 and 35 who live in Kenya, Senegal, or the Basque Country (Spain). They will build multicultural teams to develop new solutions to remove barriers to health care access, allowing citizens to get the products and services they desire and need.
The program’s goal is to;
• Find new young change-makers who will work together to make a positive impact in their communities.
• Co-create social initiatives to address health-related social concerns in Kenya, Senegal, and the Basque Country.
• To bring together intercultural communities to collaborate and develop solutions that meet the requirements of all of the communities.
• Find new young change-makers who will work together to make a positive impact in their communities.
• Co-create social initiatives to address health-related social concerns in Kenya, Senegal, and the Basque Country.
• To bring together intercultural communities to collaborate and develop solutions that meet the requirements of all of the communities.
Mr Leonard Cosmas, Kenya Representative, World Health Organization noted, “Our vision is that health digital innovations should improve health for everyone and everywhere. They should be appropriate, accessible, affordable, scalable and sustainable person-centric digital health solutions to prevent, detect and respond to epidemics and pandemics.”
During the launch of the program, various representatives from the participating countries attended, they include Mr Cosmas Leonard for the World Health Organization, Kenya,
Mr Ignacio Garcia; Consul of the Spanish Embassy, Mr Elhadji Guiye – First Counsellor of Senegal Embassy, Mr Jean Lokenga – Deputy Representative UNICEF Kenya and Mr Abdourahmane BA – First Secretary Senegal Embassy.
During the launch of the program, various representatives from the participating countries attended, they include Mr Cosmas Leonard for the World Health Organization, Kenya,
Mr Ignacio Garcia; Consul of the Spanish Embassy, Mr Elhadji Guiye – First Counsellor of Senegal Embassy, Mr Jean Lokenga – Deputy Representative UNICEF Kenya and Mr Abdourahmane BA – First Secretary Senegal Embassy.
Jean Lokenga Deputy Representative for UNICEF Kenya stated, “Health is not an expenditure; it is an investment. It is also the best social equalizer.”
Three teams will be selected at the end of the program to receive seed funding for their innovative concepts to carry ahead as social enterprises at the final pitching event in the Basque country in January 2022. They will receive 3 months of membership and coaching from Bridges for Billions in addition to the seed funding.