Malawi-based entrepreneur Gonjetso Chinyama is the founder of Pakwathu, a website that allows users to search properties based on location, price range, property type and more. Chinyama noticed that the only place Malawi residents could learn about property for sale was in the newspaper, and these only listed a handful of expensive options. He wanted to make it easy for those looking even outside the main cities of Malawi—like farmers—to find property. Chinyama created the site while still studying Management Information systems in college.
Source: Howwemadeitinafrica.com
Joie Laurent Sangwa of Rwanda found one of the most naturally occurring resources to create energy—human waste. Through her project Domestic Biogas Use Promotion project, Sangwa developed a method of using human waste for energy production, which should in turn reduce deforestation, as well as the formerly unhygienic methods locals had of disposing of the product. The product should help families cut costs greatly.
Source: Itu.int
When Khaled Shady’s 15-year-old friend lost his eyesight, Shady felt compelled to find a way to help him, and so, while still attending Menoufia University in Egypt, he created Mubser. Mubser used RGB imaging and infrared depth captured by a 3D depth camera that set off certain vibrators, to help the blind and visually impaired navigate the world. The device can do things like identify doors and staircases, and name these for the wearer.
Source: Howwemadeitinafrica.com
When volunteering at a Kenyan Girls’ School during his time at the University of Nairobi, 21-year-old Barclay Paul Okari discovered many girls would stay home from school during their menstrual cycles, because they didn’t have access to sanitary pads. Okari took out a loan from his parents and created Safi Pads—affordable, reusable sanitary pads for women. Okari eventually founded Impact Africa Industries, which has sold over 1 million such pads throughout East Africa.
Source: Forbes.com
Lagos-based Temitayo Olufuwa wanted to do something about the high youth unemployment numbers in Nigeria, so he created Jobs In Nigeria—a website and app that searches all other job sites, to create a one-stop job search engine. The company regularly scours trusted job blogs and sites, to filter scams and illegitimate opportunities for its users. Today the company has over 200,000 users.
Source: Elotitv.com
At the age of 14, Neftaly Malatji had saved enough money from a side job to start his company, The Diepsloot Youth Projects (DYP.) DYP is a non-profit organization that helps educate youth in townships on how to hone and market their skills, and partake in business opportunities. DYP provides workshops and programs that educate youth on how to do this.
Source: Southernafricayouth.org
Tanzanian Domitila Silayo created a soap made from the jatropha plant, called Jatropha Soap, that addresses a number of skin diseases afflicting her community, including ringworm and dandruff. Since the plant is such a low cost resource, Silayo is making a great profit, while still delivering an affordable product.
Source: Howwemadeitinafrica.com
David Morfaw of Cameroon knew that, for most citizens of his country, safe, good quality meat is difficult to come by, and the agriculture necessary to produce it is quickly disintegrating. So he created Poult-Valt Inc. Poult-Valt Inc. brings affordable, high quality chicken to communities, uses poultry manure to make cheap, renewable bio-gas in households, thereby reducing deforestation, and makes low cost organic fertilizer for farmers.
Source: Changemakers.com
Donald Bambara of Dakar, Senegal noticed there was no recycling system at work on local campuses, and so he founded Green Act. Green Act sets up and manages recycling systems in schools, educates students on greener methods of dealing with recyclables, and even plants trees and other plants on school property.
Source: Howwemadeitinafrica.com
South-Africa based Kolawole Olajide created an eLearning system called Funda that uses 2D, 3D and animated training materials, compatible with almost any device, that are changing the way people learn. This service is great for those in the developing world, who often use their mobile devices to access Internet. Funda’s clients include corporates, universities and international organizations.
Source: Mweb.co.za
Best Aiyoworth of Uganda had to drop out of school because her family could not afford to put her through it. That experience inspired her to start Girl Power Micro-credit Organization, a company that gives women micro-finance loans to women with existing businesses so they can in turn afford school fees for their children.
Source: Girlspowernebbi.wordpress.com
Titus Mawano of Uganda won $10,000 after his app Ffene was a winner of the Apps4Africa challenge. His app contains software that helps small and medium businesses with accounting and customer and inventory management. Nearly 600 companies were already using the app when it was barely two years old.
Source: Howwemadeitinafrica.com
