UNICEF, Outbox have partnered to support innovators building solutions to address issues faced by children and adolescents in Uganda. Through the UNICEF Uganda Innovation Fund Challenge, innovators using new and emerging technologies to solve everyday challenges will be supported to pilot their solutions further to the next level.
The initiative will address issues related to improving access to basic education, child survival and development, child protection, and adolescent development for all genders in line with UNICEF’s objectives.
According, to Shadrack Omol, the UNICEF representative noted that to realize the Sustainable Development Goals vision where no one is left behind, they need to go beyond business as usual by investing in innovation and building broader, bolder partnerships that reach every child in Uganda.
“Innovation at UNICEF is about doing new things to solve problems and improve the lives of children. It is about matching today’s challenges we face in Uganda with tomorrow’s solutions,”
Shadrack Omol, UNICEF representative said in a statement.
In support of UNICEF’s new initiative, the Outbox CEO Richard Zulu noted that, this will contribute to their mission of bringing together resources that support entrepreneurs to succeed in a challenging and ever changing ecosystem.
“This collaboration is an opportunity for the community to work alongside experts and bring their ideas to market, while contributing to the achievement of SDGs,”
Said Zulu
Under the initiative, innovators will come together and co-create positive solutions that address systematic challenges faced by children and adolescents in Uganda. This will include mentorship, linkages to market access partners, business training and product development, as well as startup grant funding support for a period of nine months.
With over 8 social innovators to be supported in a 1-year timeframe, interested applicants and participants can make submissions of their innovative solutions via the UNICEF innovation portal at: https://unicef.innovationchallenge.ug/